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The Psy.D. is a full-time, on-campus cohort program that typically requires four years of coursework followed by a one-year, full-time doctoral internship. Students must meet a minimum residency of at least the first three years of full-time study and are required to complete the program within seven years.

Our curriculum was designed around the APA Standards of Accreditation, with the intent to provide students with the knowledge and training to enter the field of health service psychology. This includes at least 112 credit hours, 1,500 practicum hours, 2,000 internship hours, and completion of a faculty-approved Doctoral Research Project. Additionally, students must pass a Qualifying Competency Exam — a two-part exam consisting of a written essay and oral exam — in their second year.

For more course information, please view the Psy.D. Course Descriptions.

Students have the option of specializing in one of two concentrations:

Child and Adolescent Psychology
There is a dire need for skilled clinicians who can support the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents. By selecting this concentration, you’ll be prepared to provide the highest quality services to this important population. Courses include:

• Pediatric Psychology
• Child and Adolescent Assessment
• Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy
• Advanced Child and Adolescent Psychopathology

Health Psychology 
The rise of national and international health crises has led to a shortage of providers who can address the psychological factors and impacts of medical illnesses. Through the health psychology concentration, you’ll learn how to assess and treat patients with a variety of medical conditions, increase prevention efforts, collaborate with interdisciplinary teams, and minimize morbidity and mortality outcomes. Courses include:

• Health Psychology
• Assessment in Health Psychology
• Interventions in Medical Settings
• Chronic Pain/Illness Management

For more course information, please view the Psy.D. Course Descriptions.

The Psy.D. program offers a variety of clinical practicum placements with diverse settings, populations, and communities — so you’ll gain invaluable clinical field experience under the supervision of on-site and faculty mentors. Your clinical training begins in your second year with your first practicum placement and concludes with the full-time doctoral internship.

Clinical Practicum Overview

• Year 2: Complete an assessment practicum and gain experience administering, scoring, and interpreting various psychological assessments. You’ll also attend a supplemental seminar that provides ongoing supervision and focuses on psychological report writing and diagnostic skills.
• Year 3: Complete an intervention practicum that allows you to explore different intervention approaches directly with patients. You’ll also attend a supplemental seminar that provides ongoing supervision and focuses on case conceptualization, treatment plans, and intervention skills.
• Year 4: Complete an advanced practicum that provides field experience in your area of choice, including assessment, evidence-based treatments, consultation, and/or supervision. The Advanced Practicum Seminar will help you develop and refine your skills in this area.  

Students must complete 9 credit hours of practicum courses and 1,500 clinical practicum hours throughout their clinical practicum experience.  

Doctoral Internship

The one-year, full-time doctoral internship is the capstone clinical experience of the Psy.D. program. Students are required to complete a minimum of 2,000 hours at an APA-accredited or APPIC member site. Before applying for internship, you must complete all prerequisite courses, pass the Qualifying Competency Exam, and defend your Doctoral Research Project Proposal. The internship application process typically includes the following steps:

• Students apply for internship during the fall semester of their fourth year.
• Internship sites reach out to students to request an interview.
• Interviews take place in December and January.
• Students submit a rank order list to the APPIC match portal.
• Match results are released during Match Day in February.

The Doctoral Research Project is a key requirement for completing the Psy.D. program and obtaining your degree. This research opportunity allows you to demonstrate doctoral-level scholarship in the field while pursuing a topic that aligns with your personal and professional interests.

During your third year, you’ll work closely with a project advisor to develop your research proposal and present it to the graduate committee for approval. You’ll then have dedicated credit hours throughout your fourth year to design and implement your project while receiving ongoing supervision from your advisor. At the project’s culmination, you’ll submit your project for review and participate in an oral defense in front of your selected doctoral research project committee.