Curriculum
The Psy.D. program has eight categories of training goals that organize our curriculum:
- Basic Foundations in Psychology,
- Professional Skills,
- Cultural Competence,
- Evidence Based Assessment,
- Evidence Based Intervention,
- Supervision,
- Consultation, and
- Research.
Graduates of this program will demonstrate proficiency and expertise in each of these areas.
Program Overview
Students will complete a minimum of 114 credit hours spread across five years, with the fifth year dedicated to a full-time pre-doctoral clinical internship, as required by the American Psychological Association. Of the required credits for the Psy.D. at West Chester University, 12 credits (or four courses) will be elective courses. Students will be required to choose between one of two specialty tracks: Child and Adolescent Health or Post Traumatic Stress. In consultation with his/her advisor, each student will select 4 elective courses that support the student's specific training goals and that enhance learning in the student's specialty track. Elective courses and practicum training experiences will provide students the opportunity to gain depth of training and expertise in their chosen specialty area (i.e., Child and Adolescent Clinical Health or Post Traumatic Stress).
First year students will complete required clinical courses in preparation for their clinical practice training which begins in Spring of Year 1, when students start their psychology clinic practicum experience in the WCU Community Mental Health Clinic. The WCU community clinic is an on-campus clinic serving both the campus community and the broader West Chester area community. Training in the clinic will extend through the Summer of Year 1 and the Fall and Spring of Year 2. In addition, Year 2 students complete required courses, including remaining core and foundational courses. Training in specialty areas begins in the third year, with advanced practicum assignments through off-campus partner agencies and elective courses focused on either Child and Adolescent Clinical Health or Post Traumatic Stress. Third year students also complete courses in program evaluation, as well as clinical supervision and consultation in clinical practice. In Year 4, students continue their advanced practicum training and elective coursework, while completing their dissertation.
Comprehensive exams, due by the end of the Summer term of Year 3, will be case oriented, based on actual cases from the student's practicum experiences, with an oral defense. Students must pass their comprehensive exam prior to applying for clinical internship. Students will apply for clinical internship during Year 4 (and complete clinical internship during Year 5 - 3 credits total). Until the program receives APA accreditation (which we project will occur by the time our first cohort graduates), it will not include a track for non-traditional students; for the first 5 years of the program we will restrict admission to full-time students. PsyD students will be expected to be on campus for classes, clinical practicum, and dissertation research during the work week during the Fall, Spring, and Summer of years 1, 2, and 3 of the program.
An overview of the curriculum for full-time graduate students in the WCU PsyD program is presented below.
Psy.D. Program Plan (Minimum 114 Credits)
Year 1, Fall Semester
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY700 | Adult Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSY705 | Multicultural Clinical Psychology | 3 |
| PSY710 | Psychotherapy I: Cognitive-Behavioral Theory and Interventions | 3 |
| PSY720 | Assessment I: Intellectual Assessment | 3 |
| PSY730 | Clinical Skills Practicum | 3 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 15 | |
Year 1, Spring Semester
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY701 | Child and Adolescent Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSY708 | Ethical, Legal, & Professional Issues in Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSY712 | Psychotherapy II: Interpersonal and Psychodynamic Theory and Intervention | 3 |
| PSY721 | Assessment II: Personality Assessment | 3 |
| PSY731 | Clinical Supervision | 1 |
| PSY733 | Psychology Clinic Practicum | 2 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 15 | |
Year 1, Summer
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY604 | History and Systems of Psychology | 3 |
| PSY731 | Clinical Supervision | 1 |
| PSY733 | Psychology Clinic Practicum | 2 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 6 | |
Year 2, Fall Semester
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY601 | Introduction to Statistics/Research Methods | 3 |
| PSY608 | Foundational Course (e.g., Developmental Bases of Behavior) | 3 |
| PSY714 | Psychotherapy III: Child and Family Therapy | 3 |
| PSY731 | Clinical Supervision | 1 |
| PSY733 | Psychology Clinic Practicum | 2 |
| PSY740 | Research Practicum | 3 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 15 | |
Year 2, Spring Semester
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY602 | Advanced Statistical Methods | 3 |
| PSY609 | Foundational Course (e.g., Advanced Social Psychology) | 3 |
| PSY716 | Psychotherapy IV: Group Dynamics/Group Interventions | 3 |
| PSY731 | Clinical Supervision | 1 |
| PSY733 | Psychology Clinic Practicum | 2 |
| PSY740 | Research Practicum | 3 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 15 | |
Year 2, Summer
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY731 | Clinical Supervision | 1 |
| PSY733 | Psychology Clinic Practicum | 2 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 3 | |
Year 3, Fall Semester
Dissertation Proposals to be successfully defended by the end of the Fall semester in Year 3. Comprehensive Exam to be completed by the end of the Spring semester in Year 3; students choose the semester they wish to take the exam. Students must pass their Comprehensive Exam prior to applying for their full-year clinical internship. Students applying for the predoctoral internship through APPIC must pass their Comprehensive Exam prior to November of Year 4 in order to be eligible to submit their APPIC application for Year 5 internship. Clinical Psychology MA may be awarded to students working toward PsyD with the completion of Years 1 & 2 course work, Dissertation Proposal, and Comprehensive Exam.
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY605 | Foundational Course (e.g., Biological Bases of Behavior) | 3 |
| PSY732 | Consultation and Supervision in Clinical Practice | 3 |
| PSY734 | Advanced Clinical Practicum | 3 |
| PSYXXX | Elective I | 3 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 12 | |
Year 3, Spring Semester
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY607 | Foundational Course (e.g., Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior) | 3 |
| PSY734 | Advanced Clinical Practicum | 3 |
| PSY742 | Program Evaluation | 3 |
| PSYXXX | Elective II | 3 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 12 | |
Year 3, Summer
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY734 | Advanced Clinical Practicum | 3 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 3 | |
Year 4, Fall Semester
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY734 | Advanced Clinical Practicum | 3 |
| PSYXXX | Elective III | 3 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 6 | |
Year 4, Spring Semester
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY734 | Advanced Clinical Practicum | 3 |
| PSYXXX | Elective IV | 3 |
| PSY800 | Dissertation | 3 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 9 | |
Year 4, Summer
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY890 | Clinical Internship - Starting July 1 | 1 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 1 | |
Year 5, Fall Semester
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY890 | Clinical Internship | 1 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 1 | |
Year 5, Spring Semester
Oral Dissertation Defense and approval of Dissertation by committee is required before degree is complete.
| Course Number | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY890 | Clinical Internship | 1 |
| TOTAL SEMESTER CREDITS | 1 | |
Course Electives
This list is not exhaustive. Electives to be selected in consultation with the student’s advisor in order to align with the student’s area of clinical specialization, Child & Adolescent Mental Health or Trauma.
| Course Number | Course Title |
|---|---|
| PSY680 | Advanced Health Psychology |
| PSY750 | Community Interventions |
| PSY752 | Clinical Neuropsychology |
| PSY760 | Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood |
| PSY761 | Infant Mental Health |
| PSY770 | Trauma and Treatment |
| PSY780 | Trauma Interventions for Children and Adolescents |
| PSY781 | Ecological Contexts of Trauma |
Students with an MA in Clinical Psychology
Students who have completed their MA (in Clinical Psychology, Counseling, or Social Work) at another institution or within a WCU department other than the Psychology Department may transfer up to 12 credits from their MA program to the WCU PsyD program, with approval from the Director of Clinical Training. Students who have already earned an MA in Clinical Psychology from WCU will continue their clinical training upon entering the WCU PsyD program. These students will be able to apply the courses completed in the WCU clinical MA program toward their PsyD requirements (up to 30 credits). This may reduce their time to degree completion to 4 years (1 year reduction) or reduce the number of credits required of students during their first 3 years of the PsyD program. Students who have already earned the WCU Clinical Psychology MA will take advanced clinical practicum in the Fall and Spring semester of Year 1 of the PsyD program where they will begin their doctoral training within the WCU Community Mental Health Clinic.