Clinical Psychology PsyD

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology 

Department website: https://www.pcom.edu/academics/programs-and-degrees/clinical-psychology/

The Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) program trains practioner-scholar psychologists in a broad range of clinical settings, with an emphasis on a holistic approach to interdisciplinary care and service to diverse and underserved populations. In this American Psychological Association accredited program, the curriculum is oriented in cognitive-behavioral theory and empirically supported treatments addressing the most current developments in psychology, while enhancing learning through practical clinical applications. The program emphasizes professional self-reflection, attention to diversity, advocacy and social justice. 

The learning in the first two years of the Clinical PsyD program is through didactic courses that cover the scientific and clinical foundations of the discipline, with inclusion of experiential components, labs for skills training, and interprofessional education. Use of standardized patient actors provides a means for gaining formative feedback on the integration of didactic and clinical skills. Completion of the first two portions  of the comprehensive examination makes students eligible to begin the dissertation process. Fieldwork and seminar experiences in the third and fourth years enable the student to integrate knowledge of theory and research in practicum experience. During this time, students are also mentored through the dissertation process. Successful completion of the first three years of coursework and comprehensive examinations confers doctoral candidate status on the PsyD student, who may then proceed to internship. Upon completion of the comprehensive examinations and admission to doctoral candidacy, students are awarded a master of science in clinical psychology. 

The internship provides the clinical psychology doctoral student with an intensive, yearlong, supervised work experience to develop, practice and integrate new clinical skills. It represents the culmination of the doctoral experience, the last practical training step before earning a doctorate in psychology. All students are required to apply to APA-accredited and APPIC internships. Graduates of the PsyD program qualify for the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP) for partial fulfillment of the requirements for professional licensure. 

PCOM’s PsyD program in Clinical Psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association. For general information about APA accreditation or specific information about the accreditation status of PCOM’s Clinical PsyD program, please contact:

Office of Program Consultation & Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Phone: 202-336-5979
Email: apaaccred@apa.org
Web: https://accreditation.apa.org/

Students are required to attend the program on a full-time basis. The learning in the first two years of the Clinical PsyD program is through didactic courses that cover the scientific and clinical foundations of the discipline, with inclusion of experiential components, and labs for skills training, and interprofessional education. Use of standardized patient actors provides a means for gaining formative feedback on the integration of knowledge and clinical skills.

Completion of the essay portion of the comprehensive examination makes students eligible to begin the dissertation process. Students who have successfully completed the first two years of coursework with a B- or better, have a 3.0 GPA or better and who are in good academic standing may progress to practicum. Fieldwork and seminar experiences in the third and fourth years enable the student to integrate knowledge of theory and research with practicum experience. During this time, students are also mentored through the dissertation process. Successful completion of the first three years of coursework and the comprehensive examinations (STEPPS and essay portions) confers doctoral candidate status on the PsyD student, who may then proceed to internship. Upon completion of the comprehensive examinations and admission to doctoral candidacy, students are awarded a master of science in clinical psychology.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Term 1Hours
Fall
CPSY 624 Research I: Research Design and Methodology 3
CPSY 603 Behavioral Medicine 3
CPSY 622 Ethics in Psychology 3
CPSY 616 Lifespan Development 3
CPSY 695A Professional Development Seminar I 1.5
 Hours13.5
Term 2
Spring
CPSY 625 Research II: Univariate and Multivariate + Lab 4
CPSY 601 Learning Theories 3
CPSY 607 Cognitive & Affective Bases of Behavior 3
CPSY 623 Human Diversity: Multiculturalism and Individual Differences 3
CPSY 695B Professional Development Seminar II 1.5
 Hours14.5
Term 3
 Hours0
Second Year
Term 1
Summer
CPSY 620 Psychopathology 3
CPSY 605 History and Systems 3
CPSY 629 Physiological Basis of Behavior 3
CPSY 698A STEPPS Comprehensive Exam A 0
 Hours9
Term 2
Fall
CPSY 626 Assessment I: Assessing Cognitive Ability 3
CPSY 617 Cognitive & Behavioral Therapies I 3
CPSY 608 Social Psychology 3
CPSY 688A Integrative Health Care I 1
 Hours10
Term 3
Spring
CPSY 627 Assessment II: Objective Personality + Lab 3
CPSY 618 Cognitive & Behavioral Therapies II 3
CPSY 688B Integrative Health Care II 1
 Hours7
Third Year
Term 1
Summer
CPSY 628 Assessment III: Advanced Topics + Lab 3
CPSY 619 Cognitive & Behavioral Therapies III 3
CPSY 652 Practicum I 1.5
CPSY 698B STEPPS Comprehensive Exam B 0
CPSY 681 Essay Comprehensive Exam Students must register for .5 credits during the term they take the essay comprehensive exam; does not count toward minimum of 89 credits required for degree completion. 0
 Hours7.5
Term 2
Fall
CPSY 661 Administration, Consultation and Supervision: Behavioral Health Care 3
CPSY 653 Practicum II 1.5
CPSY 674 Research III: Dissertation Development Seminar 2
CPSY 788A Integrative Behavioral Health Seminar I 1.5
 Hours8
Term 3
Spring
CPSY 654 Practicum III 1.5
CPSY 674A Research IV: Method Development and Strategic Planning 2
CPSY 788B Integrative Behavioral Health Seminar II 1.5
Elective 7 credits of electives to be completed after 2nd year courses are completed. Students choose from various 1, 2, or 3 credit electives. 2
 Hours7
Fourth Year
Term 1
Summer
CPSY 655 Practicum IV 1.5
CPSY 698C STEPPS Comprehensive Exam C 0
Following CPSY 674A: Research IV, all students must register for CPSY 675: Dissertation Advisement at 1 credit/term until successfully defending their dissertation. Dissertation Advisement credits do not count toward the minimum of 89 credits required for degree completion.
 Hours1.5
Term 2
Fall
CPSY 710 Practicum V 1.5
Elective 7 credits of electives to be completed after 2nd year courses are completed. Students choose from various 1, 2, or 3 credit electives. 3
Following CPSY 674A: Research IV, all students must register for CPSY 675: Dissertation Advisement at 1 credit/term until successfully defending their dissertation. Dissertation Advisement credits do not count toward the minimum of 89 credits required for degree completion.
 Hours4.5
Term 3
Spring
CPSY 711 Practicum VI 1.5
Following CPSY 674A: Research IV, all students must register for CPSY 675: Dissertation Advisement at 1 credit/term until successfully defending their dissertation. Dissertation Advisement credits do not count toward the minimum of 89 credits required for degree completion.
Elective 7 credits of electives to be completed after 2nd year courses are completed. Students choose from various 1, 2, or 3 credit electives. 2
 Hours3.5
Fifth Year
Term 1
Summer
CPSY 667 Internship Students who begin internship placements within 2 weeks or less of the end of the summer term starting year 5 will not register for internship this term. Instead, register for internship starting in fall of year 5 and register for 1 credit/term from fall through summer. A total of 3 credits of internship must be completed over the terms which align with students' internship placements. .5
Following CPSY 674A: Research IV, all students must register for CPSY 675: Dissertation Advisement at 1 credit/term until successfully defending their dissertation. Dissertation Advisement credits do not count toward the minimum of 89 credits required for degree completion. The credit fee is waived when concurrently enrolled in CPSY 667: Internship.
 Hours0.5
Term 2
Fall
CPSY 667 Internship 1
Following CPSY 674A: Research IV, all students must register for CPSY 675: Dissertation Advisement at 1 credit/term until successfully defending their dissertation. Dissertation Advisement credits do not count toward the minimum of 89 credits required for degree completion. The credit fee is waived when concurrently enrolled in CPSY 667: Internship.
 Hours1
Term 3
Spring
CPSY 667 Internship 1
Following CPSY 674A: Research IV, all students must register for CPSY 675: Dissertation Advisement at 1 credit/term until successfully defending their dissertation. Dissertation Advisement credits do not count toward the minimum of 89 credits required for degree completion. The credit fee is waived when concurrently enrolled in CPSY 667: Internship.
 Hours1
Sixth Year
Term 1
Summer
CPSY 667 Internship Students who begin internship placements within 2 weeks or less of the end of the summer term starting year 5 will not register for internship that term. Instead, register for internship starting in fall of year 5 and register for 1 credit/term from fall through summer. A total of 3 credits of internship must be completed over the terms which align with students' internship placements. .5
Students who have successfully defended their dissertations will register for CPSY 795: Dissertation Editing until all edits are made to the satisfaction of their dissertation chairs/committees and the final documents are submitted for binding. The fee will be waived for the first term and any term in which students are concurrently enrolled in CPSY 667: Internship; for any subsequent terms, students will be charged for one credit/term until the final documents are submitted for binding. Dissertation Editing credits do not count toward the minimum of 89 credits required for degree completion.
 Hours0.5
 Total Hours89