The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program seeks to train professionals with a broad knowledge of scientific psychology who will be skilled clinicians. The program's educational philosophy is to produce scientist/practitioners who possess expertise in both research and clinical practice. The department believes that experience in applied settings produces scientists who are sensitive to pragmatic issues and who are on the cutting edge of research questions essential to practitioners in the field. Conversely, clinicians who have been trained as scientists understand emerging research results and assimilate them into their daily practice. The program uses a flexible mentor model in which students are accepted to work with a particular member of the faculty for their degree-required research, but also are encouraged to seek out research opportunities with other members of the Department faculty. All students are required to complete a dissertation and to be enrolled full-time. The demands of the program's training are not amenable to part-time or weekend course schedules.
Additionally, the Ph.D. program includes a strong forensic emphasis, training all students to be legally informed clinicians, who can explain psychopathology to courts or administrative agencies, intervene with families at various junctures in the social system, as well as providing treatment for both victims and offenders. All students have the opportunity to participate in performing forensic evaluations for the courts. Students will complete the program with the basic preparation they need to pursue postdoctoral specialty training and legally-relevant clinical psychology research.
Learn more about this degree program on the program's website.