Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D) in Clinical Psychology

Chestnut Hill College offers the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree in clinical psychology with optional concentrations in Marriage and Family Therapy or Psychological Assessment. Students who complete the requirements for a concentration will receive a Certificate of Concentration in addition to the diploma at graduation.

The Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology prepares graduates to become professional psychologists with skills in psychotherapy, psychological assessment, supervision, and consultation. The Psy.D. program follows a practitioner-scholar model of training. Students are trained in clinical skills and also acquire a broad base of academic knowledge to permit them to evaluate and contribute to the scholarly literature in the field of clinical psychology. The curriculum is based on the list of competencies developed by the National Council for Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP) and provides the proper academic framework for the graduate to prepare for the licensing examination in Pennsylvania and throughout the United States.

Admission to the Psy.D. program is open to:

• Applicants with a bachelor’s degree and at least 12 undergraduate credits (4 courses) in psychology. These applicants enter via the M.S./Psy.D. track and earn the M.S. in Clinical Psychology en route to the Psy.D. degree.
• Applicants with a master’s degree in clinical and/or counseling psychology, or a closely related field. These applicants may apply to transfer up to 30 credits of foundational courses (500-600 level). Applicants who are able to transfer at least 15 credits may be eligible for admission directly to Year II of the Psy.D. program. The remaining foundational courses must be completed before beginning Year III of the Psy.D. program. Applicants whose master’s degree is not in a field closely related to clinical and/or counseling psychology should pursue the M.S./Psy.D. track.  To be considered for admission with advanced standing the applicant’s master’s degree must have included at least two semesters of supervised practicum or internship or the applicant may submit evidence of relevant supervised work experience in a mental health setting.  The applicant must submit an evaluation from the supervisor with their application packet.  This evaluation may be used as one of the required letters of recommendation.

The program will also accept a limited number of students transferring from other APA-accredited doctoral programs in clinical psychology.  See Criteria for Transfer Credits for information relevant to these applicants.

Theoretical Orientation
The theoretical orientation of the Department of Professional Psychology at Chestnut Hill College is a complementary blend of psychodynamic and systems theories. Psychodynamic theory, including object relations theory, serves as a method for understanding the personality formation and inner psychological world of the individual. The perspective of systems theory provides students with the understanding of the ways in which individuals, families, and communities influence one another.

Program Goals
The goals of the Psy.D. Program are as follows:

1. To prepare students to become competent practitioners of clinical psychology.
2. To foster ethical thinking and behavior in professional work and appreciation of legal and quality assurance principles that have an impact on clinical practice
3. To facilitate respect for the value of empirical findings in guiding one’s clinical decision-making, the ability to be effective consumers of research literature, and the ability to utilize research principles to answer clinically relevant questions
4. To promote professionalism in interaction with clients, supervisors, and faculty, to enhance self-knowledge and the ability to evaluate critically one’s own performance

Each of these goals has specific objectives and competencies associated with it. Click here for the goals and competencies.