Learning Outcomes

  • Student will conduct themselves with a professionalism appropriate to the complex nature of clinical psychology and that is founded on reflexivity, interpersonal and interdisciplinary competence, ethical principles, and a deep respect for individual and cultural diversity.
  • Student will become scholar-practitioners who are well grounded in the discipline of psychology conceived broadly as a human science.
  • Students will learn to conduct professional psychological assessments.
  • Students will learn to provide professional psychotherapy.
  • Students will learn to be competent competent supervisors and teachers.

Requirements for the
Ph.D. Degree

The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. is an advanced course of study specializing in human science approaches to clinical psychology, integrating theory, research, and clinical practice.

The program is accredited by the American Psychological Association and is listed in the Doctoral Psychology Programs Meeting Designated Criteria developed and published by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards and National Register.

The Clinical Psychology program entails 79 credits of required and elective graduate courses, internal and field practica, successful completion of the comprehensive exams, the completion of a one-year pre-doctoral internship, and the successful defense of a dissertation. Only full-time students are accepted into the program.

Courses

A minimum of 73 credits (excluding six credits for the dissertation) are required. These 73 credits must include the following (all courses are 3 credits unless otherwise indicated):

  • 513 Introduction to Qualitative Research
  • 526 Phenomenology of Human Development
  • 537 Psychology as a Human Science: History and Systems
  • 543 Approaches to Psychopathology
  • 545 Introduction to Psychotherapy
  • 551 Social Psychology
  • 560 Physiological Psychology
  • 571 Introduction to Assessment
  • 612 Advanced Qualitative Research
  • 617 Research Practica, take 3 at (1 cr)
  • 620 Philosophical Psychology
  • 623 Ethics & Standards
  • 624 Experimental & Statistical Research Methods
  • 640 Clinical Formulation
  • 665 Seminar in Consultation and Supervision (2cr.)
  • 671 Advanced Assessment
  • 674 Psychology & Cultural Diversity

    Also required:
  • 1 credit Clinical Practicum (PSYC 650) - for each semester that student is seeing clients at the Clinic for a total of 6 credits
  • 0 credit Psychology Colloquium (PSYC 652) Attendance is required for 1st and 2nd year students.
  • 1 credit of Supervised Teaching of Psychology I (PSYC 510)
  • 1 credit of Supervised Teaching of Psychology II (PSYC 610)
  • 0 credit "Distinguished  Speakers Workshop," (weekend mini course held once a year)  attendance of two workshops

With the exception of the "Distinguished Speakers Workshop" all "0" credit requirements are recorded on the academic transcript; all "0" credit requirements must be met in order to graduate.

Certificate Programs: Students may take a certificate program but the credits will be IN ADDITION to the 73 required Psychology credits needed to graduate. Cross listed courses that fulfill Psychology requirements will count toward the 73 required Psychology credits.

The student earns an M.A. in Psychology upon completion of 30 credits in the Ph.D. program.

To learn about requirements for being licensed as a psychologist in the state of Pennsylvania, students are encouraged to visit the Pennsylvania Department of State professional licensure web page.

In preparation for eventual licensure as a psychologist, students are urged to keep copies of all course syllabi throughout their graduate training.

Comprehensive Examination

Students are required to take a two part comprehensive exam during the summer following the third year of graduate studies. 

Dissertation

After completing coursework, students are required to write a dissertation and successfully defend it. During this time they must register every fall and spring semester until graduation. Registration for six dissertation credits (one credit per semester) is required. Students who complete the six credits which are allotted for work on their dissertation (PSYC 701) are then required to register for continuous registration (zero credits) until the dissertation has been completed and defended. Registration for dissertation credits and/or continuous registration are considered full-time enrollment and students are eligible for loans.

Pre-Doctoral Internship

Students are required to complete a one-year pre-doctoral internship as part of the requirement for the Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Applications for internships are submitted during the fourth or fifth year of Ph.D. studies, with the internships commencing in the following summer. Although some internships are available locally, most students travel elsewhere for their internships.