Goals and Learning Objectives
PhD Program in Clinical Psychology
Goal 1: To facilitate students' professional identity and practice as clinical psychologists through fundamental knowledge of psychology, commitment to professional ethics, understanding of multiculturalism and diversity, and by participation in lifelong learning.
Objective 1. Base of Knowledge: Students will possess a broad foundation of knowledge pertinent to the organismic, developmental, social, and situational factors that are relevant to the initiation and maintenance of human behavior.
Competency 1a: Students will demonstrate through papers, reports, examinations, theses, and other written means, systematic knowledge in the following foundational areas: history of psychology, biological bases of behavior, the development of human behavior, the social, cognitive, and affective bases of behavior, and the manifestations and development of psychopathology.
Competency 1b: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the rules that govern professional standards and the APA ethical standards by applying the rules of ethical behavior in research and clinical practice.
Objective 2. Individual and Cultural Diversity: Students will be cognizant of individual and cultural diversity; they will appreciate its value; and they will possess the skills necessary to utilize their sensitivities within their professional lives.
Competency 2a: Students will be able to identify when issues of diversity are present and implement effective strategies to deal with these issues during work with patients.
Objective 3. Continuing Education: Students will understand the necessity of lifelong learning by participating in activities that promote professional training and continued education after graduation.
Competency 3a: Graduates will attend and participate in professional meetings, workshops, etc.
Competency 3b: Graduates will continue with professional research and scholarship as evidenced by professional presentations and publications.
Goal 2: To provide students' with in-depth training under supervised conditions in direct service models of assessment, and therapy in order to practice as clinical psychologists.
Objective 1. Assessment Skills: Students will be able to assess the psychological functioning of individuals and to communicate their assessments to others.
Competency 1a: Students will assess cognitive skills in the domains of intelligence, memory, academic ability, and perceptual-motor proficiency, and they will assess personality functioning, through both self-report and other-report inventories and through appropriate use of psychological assessment instruments and interviews.
Competency 1b: Students will observe and evaluate behavior and identify antecedents and consequences in behavior chains.
Competency 1c: Students will be able to construct individual case formulations, diagnose clients, and recommend appropriate interventions. They will also be competent in consulting with other professionals, communicating their professional judgments, queries, and concerns, and justifying their conclusions.
Objective 2. Intervention Skills: Students will understand and be able to apply the techniques of cognitive-behaviorally oriented psychotherapy in a variety of settings.
Competency 2a: Students will interpret and explain the principles and techniques of applied behavior analysis and cognitive-behavioral therapy, in both oral and written form.
Competency 2b: Students will demonstrate competence in the use of interventions based on applied behavior analysis and cognitive behavior therapy.
Goal 3: To train students in the scientist-practitioner model who are competent in the evaluation, production, and dissemination of research.
Objective 1. Research Skills: Students will understand research methods, design and conduct research studies, analyze data, and competently evaluate research findings.
Competency 1a: Students will develop hypotheses and design studies that appropriately and directly address a research question.
Competency 1b: Students will explain, analyze, and draw reasonable conclusions from data based upon the essential principles of descriptive, inferential statistics, univariate, and multivariate statistics. They will be able to communicate their analyses and conclusions to others in both oral and written form.
Competency 1c: Students will interpret scientific literature, evaluate its significance, and understand its contribution to existing knowledge.
Competency 1d: Students will appreciate the value of disseminating knowledge to the scientific community and the general public.