Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology

Diversity in Clinical Psychology I

This course lays a theoretical and experiential foundation for students in multicultural psychology. The course blends exposure to theory and literature, cross-cultural immersion, and personal introspection. It provides a basic framework for understanding privilege and power, systems of oppression and domination, worldview, cultural competency, and identity. It will explore the impact and social construction of culture, gender, ethnicity, religion/spirituality, class, race, abledness, and immigrant status. Students will address the intersection of multiple identities and will explore the impact of their own culture and held personal stereotypes, beliefs and assumptions.

Projective Personality Assessment

This course covers the both the Exner Comprehensive System and RPAS for the Rorschach as well as selected other free response/projective tests. In addition to understanding theoretical and empirical underpinnings, the student is expected to develop competency in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of these instruments. The class includes a laboratory in which skills in administration and interpretation can be practiced (3 credit hours)

Supervision, Consultation & Professional Practice

This course introduces models of supervision and consultation applicable to the work and training of Health Service Psychologists in their work with other Health Service Professionals and other allied health professional in interprofessional care teams. Supervision theory and techniques are considered to monitor performance, facilitate supervisee growth, and improve the quality of therapeutic and assessment services. Consultation theory and techniques as informed by the empirical literature are reviewed for work with both individuals and organizations, including in a “consultee-centered” approach. Ethical issues and legal obligations will also be addressed. Students are expected to master interprofessional and interdisciplinary supervision and consultation skills at a level sufficient to begin supervisory and consultative work under guidance. (3 credit hours)

For information on where The Chicago School of Professional Psychology meets, does not meet, or has not determined if the program meets licensure eligibility requirements for the state in which you wish to be licensed, please visit: https:///admissions/licensure-disclosures/.

Practicum Experience

Students participate in three years of organized, sequential, and well-supervised practicum experiences that increasingly expose them to the range of roles and responsibilities of a clinical psychologist.  All practicum experiences are an extension of the students’ academic coursework, and are defined by an annual training agreement that details such things as supervisory contact information, duration of training experience, available clinical activities, and methods of evaluating the students’ performance and the site’s training program.

Situated in the nation’s capital, students in the Program have access to a diverse selection of practicum sites that offer experiences consistent with the Program’s values and training goals.  Sample placement sites include hospitals, community mental health clinics, college counseling centers, and forensic settings.  The Practicum requirements include:

• Year 2: 600-hour basic practicum
• Year 3: 600-hour intermediate practicum
• Year 4: 600-hour advanced practicum

The first three-semester practicum sequence is primarily devoted to training in psychological assessment. The second three-semester sequence is primarily devoted to training in psychotherapy.  The Advanced Practicum is designed to offer students advanced experience in a particular area of interest (e.g., neuropsychology) or help them secure additional experience in assessment or treatment. Advanced Practicum also has an emphasis on consultation and supervision.  All practica require individual supervision offered by the practicum site, which can be complimented with group supervision.  Students must be simultaneously enrolled in small group seminars offered by the school.

Research Experience

Students are exposed to research training through coursework such as Research Methods, and a year-long Research Clerkship class.  Core faculty in the Program engage in a number of scholarly and research activities that span diverse clinical research areas (e.g., specific clinical disorders and intervention methods), and clinical populations (e.g., adults, adolescents and children).  Both through informal research involvement with faculty and through a sequential progression of Dissertation Maintenance coursework, students increasingly gain independent and sophisticated research skills that prepare them for the conceptualization and execution of a dissertation towards the end of the Program.

Dissertation

All students are required to complete a dissertation. The dissertation is an essential aspect of a student’s academic experience and clinical education at the school. The dissertation should clearly and concisely demonstrate the student’s command of the body of knowledge in a chosen area, as well as ability to critically evaluate and synthesize this knowledge.

Internship

All students are required to complete an internship following the completion of all course work, practica, and dissertation requirements. On internship, students integrate academic knowledge with clinical skills and demonstrate the effective and ethical use of these skills in clinical practice. Through intensive supervised training, students gain direct experience in applying their knowledge with a clinical population.

The internship experience consists of a minimum of 2,000 hours of training over a 12-24 month (full- or part-time, respectively) period. Appropriate sites for internship training include programs that are approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) and programs that are members of the Association of Psychology Pre-doctoral and Post-doctoral Internship Centers (APPIC.) All internships must meet and/or exceed the APPIC membership criteria, as well as meet the hour requirements noted above. The internship is a vital component of the educational experience and is never waived or transferred. Students are required to register for Internship during each semester they are on internship. Registration for Internship automatically assigns full-time student status.

More specific information is located in the Program Guidebook.

Prospective students to the Program undergo an extensive review process, overseen by the Admissions Committee composed of Program faculty. The Admissions Committee employs a holistic, structured evaluation process to identify applicants who are, by aptitude and prior achievement, appropriate for the Program. Applicants invited to interview typically demonstrate an undergraduate grade point average of 3.2 or higher, or have demonstrated increased levels of achievement throughout their undergraduate and, when applicable, prior graduate experiences. Successful applicants are also required to complete 18 hours of psychology coursework at the undergraduate or master’s level, and to have had exposure to research and clinical work. Applicants must submit two essays — one a personal statement of their desire to become a clinical psychologist trained at the doctoral level and one speaking to their appreciation of the importance of individual differences and cultural diversity — and three letters of recommendation; these are assessed for potential fit with the Program goals.

Application to The Chicago School’s Clinical Psychology program is open to any person who has earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and who meets other entrance requirements. Students applying to the Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology program must submit the following:

• Application
• Application Fee: $50
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• Essays – Please answer the following two questions on separate sheets of paper (approximately 500 words each).
  • In your role as a clinical psychology student, you are likely to work and study with people from many backgrounds. Tell us what will be some of the challenges for you studying with people different from yourself, and what you would contribute in your interactions with them.
  • Many people choose Clinical Psychology as a career because they are interested in helping other people. Please tell us additional reasons, other than helping people, why you would like to be a clinical psychologist.
• Official College/University Transcripts
  • Students must submit official transcripts from all schools where degrees have been earned. Official transcripts may be sent directly from the institution or with your application for admission as long as they are official, sealed, and signed across the envelope flap when they arrive.
  • Transcripts must reflect 18 hours of psychology credit with earned grade of C or better, including one course in  Child/Human Development or Lifespan, Abnormal Psychology, and Statistics
• Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Appropriate recommendations are from professors and/or supervisors from significant work or volunteer experiences, who can appraise your academic or professional performance. Letters should arrive in a sealed envelope, signed across the seal.

Send materials to:

Admissions Operations
c/o The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
203 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 1900
Chicago, IL 60601

International Application Requirements

The Chicago School is dedicated to keeping our professional degree programs accessible to anyone regardless of financial status. In addition to the scholarships that may be available, our Financial Aid department will help provide you with information to determine what financial arrangements are right for you.

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