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 personally held stereotypes, beliefs, and assumptions.

Personality Assessment

The primary objective of this course is the development of skills essential to the interpretation of test findings. Emphasis is placed upon the integration of test material into a comprehensive understanding of the client. Students will continue to develop their skills in report writing, differential diagnosis, and formulation of effective therapeutic recommendations.

Introduction to Human Neuropsychology

This course will survey topics and empirical research on neuropsychological functioning and assessment. The topics covered will include an overview of neuroanatomy, brain behavior relationships in major neurocognitive domains, neuropathology of major neurological disorders (including Traumatic Brain Injury, Cerebrovascular Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease, and seizure disorders), and common assessment techniques. Diversity variables in neuropsychological assessment will be explored, as well as a consideration of the clinical relevance of theories and research reviewed in the context of relevant case studies and test data.

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://staging.thechicagoschool.edu/admissions/licensure-disclosures/.

Practicum

The hands-on practicum course sequence is an essential component of training during the clinical psychology program. Students will work under supervision to apply knowledge obtained in the classroom to more fully develop skills in assessment, psychotherapy, and other discipline related areas. The practicum course sequence allows students to engage in the process of integrating the theoretical and practical facets of their developing skill set in service of progressive development toward the practice of professional psychology. This development also includes fluency with the components of professional collaboration and consultation in clinical settings.

All students are required to complete the full practicum course sequence, which is comprised of:

• Four semester hours of Basic Practicum focused on developing rapport with clients, developing proficiency with diagnostic interviewing, differential diagnoses, developing case formulations, and beginning to understand how to implement treatment and evaluate its outcome.
• Six semester hours of Intermediate Practicum focused on strengthening case formulation skills, understanding how to identify, implement, and appropriately modify evidence-based interventions, and understanding how to evaluate treatment outcome and implementing relapse-prevention strategies.
• Four semester hours of Advanced Practicum enabling students to work with specialized populations and begin to develop a specialization.

All practica require individual supervision offered by the clinical practicum site supervisor and group supervision via seminars offered by faculty at the campus.

Internship

All students are required to complete an internship following the completion of all coursework, 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 to 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). The internship is a vital component of the clinical psychology program 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.

Application to The Chicago School of Professional Psychology’s Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology program (Dallas) is open to any person who has earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and who meets other entrance requirements. The program admits students whom it judges to possess sufficient academic aptitude, as well as the emotional and social maturity to function effectively as future professional psychologists. Applicants will be evaluated on their overall ability to do graduate work. Factors considered are: undergraduate performance, relevant work history (i.e., volunteer and professional experience, including, but not limited to, clinical, research, teaching and related experience), the content of essays, writing skills, admission interviews, and recommendations from academic professors or supervisors from professional or volunteer experiences. An undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is required for admission to the program. Applicants not meeting this requirement will not be considered.

Applicants must submit the following:

• $50 application fee (waived for TCSPP alumni, McNair Scholars, and military personnel).
• Official transcripts from all schools where a degree was earned,
• Curriculum vitae or resume,
• Three letters of recommendation, and
• Two essays
  • Describe your rationale for wanting to become a clinical psychologist.
  • Describe your goals for contributing to the communities you will serve upon becoming a clinical psychologist.

The Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology Program (Dallas) requires 18 undergraduate or graduate semester hours of psychology credit, including three specific courses (Statistics, Abnormal Psychology, and Child/Human Development) that must be completed with a grade earned of ‘C’ or better prior to enrollment.

The Chicago School is dedicated to keeping our academic 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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