fbpx Program Overview (Psy.D.) | Chestnut Hill College Skip to content Skip to navigation
Menu

Program Overview (Psy.D.)

Program Overview (Psy.D.)

Chestnut Hill College offers the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree in clinical psychology with optional concentrations in Couple, Family, and Child 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 as they 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. For most states, APA-accredited educational programs and APA-accredited internships meet the requirements for licensure. Links to individual state licensing boards are available at https://www.apaservices.org/practice/ce/state/state-info.  The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards prepares an annually updated document of state-by-state requirements for initial licensure to assist psychology doctoral programs in meeting U.S. Department of Education-required Consumer Information Disclosures. This report can be viewed at:  https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.asppb.net/resource/resmgr/files/Consumer_Information_Disclos.pdf.

Theoretical Orientation

The theoretical orientation of the Department of Professional Psychology at Chestnut Hill College is a complementary blend of psychodynamic interpersonal and systems theories. Psychodynamic interpersonal 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.

Read More
Program Aims
  • To prepare students to become competent practitioners of clinical psychology by facilitating the acquisition of knowledge and skills necessary for effective clinical practice.
  • To foster respect for human diversity and to enable students to work effectively with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds.
  • To foster ethical thinking and behavior in professional work and appreciation of legal and quality assurance principles that have an impact on clinical practice.
  • To facilitate the development of a scholarly attitude, 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.
  • To promote professionalism, self-awareness, and active involvement in the profession of psychology and advocacy efforts.

Each of these goals has specific objectives and competencies associated with it.  Complete list of the goals, objectives and competencies.

Read More
Admission to the Psy.D. program is open to:
  • Applicants with a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited institution 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 be eligible for admission directly to Year II of the Psy.D. program. For criteria for admission with Advanced Standing, see Psy.D. Program: Admissions.
  • The program will also accept a limited number of students transferring from other APA-accredited doctoral programs in clinical psychology. (See Doctoral Admissions for information relevant to these applicants.)

The Doctoral Program does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, disability, relationship status, or on the basis of any other criteria that is inconsistent with state or local laws in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, or financial aid.

Read More
Employment, Practicum, and Internship Sites

The following is a partial listing of post-graduation employment sites (including post-doc positions), doctoral internship placements, practicum and clinical experience placements.

CHC Alumni Employment Sites

(Private/Group Practice)
Albright College
Beechwood NeuroRehab
Bryn Mawr College
Caron Treatment Centers
Central Montgomery Behavioral Health
Cherokee Health System
Chestnut Hill College
Child Study Institute
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Devereux Foundation
Franklin & Marshall College
Georgian Court University
Growth Opportunity Center
Intercultural Family Services
Juvenile Justice Center, Philadelphia Department of Human Services
Larned State Hospital
Merakey (formerly Northwestern Human Services)
Mid-Atlantic Behavioral Health
Monmouth University
Neumann University
Neuropsychological Rehabilitation Services
Northern Children's Services
Penn Memory Center
Pennsylvania State University
Philmont Guidance Center
Princeton University
Renfrew Treatment Center
Spectrum Behavioral Health
St. Luke Institute
Temple University
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
U.S. Air Force
U.S. Army
U.S. Navy
University of the Sciences
Ursinus College
VA Medical Centers
Villanova University
WES Health Systems
West Chester University

Doctoral Internship Sites:

Ancora Psychiatric Hospital
Beechwood NeuroRehab*
CHC Psychological Services Clinic*
Christiana Care Health System
Coatesville VA Medical Center
Connections Community Support Services, Inc.*
Drexel University
Federal Correctional Institute, Fort Worth
Federal Medical Center, Lexington
Friends Hospital
Frostburg State University
Georgia State University
Growth Opportunity Center*
Hamilton-Madison House, Inc.
Henry Ford Health Sciences Center
Holcomb Behavioral Health System
Hudson Valley VA Health Care System
Joseph J. Peters Child & Adolescent Treatment Center
Loma Linda University School of Medicine
Mid-Ohio Psychological Services, Inc.
Mississippi State Hospital
Nicklaus Children’s Hospital, Miami
Northeast Treatment Centers*
Pennsylvania Hospital
Philadelphia VA Medical Center
Reading Hospital
Rider University Counseling Center*
SPIN - Special People In Northeast*
Stone Mountain Health Services
Superior Court of the District of Columbia
Temple University Counseling Center
Tulane University School of Medicine
University of Central Florida CAPS
University of Houston Counseling Service
University of Southern California
VA New Jersey Health Care System
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Wellspan Philhaven Hospital
Wichita Collaborative Psychology
Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Lackland Airforce Base
YCS Institute for Infant & Preschool Mental Health

*Member institution of the CHC Doctoral Internship Consortium

Practicum (Assessment/Clinical) and Clinical Experience Sites

Bancroft NeuroRehab
Bensalem School DistrictCarbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit #21
Center for Growth
Center for Neurological and Neurodevelopmental Health
Central Montgomery Behavioral Health
Chichester School District
Child Guidance Resource Centers
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Christiana Care Health System
Clinical Neuropsychology Associates
Colonial School District
Cooper University Hospital
Crozer Keystone Health System
Devereux Children's Behavioral Services
Diversified Psychological Resources, P.C.
Exton Behavioral Health & Rehabilitation
Gateway Regional School District
Graterford PA Department of Corrections
Growing Tree Psychological Services
Growth Opportunity Center
Horsham Clinic
Institute for Advanced Psychological Training
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation
Lawrence Township Public School
Lower Moreland Township School District
Malvern Institute Willow Grove
Merakey (formerly Northwestern Human Services)
Mid-Atlantic Behavioral Health
Neurodevelopmental Assessment and Consulting, LLC
University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Neuropsychiatry Program
Lifespan Neuropsychology Rehabilitation Services
North Arlington Public Schools
Odyssey Charter School
Onward Behavioral Health
Parkland School District
Penndel Mental Health Center
Pennsbury School District
PMHCC, Inc. Behavioral Health Forensic Evaluation Center
Preferred Behavioral Health
Psychological Services Clinic of Chestnut Hill College
Radnor Township School District
Rider University
Rose Tree Media School District
Rutgers-Camden Student Health Services
Specialized Counseling Associates
Upper Moreland Township School District
Vineland Counseling Services

Read More