Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology

Graduates of the Institute for the Psychological Sciences’ (IPS) Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology program are trained to address today’s mental health challenges by utilizing advanced psychotherapy skills, psychological testing, and a focus on specific pathologies and concepts within the field of psychology.

Our Psy.D. graduates are working in a variety of settings and positions:

The Psy.D. program consists of 122 semester credit hours of coursework: 101 credit hours of psychology, 12 credit hours of integrative studies in philosophy and theology, and a minimum of 9 credit hours of dissertation research. Students must also complete a minimum of 1,500 hours of clinical externship (with the initial year of practicum training occurring in the Catholic University of America Counseling Center and additional training occurring in both secular and nonsecular off-site clinical settings), pass a comprehensive examination, author and defend a doctoral dissertation, and complete 2,000 hours in an APPIC-member pre-doctoral internship.

This program adopts as its training model a modified version of the Practitioner-Scholar model, which is based upon guidelines developed by the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSSP).

Six core areas of knowledge, skills, and competencies serve as the foundation of the Psy.D. program goals and objectives and are embodied by the curricula:

Graduates will attain foundational psychological sciences knowledge of biological, cognitive, affective, social, and developmental aspects of the human person, as well as history and systems of psychology, psychological measurement, research design, and statistical methods.  Graduates will have the skills necessary to conduct their own psychological research;

Graduates will be knowledgeable in the areas of diversity and ethics, and display critical thinking, self-aware/reflective practice, and self-care.  Graduates will demonstrate responsiveness to supervision, collegiality, and professional comportment in professional practice;

Graduates will be able to: conduct clinical interviewing; perform intake evaluation; demonstrate knowledge in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of psychological assessment; integrate multiple sources of test data and clinical interview information into a written report; diagnose; and develop a treatment plan;

Graduates will be able to demonstrate case conceptualization, treatment planning, building and maintaining the therapeutic relationship, psychotherapy skills, crisis management of urgent and special circumstances, and discharge planning;

Graduates will be able to function in a variety of required roles of professional psychologists to include consultant, educator, supervisor, practice manager and program evaluator.  They will be able to work collaboratively within interdisciplinary teams and with clients; and

Graduates will have developed a Catholic understanding of human flourishing in the individual person and marriage and family life, and be able to integrate this with the Psychological sciences in clinical practice.

The IPS Clinical Psychology program at DMU aims to prepare our students to become licensed clinical psychologists and trained in the best empirical, scientific and clinical methods of psychology as well as the Christian understanding of the person, marriage and the family. Contact us today to request information about our Psy.D. program in clinical psychology!

*Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation American Psychological Association 750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 Phone: (202) 336-5979 / E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

Professional licensure disclosures

The Divine Mercy University Institute for the Psychological Sciences (IPS) offers a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology. The PsyD program is 122 semester credit hours of coursework and designed to meet the educational requirements for professional clinical psychology licensure in all states and territories in the USA and the provinces of Canada. The IPS Doctoral Program (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA)*.

In some states, there are additional requirements that are post-graduation and are completed during the required post-graduate clinical supervision hours for licensure. These are not part of the IPS educational requirements for licensure but are post-graduation state requirements.

Please review your state or territorial licensing board with regard to regulations for any additional post-graduation trainings, national and state exams, and national and state criminal history background searches with fingerprinting. For example, California (as of July 1, 2024) has Pre-Licensure Coursework that can be done during postgraduation clinical supervision for licensure:

*Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation American Psychological Association 750 1st Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Phone (202)-336-5979 / Email: apaaccred@apa.org / Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

The following table lists the determination whether the 122 semester credit hour doctoral level PsyD at Divine Mercy University meets the educational requirements for licensure as a psychologist for each U.S. state and territory and the provinces of Canada, along with a link to the professional licensing boards, for public disclosure and making informed decisions.

The 122 semester credit hour doctoral level PsyD at Divine Mercy University meets the doctoral degree educational requirements for licensure or certification as a licensed psychologist in this state.

The 122 semester credit hour doctoral level PsyD at Divine Mercy University does not meet the educational requirements for licensure or certification as a licensed psychologist in this state.

Thank you for your interest in our Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in clinical psychology program. Admission to the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology program is open to applicants who have completed an undergraduate degree, preferably in psychology, at a regionally accredited institution of higher learning.

We encourage you to review our application requirements and process, and set up a meeting with an admissions advisor today to learn more about our one-of-a-kind Psy.D. in clinical psychology program.

Application Deadlines & Interview Dates

Application Deadlines: Oct 23, 2026 · Jan 8, 2027 · Feb 26, 2027

Group Interview Dates: Nov 6, 2026 · Jan 29, 2027 · March 12, 2027

All applicants should read this entire page to understand the components of the admissions process. Applications received after the final deadline will only be considered for well-qualified applicants if space remains available.

Admission Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree from an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the US Department of Education.
• Minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and a minimum 3.5 GPA for any graduate studies.
• In rare circumstances, applicants with a cumulative undergraduate GPA below 3.0 may be considered. Contact the Psy.D. admissions office directly via email (bcypher@divinemercy.edu) before completing the application.
• Undergraduate degree in psychology preferred. Students admitted without an undergraduate degree in psychology will be required to complete prerequisite courses during the first year of the program.
• A completed application package for those meeting the above requirements.

General Admission Information

• This is an on-site, in-person program, requiring relocation to DMU's campus in Sterling, VA for 4–5 years of the 5-year program depending on internship location in the 5th year.
• The Psy.D. application package, including all supporting documents, must be submitted by the published deadlines.
• Interviews are by invitation only and are not guaranteed.
• Admission decisions are typically communicated within 4 weeks following the in-person interview.
• All admission decisions for the cycle are for the Fall 2027 Psy.D. cohort.

Application Process

The application process has two phases:

1. Completed Application Package received by the published deadline.
2. On-campus Interview for well-qualified applicants invited by the Psy.D. admissions committee.

A Completed Application Package Includes

1. Completed Application for Admission.
2. Three recommendations using the official Psy.D. Recommendation Form. At least two must be from current or former faculty able to assess future success in doctoral-level clinical psychology education. The third may be of another professional nature (supervisor or similar).
3. Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.
4. Two completed personal essays.
5. Current Curriculum Vitae or Resume, inclusive of work/employment history.
6. Official GRE general test scores (DMU school code 5639) within the past five years.
7. Non-refundable $55 application fee.
8. TOEFL or IELTS Academic Exam for applicants whose primary language is not English (TOEFL iBT minimum 100 with at least 25 in each section; Academic IELTS minimum 7.5 overall with no section below 7.5).
9. Transcript evaluation by a NACES-approved service for applicants with degrees from outside the U.S.

Group Interview with the Psy.D. Admissions Committee

• The interview is held on DMU's campus in Sterling, VA.
• Applicants are responsible for all travel costs associated with attending the interview day.
• Professional dress is expected and full participation in the entire day (typically 8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. EST) is required.
• Applicants with a GPA of 3.5+ are eligible to compete for merit scholarships between 50%–25% off tuition, provided they are admitted at the November or January interview dates. March interviewees are not guaranteed scholarship consideration.

International Students

International students must maintain valid immigration status throughout the program, meet English-language proficiencies, and submit translated/evaluated transcripts for any coursework completed outside the United States.

Background Check

Applicants who are admitted to the Psy.D. program must pass a background check prior to beginning work with clients in their external practicum or internships.

PSY 500 – History and Systems of Psychology (3 credit hrs)

This history of ideas course provides a survey of the lives, times, and theories of individuals from antiquity to the mid-20th century who have made significant psychological contributions, and of the historico-socio-cultural context of these contributions. Students will learn the research methods employed by historians of psychology (i.e., historiography) and the resources they utilize. Couched within a philosophical framework, the course asks epistemological questions about what psychological knowledge is and how we define it, ontological mind/body questions, and metaphysical questions regarding free will. The semester concludes by addressing the lack of female, religious, and ethnic minority presentation in the early history of psychology, and changes in historiography over the last few decades.

PSY 503 – Personality Theories (3 credit hrs)

Introduces the major theories of personality used in clinical/counseling psychology, including those schools of thought associated with Freud, Object-Relations theory, Erikson, Jung, Adler, Horney, Rogers, Maslow and Cognitive-Behavioral theory. Emphasis is also put on relevant research findings and critical assessment of the validity and usefulness of the different theories.

PSY 504 – Psychological Measurement (3 credit hrs)

This course establishes a solid foundation of knowledge about psychological testing — a practice that impacts virtually every corner of modern life, from education to vocation to remediation. Covering all variations of testing and exploring social issues raised by testing, students gain extensive knowledge about the characteristics, objectives, and wide-ranging effects of psychological testing. It also covers the application of statistical thinking to the measurement of psychological phenomena, presenting concepts basic to psychometrics including classical reliability theory, generalizability theory, item response theory, scaling, central tendency, correlation, and the various forms of reliability and validity.

PSY 507 – Psychopathology (3 credit hrs)

This course provides an overview of the major theories, classification systems, and research in the area of psychopathology. It introduces students to diagnostic nomenclature, emphasizing the development of facility with the DSM-V classification system. It also examines how spiritual and moral pathology affect the quality of life.

PSY 512 – Law, Ethics, and Psychology (3 credit hrs)

This course examines the ethical codes and guidelines developed within the mental health field. Special emphasis is placed on how these ethical guidelines, along with Christian principles, can be applied to the practice of psychology in a manner which holds the well-being of the client as primary. The course also examines professional issues relevant to the practice of psychology.

PSY 516 – Basic Interviewing and Clinical Skills (3 credit hrs)

This course provides an introduction to the art and science of basic clinical skills aimed at forming a comprehensive understanding of the person, with special emphasis on assessing dimensions consistent with a Catholic perspective. Instruction addresses particular challenges presented by high-risk clients, the need for mandatory reporting, and interviews with children, adolescents, couples, and culturally diverse populations. The course includes a blend of lecture, skill demonstration, and student practice.

PSY 597 – Psychology Overview Seminar I (1 credit hr)

This course is directed toward entering students who have little or no prior educational background in psychology, or who wish to refresh their psychology background or training. It provides a foundational basis for understanding in basic content areas such as psychology's history and methods, and psychology's approaches to physiology, sensation and perception, learning, language, consciousness, and memory.

PSY 598 – Psychology Overview Seminar II (1 credit hr)

A continuation of the self-directed study for entering students who have little or no prior educational background in psychology. The course continues to provide a foundational basis for understanding in psychology's basic content areas, including intelligence and associated controversies, nature and nurture, lifespan development, emotion and motivation, social psychology, personality, and psychological disorders and their treatment.

PSY 601 – Introductory Clinical Practicum I (2 credit hrs)

The first course of a 3-semester sequence including PSY 601, 602, and 603, during which students gain their introductory clinical experience at a practicum site. Students build on foundational skills in basic interviewing and diagnostics by acquiring new knowledge and skills in behavioral therapy, including functional behavioral assessment, treatment planning, and implementation. (Co-requisite: Placement in the CUA Counseling Center)

PSY 602 – Introductory Clinical Practicum II (2 credit hrs)

Continues clinical experience at the externship site with regularly scheduled case consultation groups focusing on diagnosis, treatment planning, clinical skills, and provision of services from an integrated perspective. (Prerequisite: PSY 601)

PSY 603 – Introductory Clinical Practicum III (2 credit hrs)

Third of the 3-course sequence for introductory clinical experience. (Prerequisite: PSY 602)

PSY 605 – Developmental Psychology (3 credit hrs)

Covers the major theoretical systems that seek to explain the development of the human person from a variety of perspectives: physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and moral. Considers central aspects of Christian life such as the development of the conscience, the life of virtue, commitment to human relationships, and the discernment of one's vocation.

PSY 608 – Cognitive/Behavioral Assessment (3 credit hrs)

Offers an overview of the major theories of intelligence and develops basic skills in the administration of commonly used standardized test instruments for assessing cognitive ability and achievement in children, adolescents, and adults. Covers the basics of report writing and ethical issues pertaining to psychological assessment. (Prerequisites: PSY 504, PSY 516)

PSY 609 – Adult Psychotherapy (3 credit hrs)

Identifies, develops, and practices core clinical skills and tasks in the treatment of adult psychopathology, including developing and maintaining therapeutic relationships and applying particular systems of psychotherapy in identifying and effectively working toward therapeutic goals. Students gain a greater ability to critique secular approaches to psychotherapy in light of a Catholic view of the human person. (Prerequisites: PSY 507, PSY 516)

PSY 610 – Child Psychotherapy (3 credit hrs)

Develops an integrated Catholic framework for understanding family life and the role of parents in raising children. Provides training in basic skills for working with children in therapy including play therapy, behavioral techniques, parenting skills training, and family therapy. Also examines ethical and diversity issues related to the practice of child and family therapy.

PSY 611 – Marital Psychotherapy (3 credit hrs)

Develops an integrated Catholic framework for understanding the nature of marriage and marital relationships. Provides training in basic skills used in the assessment and treatment of marital distress. Also examines ethical and diversity issues related to the practice of marital therapy.

PSY 613 – Personality Assessment (4 credit hrs)

Offers instruction in basic skills in the administration of commonly used personality tests, including both psychometric and projective approaches. Develops report writing skills by examining how results of cognitive/behavioral assessment and personality assessment instruments can be integrated. (Prerequisites: PSY 507, PSY 608)

PSY 696 – Independent Study (1-3 credit hrs)

Individualized plan of study during the first two years of the program designed through agreement between the instructor and student, and approved by the Program Director. Students are limited to a maximum combination of two independent study and psychology seminar courses per degree program. (Prerequisite: Consent of Faculty Advisor and Program Director)

PSY 697 – Psychology Seminar (1-3 credit hrs)

Seminar course offered to a group of students during the first two years of the program on a topic or topics specified by the instructor and approved by the Program Director. (Prerequisite: Consent of Faculty Advisor and Program Director)

PSY 701 – Foundational Clinical Practicum/Externship I (2 credit hrs)

Clinical experience at the externship site with regularly scheduled case consultation groups focusing on skill development. (Co-requisite: Placement in a University-approved externship)

PSY 702 – Foundational Clinical Practicum/Externship II (2 credit hrs)

Continued clinical experience at the externship site. (Prerequisite: PSY 701)

PSY 703 – Foundational Clinical Practicum/Externship III (2 credit hrs)

Continued clinical experience at the externship site. (Prerequisite: PSY 701 & PSY 702)

PSY 718 – Research Design for the Psychological Sciences (3 credit hrs)

Building on PSY 504 and PSY 832, examines the fundamentals of research methodology and design. A variety of research methodologies are examined: quantitative (experimental, quasi-experimental, non-experimental), qualitative, and mixed. Students propose an empirical quantitative methods study on a clinical, integrative topic. (Prerequisites: PSY 504 and PSY 832)

PSY 721 – Cognition & Emotion (3 credit hrs)

A survey course in cognition and emotions. Topics in cognition include theories of learning, perception, attention, memory, knowledge, imagery, language, problem solving, reasoning, and decision making. Emotion is examined in terms of its separation from and interaction with cognition.

PSY 724 – Advanced Adult Psychotherapy (4 credit hrs)

Advanced seminar on methods of individual psychotherapy, with a concentration on interpersonal psychotherapy. Draws from among the principles of interpersonal psychotherapy, object relations theory, attachment theory, cognitive therapy, family systems, and others. A Catholic Anthropology is integrated throughout. (Prerequisite: PSY 609)

PSY 729 – Advanced Statistical Methods (3 credit hrs)

Builds on the basic concepts presented in PSY 504 to examine more advanced statistical analyses including factorial and multivariate analysis of variance, multiple regression, and meta-analysis. Primary emphasis is on understanding and critiquing the statistical analyses presented in clinical psychology journals.

PSY 735 – Advanced Adolescent and Family Therapy (3 credit hrs)

Promotes mastery of basic knowledge and skills obtained in PSY 610 and PSY 611, introducing advanced knowledge and training in child, marital/couples, and family therapy. (Prerequisites: PSY 610, PSY 611)

PSY 736 – Child Psychopathology (2 credit hrs)

A broad overview of child psychopathology focusing on understanding basic concepts, historical context, developmental influences, theoretical perspectives, and issues related to assessment and classification. Followed by a survey of major categories of child psychopathological disturbances with emphasis on empirically supported interventions.

PSY 760 – Professional Roles and Issues (2 credit hrs)

Seminar examining the multiple career opportunities and professional roles of professional psychologists. Topics include academic careers, clinical practice in a variety of settings, scholarly publishing and presentations, and involvement in professional associations. Students construct a curriculum vitae and develop a strategic career plan.

PSY 801 – Advanced Clinical Practicum/Externship I (3 credit hrs)

Clinical experience at the externship site providing psychotherapy and psychological assessments. Typically completed in the fourth year of the Psy.D. Program. (Prerequisite: PSY 703)

PSY 802 – Advanced Clinical Practicum/Externship II (3 credit hrs)

Second required semester of advanced clinical experience at the externship site. (Prerequisite: PSY 801)

PSY 803 – Advanced Clinical Practicum/Externship III (3 credit hrs)

Ad hoc course for students who have not begun the pre-doctoral internship and are in an advanced clinical experience during the summer semester. (Prerequisite: PSY 802)

PSY 820 – Group Psychotherapy (3 credit hrs)

Covers evidence-based therapeutic factors that operate in most group interventions and the role of these in long term, short term, and specialty groups. Includes didactic and experiential learning, case presentations, and analysis of group research. Illustrates how Catholic Anthropological principles might apply to group life.

PSY 822 – Biological Bases of Behavior (3 credit hrs)

Introduces students to the structure and functions of the central nervous system, the autonomic nervous system, and the endocrine system — the "bio" in biopsychosocial. Areas covered include sensory and perceptual processes, physiological regulation of sleep and waking cycles, eating behaviors, motivation, and affect.

PSY 825 – Social Bases of Behavior (3 credit hrs)

An overview of the major theories, areas of study, and research methodologies in the field of social psychology. Includes topics such as impression formation, attribution theory, social influence, attitude development and change, prejudice and discrimination, antisocial and prosocial behaviors, affiliation and attraction, and sex role behaviors.

PSY 823 – Psychopharmacology (2 credit hrs)

Develops an understanding of psychopharmacology with respect to the pathological basis for treatment, drug nomenclature, mechanisms of action and side-effects, drug-drug interactions, preliminary treatment considerations, and ethical-legal issues related to pharmacologic treatment. (Prerequisite: PSY 822)

PSY 827 – Cultural, Religious, and Individual Diversity in Clinical Practice (3 credit hrs)

Systematically covers the cultural, religious, and individual diversity considerations central to effective functioning of a clinical psychologist. Reviews adjustments in clinical practice expected when working with individuals from diverse backgrounds, and the need to coordinate treatment efforts with other professionals.

PSY 830 – The Psychologist as Consultant, Supervisor and Educator (3 credit hrs)

Introduces students to the leadership roles of consultation, supervision, and teaching. Students explore the literature concerning these areas and have opportunities for experiential learning about these roles.

PSY 832 – Integrative Dissertation Seminar (3 credit hrs)

As the first phase of the dissertation process, focuses on selecting a topic, developing research questions, and reviewing relevant literature. Students assess the social and clinical relevance of their work and identify appropriate investigative methods or theoretical approaches using an integration framework.

PSY 836 – Advanced Personality Assessment (4 credit hrs)

Develops skills in the administration and interpretation of more advanced projective personality techniques such as the Rorschach. Report writing skills are developed further by examining the ways in which results of a variety of psychological assessment instruments can be integrated and used to make diagnoses and treatment recommendations. (Prerequisite: PSY 613)

PSY 840 – Human Sexuality (2 credit hrs)

Provides an introduction to the science of human sexuality which is aimed at forming a comprehensive understanding of the person, with special emphasis on assessing dimensions consistent with a Catholic perspective.

PSY 890 – Pre-Doctoral Internship (0 credit hrs)

A non-credit course for doctoral students completing their pre-doctoral internship. Students participating in an off-site internship will be considered fully enrolled.

PSY 896 – Independent Study (1-3 credit hrs)

Individualized plan of study designed through agreement between the instructor and student, and approved by the Program Director.

PSY 897 – Psychology Seminar (1-3 credit hrs)

Seminar course offered to a group of students on a topic specified by the instructor. Sample topics include:

• Contemporary Cognitive and Behavior Therapies — Teaches practical psychotherapy skills in Rational Emotive and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (RE & CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).
• Existential Issues in Psychology and Psychotherapy — Surveys existential issues from roots in philosophy and literature to their specification in the field of psychology and psychotherapy.
• Emotion-Focused Therapy for Individuals and Couples — Introduction to the theory, research, and practice of the Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) model for individuals and couples.

PSY 899 – Dissertation (1-3 credit hrs)

Registration for dissertation hours is required for all Psy.D. students from the time the Dissertation Chair is appointed until their dissertation is defended.

PSY 901–903 – Advanced Clinical Practicum/Externship IV–VI (3 credit hrs each)

Ad hoc courses for students who have not begun the pre-doctoral internship and are in an advanced clinical experience at the externship site. May be repeated as needed.

INT 510 – The Person: Integrating Philosophical, Theological, and Psychological Perspectives I (2 credit hrs)

Examines a Catholic-Christian integrative vision of the person and flourishing, and its application for clinical psychology through the appraisal of several models for integrating psychology, philosophy, and theology. Taught by a philosophy/theology professor and co-taught by a clinical psychology professor.

INT 511 – The Person: Integrating Philosophical, Theological, and Psychological Perspectives II (2 credit hrs)

Continues examining a Catholic-Christian integrative vision of the person and flourishing, including concepts of person and body, creation and goodness, the person as an image of God, sexual equality and complementarity, fallenness and effects of sin, and redemption. (Prerequisite: INT 510)

INT 615 – Flourishing through Freedom and Moral Development (3 credit hrs)

Examines the foundations of freedom, moral development, and moral character using an integrative approach including practical reasoning; freedom and responsibility; the principal virtues — both philosophical and theological — and their sub-virtues, as well as opposing vices. (Prerequisites: INT 510 and 511)

INT 625 – Flourishing through Relationships, Vocations, and Life Commitments (3 credit hrs)

Examines friendship, marriage, and family life using a Catholic-Christian integrative approach. Application for clinical psychology is a theme throughout, with emphasis on case considerations. (Prerequisites: INT 510, 511, 615)

LIB 500 – Library and Information Use & Research (0 credit hrs)

Required for all entering students. Provides an in-depth review of library organization, collections, services, and online resources; presents the methodologies of information searching, strategy development, and evaluation.

The Psy.D. Program in Clinical Psychology consists of 122 credit hours of coursework and a non-credit course in library and information use and research. The Psy.D. curriculum consists of:

• 101 credit hours of psychology
• 12 semester credit hours of integrative studies in philosophy and theology
• 9 (minimum) credit hours of dissertation research

Students in the doctoral program must also complete a minimum of 1,500 hours of clinical externship (with the initial year occurring in the Center for Psychological Services and additional training occurring in both secular and nonsecular off-site clinical settings), pass a comprehensive examination, author and defend a doctoral dissertation, and complete 2,000 hours in an APPIC-member pre-doctoral internship.

Degree Time Limit

All students admitted to the Psy.D. Program must complete all degree requirements within seven academic years from the date of admission, with an academic year comprising fall, spring, and summer semesters. Doctoral students must remain continuously enrolled until they have completed all program requirements, including the dissertation and pre-doctoral internship. Those who have completed all coursework and the dissertation but are not yet enrolled in a pre-doctoral internship must follow the normal registration process each applicable semester and pay the Psy.D. Continuous Enrollment Fee. Such students are considered part-time.

Residency

Students enrolled in the Psy.D. Program are expected to be in residence throughout the academic program (all years prior to the pre-doctoral internship). Students must maintain full-time status at IPS for at least three of the four years of academic training. In rare cases of significant extenuating circumstances, students may petition the Dean to enroll part-time during academic training; this period must not exceed one academic year.

Clinical Externship

To ensure that students are adequately formed in their clinical skills, students are required to complete a minimum of 1,800 hours of clinical practicum/externship. The initial year of practicum training occurs in the Catholic University of America Counseling Center; additional training occurs in both secular and nonsecular off-site externship clinical settings. On-site supervisors provide regular feedback to the student regarding their progress.

Admission to, and progression through, the clinical practicum/externship is contingent upon satisfactory academic progress and successful completion of all program requirements, as outlined in the catalog and the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program Training Handbook.

Clinical Comprehensive Exam Process

To assess students' general competence in clinical psychology, comprehensive exams ("comps") are scheduled to be taken during the end of the third year of study. Successful completion of both written and oral components is a program requirement.

Doctoral Dissertation

A doctoral dissertation must be completed and successfully defended. This requires a minimum of nine credit hours. The doctoral dissertation can take the form of a critical review and analysis of a topic or area in the field of psychology, or it may take the form of original research which can be either theoretical or empirical.

The dissertation topic must be developed in close consultation with the student's Dissertation Chair and committee. The proposal must be approved by the committee prior to applying for a pre-doctoral internship. The dissertation is expected to meet scholarly standards and be of publishable quality. To be successfully completed, the written dissertation must be approved by the Dissertation Committee and successfully defended orally before the committee.

Psy.D. students must begin enrollment for dissertation credit in the semester following the completion of PSY 832: Integrative Dissertation Seminar, typically taken during the spring semester of their first year. Once a Dissertation Chair is appointed, students must be continuously enrolled and registered for PSY 899 until all dissertation requirements are completed or they will be considered withdrawn from the program.

Pre-Doctoral Internship

Students must obtain and successfully complete a year-long pre-doctoral internship. Prior to accepting an internship position, students must complete all coursework, pass all components of the comprehensive examinations, and successfully defend the dissertation proposal. Students required to complete clinical skills remediation plans must successfully complete the plans prior to applying for the pre-doctoral internship.