Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology Curriculum

All courses are 3 graduate credits unless otherwise indicated

   

Foundational Core Courses (21 credits): 

PSYG 503     Psychopathology 

PSYG 510     Research Design and Methodology 

PSYG 512     Legal and Ethical Issues in Psychotherapy 

PSYG 514     Development Across the Lifespan: Individual and Family 

PSYG 532     The Role of Culture and Gender in Psychotherapy 

PSYG 604     A Systemic Approach to the Problems of Adolescents 

PSYG 608     Marriage and Family Therapy 

 

Additional Requirements for M.S./Psy.D. Track (18 credits; these credits do NOT count towards the 116 credits required for the Psy.D. degree but are required for the M.S. in Clinical Psychology): 

PSYG 500     Theories of Counseling and Psychotherapy  

PSYG 506     Techniques of Counseling and Psychotherapy I 

PSYG 508     Techniques of Counseling and Psychotherapy II 

PSYG 745     Clinical Experience I 

PSYG 755     Clinical Experience II 

PSYG 765     Clinical Experience III 

 

Required Upper-Level Doctoral Courses (62 credits): 

PSYG 800     Psychological Assessment I (2 credits) 

PSYG 801     Personality and Individual Differences 

PSYG 801L   Personality and Individual Differences Lab (1 credit) 

PSYG 802     Psychological Assessment II 

PSYG 803     Psychological Assessment III 

PSYG 804     Historical Foundations of Psychology 

PSYG 805     Psychometric Theory (2 credits) 

PSYG 806     Psychodynamic Theory and Therapy 

PSYG 806L   Psychodynamic Theory and Therapy Lab (1 credit) 

PSYG 808     Family Therapy 

PSYG 808L   Family Therapy Lab (1 credit) 

PSYG 810     Biological Bases of Behavior 

PSYG 812     Psychopharmacology 

PSYG 815     Evidence-Based Practice  

PSYG 815L   Evidence-Based Practice Lab (1 credit) 

PSYG 816     Advanced Topics in Human Diversity 

PSYG 818     Statistical Applications 

PSYG 820     Methods of Psychotherapy Integration 

PSYG 820L   Methods of Psychotherapy Integration Lab (1 credit) 

PSYG 824     Ethics and Professional Practice Issues 

PSYG 828     Cognitive/Affective Bases of Behavior 

PSYG 829     Supervision and Consultation 

PSYG 838     Social Bases of Behavior 

PSYG 844     Dissertation Mentoring I (1 credit) 

PSYG 845     Dissertation Mentoring II (1 credit) 

PSYG 846     Dissertation Mentoring III (1 credit) 

PSYG 848     The Role of the Professional Psychologist (1 credit) 

PSYG 913     Dissertation Advising: Proposal Development (2 credits) 

 

Dissertation Advising (6 credits): 

PSYG 914     Dissertation Advising I (2 credits) each term for one year 

 

(If needed) PSYG 918 Dissertation Advising – continuation (2 credits) each semester until dissertation is defended. 

 

Practicum and Internship (15 credits): 

PSYG 901, 903, & 904        Practicum I (1.5 credits each semester) 

PSYG 905, 906, & 907        Practicum II (1.5 credits each semester) 

PSYI 991, 992, 993  Internship I , II, and III (2 credits each semester) 

 

Doctoral Electives (12 credits): 

  • Required for Marriage & Family Therapy Concentration: 

PSYG 852     Treating the Diverse Family 

PSYG 855     Family Therapy with Young Children 

PSYG 859     Seminar in Family Therapy 

 

  • Required for Psychological Assessment Concentration: 

PSYG 863     Advanced Personality Assessment 

PSYG 864     Advanced Cognitive Assessment 

PSYG 869     Neuropsychological Assessment 

 

Students select three courses from the above list of electives and also complete either an additional practicum in Year V (PSYG 908-909, 3 credits) or an additional elective course selected from the list above. 

  

 

EXAMINATIONS 

Each student must pass a written Comprehensive Examination and a Clinical Competency Examination. If either examination is not passed on the first attempt, the student has two opportunities to retake the Comprehensive Examination and one opportunity to retake the Clinical Competency Examination. Students who do not pass the Comprehensive Examination by the third attempt or the Clinical Competency Examination by the second attempt will be dismissed from the program.  

 

DISSERTATION

Each student must complete a dissertation, which may consist of an original empirical research study, an extensive critical review and integration of the literature on a topic in the field, or a detailed clinical analysis of a series of cases representing a particular problem or diagnosis. The student must successfully defend the dissertation before a committee of faculty members. 

The Dissertation Process.  

  • Statistical Applications (Year III). This course reviews the basic methods of statistical analysis for quantitative data and introduces the student to computer software used for data analysis. 
  • Dissertation Mentoring. Starting with the summer semester of Year II, students begin a course sequence that is designed to assist them in determining a dissertation topic and developing the dissertation proposal. 
  • Dissertation Advising: Proposal Development. Following the third semester of Dissertation Mentoring, students meet individually with the Dissertation Chair to complete the formal dissertation proposal. 
  • Dissertation Advising. After completing the dissertation proposal students continue the development of the dissertation under the guidance of the Dissertation Chair and committee members.   

   

Sample Psy.D. Program Course Schedule