Academics » M.S. and Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology » Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology


Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology


IPS graduates with a Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology are well prepared to meet today’s mental health challenges. As licensed clinical psychologists our alumni are working in private practice; conducting assessments and running therapy groups in various clinical settings; serving as resident therapists in dioceses and seminaries; and writing and speaking on topics in the field of psychology.

The Doctor of Psychology Degree Program in Clinical Psychology consists of 122 semester credit hours of course work and a non-credit course in library and information use and research. The Psy.D. curriculum consists of 103 semester credit hours in psychology, 13 semester credit hours of integrative studies in philosophy and theology, and a minimum of 6 semester credit hours of dissertation research. Students must also complete a minimum of 1,250 hours of clinical externship, of which 750 hours occur in the IPS Training Clinic, pass a series of comprehensive exams, author and defend a doctoral dissertation, and complete a pre-doctoral internship. Typically students will also complete additional clinical placements in other sites outside of the Institute. Doctoral students must be continuously enrolled until they have completed all program requirements, including the dissertation and internship. To see the Program Objectives click here.

A typical pathway for the completion of the program by students enrolled full-time is as follows:

ACADEMIC YEAR 1
LIB 500 Library and Information Use and Research
PHT 502 Philosophical and Theological Anthropology
PSY 500 Psychology: History and Systems
PSY 504 Psychological Measurement
PSY 507 Psychopathology
PSY 516 Basic Interviewing and Clinical Skills
PSY 610 Child Psychotherapy
PSY 611 Marital Therapy
PHT 614 Practical Reasoning and Moral Character
PSY 721 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 760 Professional Roles and Issues

ACADEMIC YEAR 2
PSY 503 Personality Theories
PSY 512 Law, Ethics, and Psychology
PSY 608 Cognitive/Behavioral Assessment
PHT 635 Theology of Marriage and Family
PSY 609 Adult Psychotherapy
PSY 613 Personality Assessment
PSY 718 Research Design for Psychological Sciences
PSY 729 Advanced Statistical Methods
PSY 832 Integrative Dissertation Seminar

Electives (2)

ACADEMIC YEAR 3
PSY 701 Foundational Clinical Practicum/Externship I
PSY 702 Foundational Clinical Practicum/Externship II
PSY 724 Advanced Adult Psychotherapy
PSY 734 Advanced Child, Marital, and Family Therapy I
PSY 735 Advanced Child, Marital, and Family Therapy II
PSY 736 Child Psychopathology
PSY 822 Biological Bases of Behavior
PSY 825 Social Psychology
PSY 827 Cultural, Religious, and Individual Diversity in Clinical Practice
PSY 836 Advanced Personality Assessment
PSY 899 Dissertation
Electives

ACADEMIC YEAR 4
PHT 633 Major World Philosophies and Religions
PSY 535 Integration of Psychology and Spirituality
PSY 605 Developmental Psychology
PSY 801 Advanced Clinical Practicum/Externship I
PSY 802 Advanced Clinical Practicum/Externship II
PSY 820 Group Psychotherapy
PSY 830 The Psychologist as Supervisor and Educator
PSY 899 Dissertation
Electives

ACADEMIC YEAR 5
PSY 899 Dissertation
PSY 890 Pre-Doctoral Internship (off campus)

Program Philosophy and Objectives
As was indicated previously in the section introducing the clinical training programs, the IPS adopts a modified version of the Practitioner-Scholar model for the education and training of psychologists which is based upon guidelines developed by the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSSP). The Department has identified nine core areas of knowledge, skills, and competencies which are the foundation of the Psy.D. program objectives and embodied within its curriculum: 1) Relationship skills; 2) Assessment skills; 3) Therapeutic interventions; 4) Research and evaluation; 5) Professional roles including teaching, supervision, consultation, and management; 6) Knowledge of basic psychological science content areas; 7) Knowledge and application of ethical principles; 8) Diversity issues; and 9) Theory and application of an integrated Catholic approach to psychology. A more detailed description of each of the Psy.D. program objectives is given below.

  1. Competency in building relationship. This competency includes the ability to form therapeutic relationship with children and adults, utilizing a variety of therapeutic formats including individual, couple, family, and group. In addition, it includes the ability to form working relationships in the areas of education, supervision, consultation, and management.
  2. Competency in assessment. This competency includes the ability to conduct intake interviews, administer and score a variety of commonly used cognitive and personality assessment instruments, and utilize basic and specialized screening instruments for the purposes of understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the client, diagnosis, treatment planning, and assessing therapeutic progress.
  3. Competency in therapeutic intervention. This competency includes the development of foundational therapeutic skills for working with children and adults in a variety of therapeutic formats, including individual, couple, family, and group for the purposes of promoting, restoring, sustaining, and/or enhancing positive functioning and a sense of well-being in clients.
  4. Competency in research and evaluation. This competency includes the demonstration of knowledge and proficiency in psychological measurement, statistical analysis, and research design. Students will also develop skills in the areas of scholarly research, including reviewing scholarly literature, formulating research questions, and engaging in a process to address those questions.
  5. Competency in professional roles. This competency includes the development of knowledge and skill sets which allow students to function in the many roles available to professional psychologists. These roles include, but are not limited to, consultation, education, teaching, supervision, and management. In addition, students are introduced to the importance of other professional activities, such as scholarly writing, and presentations at and involvement with professional associations.
  6. Knowledge of basic psychological science content areas. This competency includes the development of knowledge in areas such as developmental psychology, personality theory, psychopathology, cognitive psychology, social psychology, and biological basis of behavior.
  7. Knowledge and competency in applying ethical and legal principles. This competency includes the development of knowledge of ethical and legal principles for the practice of psychology. The scope of training includes both general ethical guidelines as well as specialized ethical guidelines for specific professional activities (e.g., teaching, research, supervision, consultation), specific therapeutic formats (e.g., couple therapy, group therapy), and specific clinical populations (e.g., children). This competency is integrally linked with the Institute’s mission of the development of an approach to psychology that is consistent with a Catholic view of the human person because the broader application of philosophical and theological ethical principles is included. Students will develop the ability to utilize sound ethical decision making in the application of principles in their clinical work and professional roles and activities.
  8. Knowledge and competency in working with clients from diverse individual, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Respect for diversity is not a competency that stands alone but is manifested in other competencies such as building therapeutic relationships, psychological assessment, therapeutic interventions, research and evaluation, applying ethical guidelines and principles, and in fulfilling professional roles such as consultation, education, supervision, and management. This competency is integrally linked with the Institute’s mission of the development of an approach to psychology that is consistent with a Catholic view of the human person because it touches on fundamental Christian beliefs about the intrinsic dignity, uniqueness, and goodness of each person, human freedom, personal vocation, and conscience.
  9. Knowledge and competency in understanding and practicing psychology from an integrated Catholic perspective. This competency includes the development of a sophisticated understanding of an anthropology or view of the person consistent with the Catholic faith perspective and its implications for the science and practice of psychology. This competency is also not a stand-alone competency, but is one which is formed throughout the curriculum and integrated with the other competencies.


Please click here for a PDF document of the Degree Requirements and respective Program Curriculum.