Courses
PSYD 701. Research Seminar 1. (1).
Throughout the first two years of the program, five to seven students work with a faculty member who mentors student research. The class will introduce various research methodologies used in clinical psychology and assist students in exploring their research interests.
PSYD 702. Research Seminar 2. (1).
A continuation of PSYD-701, this course will focus on introducing students to various research tools and strategies as students develop their research projects. Specific attention will be given to developing the literature review. It is expected that students will complete their literature reviews over the summer.
PSYD 703. Research Seminar 3. (1).
A continuation of PSYD-702, this course assists students in becoming familiar with completing IRB forms, developing the methodology sections of their research projects, and examining the ethics of research and data collection. By the completion of this course, students are expected to have a completed proposal and be ready for data collection.
PSYD 704. Research Seminar 4. (1).
A continuation of PSYD-703, this course examines data analysis and writing results. By the completion of this course, students are expected to have completed their second year projects, which may function as pilot studies for the dissertation project.
PSYD 705. Research Methods. (3).
This course examines both quantitative and qualitative research designs most frequently used in psychological and social science research. Special attention will be given to understanding experimental designs, group comparisons, case studies, survey research, psychometric studies, grounded theory, and meta-analyses. Students will learn to distinguish the nature of designs that enable causal inferences from those that do not, evaluate the appropriateness of conclusions derived from psychological research, and articulate strengths and limitations of various research designs. Aspects of individual and cultural diversity will also be covered as well as the ethics related to protecting human participants in research.
PSYD 706. Statistics and Data Analysis. (3).
The goal of this course is to build competence in the statistical procedures of empirical research that aid data analysis and interpretation. Building off of the foundations of research methodology, this course will develop a conceptual understanding of robust tests, parametric and non-parametric inferential statistics, correlations, regressions, multivariate statistics, hierarchical linear modeling, factor analysis, meta-analysis, and various qualitative analytic procedures. Selected data analysis techniques will be highlighted through application and practice, as well as the interpretation and explanation of results in APA format.
PSYD 711. Colloquia 1. (1).
Professionals in the mental health field will conduct presentations on a wide range of issues that are relevant to careers in psychology. By drawing on local resources, the colloquia series addresses issues that are particularly applicable to our neighboring communities. The colloquia also include formal clinical case presentations from students, faculty and invited guests.
PSYD 712. Colloquia 2. (1).
Continuation of PSYD 711.
PSYD 713. Colloquia 3. (1).
Continuation of PSYD 712.
PSYD 714. Colloquia 4. (1).
Continuation of PSYD 713.
PSYD 716. Biological Aspects of Behavior. (3).
This course examines brain-behavior relationships. An emphasis is placed on understanding neuropsychological functions, physiological mechanisms and biochemical processes.
PSYD 717. Human Development. (3).
This course examines theory and research related to lifespan development. Clinical application of course material will be emphasized.
PSYD 718. Cognitive-Affective Aspects of Behavior. (3).
This course examines current theory and research in human cognitive and affective. The impact of cognitive and affective processes on the individual are studied and applied to clinical material.
PSYD 719. Social Psychology. (3).
This course examines the social and cultural bases of human behavior by examining relevant theory and research. Consideration is given to the ethnic/cultural issues that impact clinical practice.
PSYD 721. Practicum 1. (2).
The Practicum is structured to provide clinical experience in conducting psychotherapy. Students provide psychotherapy services to clients at the Community Counseling and Parent Child Study Center under the close supervision of licensed clinicians who are part of the Psy.D. program's clinical faculty. In addition to direct face-to-face contact and supervision, the practicum also provides supervised training in assessment, using standard test batteries that include intelligence tests, projective tests and self-report inventories. In practicum, students acquire the skills to present test findings to their clients and integrate assessment into their clinical practice.
PSYD 722. Practicum 2. (2).
Continuation of PSYD 721.
PSYD 723. Practicum 3. (2).
The goal of this course is to help the student currently working in community agencies to present and discuss their cases. Continuation of PSYD 722.
PSYD 724. Practicum 4. (2).
The goal of this course is to help the student currently working in community agencies to present and discuss their cases. Continuation of PSYD 723.
PSYD 725. Practicum 5. (2).
The goal of this course is to help the student currently working in community agencies to present and discuss their cases. Continuation of PSYD 724.
PSYD 726. Practicum 6. (2).
The goal of this course is to help the student currently working in community agencies to present and discuss their cases. Continuation of PSYD 725.
PSYD 728. Case Conference 1. (1).
As part of this yearlong seminar, students present information from clinical intakes that they are conducting as part of their practicum, as well as information on ongoing treatments, to a small group of peers and supervisors. The case conference gives each student the opportunity to develop skills in discussing presenting problems, diagnostic impressions, psychodynamic case formulation and treatment planning.
PSYD 729. Case Conference 2. (1).
Continuation of PSYD 728.
PSYD 731. Dissertation Research Seminar 1. (1).
This course is designed for five to seven students led by a faculty member who will mentor students through the dissertation project process. Students will support one another by acting as peer mentors in the course as dissertation proposals are explored.
PSYD 732. Dissertation Research Seminar 2. (1).
A continuation of PSYD-731, this course continues to provide support for students as they actively develop their dissertation projects. At the conclusion of this course, students are expected to have completed their proposals, chosen a dissertation committee, and successfully defended their proposals. They should be ready for data collection and analysis over the summer.
PSYD 733. Dissertation Research Seminar 3. (1).
A continuation of PSYD-732, this course supports students as they analyze data and begin to write the results chapter of their dissertation projects.
PSYD 734. Dissertation Research Seminar 4. (1).
A continuation of PSYD-733, this course provides support for students as they complete their dissertation projects. In addition, students explore various methods of presenting their research including journal articles, conferences and community forums. Students are expected to complete their final defense by the conclusion of this course and are encouraged to present and publish their work.
PSYD 735. Dissertation Supervision. (2).
This course is intended for students who have not completed their dissertations within the first four years of coursework and who require additional supervision.
PSYD 740. Diagnostic Interviewing. (2).
Diagnostic and therapeutic interviewing skills are essential for a clinician. In this course, students will develop techniques for conducting diagnostic interviews of clients with a range of symptoms and psychological disorders. The course involves hands-on interviewing exercises and a review of etiological and treatment issues specific to psychological disorders, such as anxiety, depression and eating disorder. Includes interviewing strategies that focus on symptoms, behaviors and dynamics that are specific to each disorder.
PSYD 741. Basic Attending Skills. (2).
This course examines one of the basic skills necessary for effective psychotherapy - the development of listening skills. The course explores concepts such as empathy, sympathy, reassurance, the importance of process versus content, and the importance of examining obstacles that interfere with a therapist's basic listening skills, including countertransference.
PSYD 743. Child and Adolescent Interventions. (2).
This course will examine specific treatment strategies for psychotherapy from the approaches of psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral and family systems theories. Students will learn how to organize their clinical interventions according to these psychotherapeutic models and how to direct their treatment goals accordingly.
PSYD 745. ABA and CBT Interventions. (3).
This course examines the conceptual foundations underlying behavioral and cognitive approaches to assessment and treatment. The principles and techniques of applied behavioral analysis and cognitive behavioral therapy will be reviewed. In addition, relevant outcome research will be presented to support the use of these therapies with specific populations.
PSYD 746. Couples and Family Therapy. (2).
This is an advanced course on the study of conjoint therapy with couples and families. A number of theoretical perspectives and related clinical techniques will be studied including cognitive-behavioral, system theory and psychodynamic approaches. The intervention techniques can be applied with pre-marital couples for couple enrichment and as part of psychotherapy with distressed couples. Interventions will be taught for dealing with a variety of marital and divorce issues, e.g., dual-career, multicultural/multinational, domestic violence, alcoholism and remarriage. Instruction is through lecture, discussions, role-playing and video. Students will complete a course project either through a practicum experience or some other applied experience developed with the instructor.
PSYD 747. Group Psychotherapy. (2).
This course is designed to help students learn about group theory and the practice of group psychotherapy. Students acquire information and skills on different types of psychotherapy groups, including inpatient and outpatient groups, as well as psycho-educational groups, symptom-focused groups (e.g., eating disorder group), and others. The course examines the value, as well as the potential for iatrogenic effects, of group work as it is impacted by diagnostic categories, age populations and other relevant factors.
PSYD 750. Child and Adolescent Disorders. (3).
This course will integrate psychological and neuroscientific research on child and adolescent development with issues of learning disabilities, behavioral and impulse disorders, addictions and other psychopathologies. The student will understand how psychological, social, cultural and biological factors influence the problems and disorders experienced by children and adolescents.
PSYD 751. Psychodynamic Treatment of Personality Disorders. (3).
This course will provide an introduction and overview of personality disorders and their corresponding treatment interventions from a psychodynamic theoretical perspective. Students will learn DSM-5 criteria for diagnoses of personality disorders while developing a psychodynamically-informed understanding of personality formation and pathology. The course will include an emphasis on the evidence-base both within psychodynamic theory and practice and across the various personality disorders and their treatments.
PSYD 752. Mood and Anxiety Disorders. (3).
This course provides an in-depth examination of mood disorders (e.g., depression, bipolar disorder, dysthymia) and anxiety disorders (e.g., obsessive-compulsive disorder, phobia, panic disorders). The course examines the etiology and course of the disorders from multiple perspectives. In addition, the course requires a critical review of psychotherapeutic interventions that have been proven effective from a variety of theoretical and treatment modalities. The most current approaches to assessment are reviewed.
PSYD 753. Gender and Sexual Disorders. (2).
This course will explore gender and sexual disorders from multiple perspectives including historical, object relational, attachment, cognitive, behavioral, systems, biological and social. Diagnostic criteria and etiology will be examined while considering the influence of culture and societal values. Multiple treatment approaches and interventions will be examined as found in relevant research. Students will explore their own sexual attitudes and develop an awareness of and comfort with the complexities of human sexuality.
PSYD 754. Substance Abuse. (2).
The course examines the major theories addressing substance abuse. Students will understand substance abuse from a variety of theoretical frameworks(including psychoanalytic, behavioral, humanistic and social learning theory), as well as findings from neuroscience. The course emphasizes a developmental perspective in the understanding of this issue.
PSYD 755. Schizophrenia and Other Cognitive Disorders. (3).
This course examines major theories on the etiology of schizophrenia and other cognitive disorders and their symptomatic manifestations. The course includes a historical overview of the disorders as well as recent findings from the fields of biology and neuroscience. The course also includes a review of medications and the neural pathways by which pychotropic medications are thought to affect thought disorders.
PSYD 756. Introduction to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (3)
In this introductory course students will learn the structure of DBT (during individual sessions, team consultation, et), gain exposure to core DBT strategies and principles (e.g., behavioral methods, validation), become proficient in case conceptualization within DBT, and learn dialectical philosophy as applied to balancing strategies of acceptance and change.
PSYD 757. Introduction to Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Skills (3)
The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to the cognitive and behavioral skills taught in DBT. Students review and evaluate the empirical literature supporting the use of DBT skills. Student also gain exposure to strategies necessary to teach clients the skills in a group context as well as in the context of individual therapy.
PSYD 758. Methods in Suicide Risk Assessment and Management (3)
Students in this course will learn the risk factors predictive of suicide, gain familiarity with research examining the function of suicide, become proficient in conducting suicide risk assessments, learn principles of crisis intervention, and become proficient at conducting crisis interventions in a variety of clinical scenarios.
PSYD 761. Professional Seminar. (2).
The purpose of this course is to assist students in the development of a professional identity. Students will investigate the various roles of clinical psychologists. They will examine practice issues in light of relevant ethical and legal issues. Each student will develop a plan for transitioning from student to professional.
PSYD 762. Test and Measurement. (3).
This course introduces students to test theory and the psychometric properties of tests. Controversies and ethical issues in assessment are explored from both a quantitative and qualitative perspective. Particular attention is given to potential test biases and the potential misuse of testing in clinical psychology.
PSYD 763. Ethics. (3).
This course is designed to explore the advanced legal and ethical issues for professional psychology. Students will examine and discuss complex and controversial legal and ethical issues as they pertain to clinical practice and research. Students will be expected to demonstrate a good working knowledge of many legal and ethical concepts and to demonstrate their ability to offer a critical analysis of the professional literature. Classroom discussion is an essential part of this course and students are expected to come to each meeting prepared to ask questions and debate topics. Several take-home assignments and a final exam will also be used to assess grades.
PSYD 770. Adult Cognitive Assessment. (3).
This course is designed to provide graduate level students with training in the administration, scoring and interpretation cognitive assessment measures commonly used with adults. Issues relating to the appropriate use of intelligence tests, theories of intelligence, ethical test use, testing culturally diverse populations, integration of data and effective report writing will be addressed.
PSYD 771. Assessment: Personality. (3).
This course is designed to provide graduate level students with training in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of personality measures including projective drawings, sentence completion, Thematic Apperception Test (TAT, CAT, RAT), Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2, MMPI-A), Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III), California Personality Inventory-R (CPI-R), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), and the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). In addition, other measures of personality assessment will be reviewed. Issues relating to the appropriate use of personality measures, theories of personality, ethical test use, testing culturally diverse populations, integration of data and effective report writing will be addressed.
PSYD 772. Assessment of Children. (3).
This course is designed to provide doctoral students with training in the administration, scoring and interpretation of the current editions of widely utilized measures of cognitive assessment, academic achievement, and behavior rating scales in the psychological assessment of children. Issues relating to the appropriate use of tests, theories of intelligence, ethical test use, testing culturally diverse populations, integration of data and effective report writing will be addressed.
PSYD 780. History of Psychology. (2).
The intention in this course is to guide you to understand psychological science through its history, and through the histories of the societies in Europe and North America within which that science has been embedded. Much of psychology's past has found its roots within the social histories of the countries where Western psychology has developed - Germany, France, Great Britain and the United States. This course will take you on a journey into some of the fascinating theories developed by our intellectual forefathers who proved to have a profound influence on later psychological thought, combining those with investigations into the cultural-historical contexts within which these works were written. Often we erroneously assume that what has been written decades or even centuries ago is too old and must be outdated. Yet, as we will see, the great dinosaurs from the old schools of psychology are still able to teach us modern psychologists a great deal.
PSYD 781. Consultation/Supervision. (3).
This course examines the role of psychologists as consultants and as supervisors. Theories of consulting and supervising will be presented, as well as experiential exercises. Students will consider the roles of consultant and supervisor from developmental perspectives.
PSYD 782. Multicultural Psychology. (3).
This is a course for interested students who want to learn about cultural perspectives in psychology at large, and particularly in the cases of human development within varied cultural contexts. Crucial philosophical, theoretical and methodological research issues that are central for developmentally focused cultural psychology will be covered in this course. This course is tailored toward students with philosophical and interdisciplinary interests, whose goals are to learn more about our basic scientific understanding of human psychology. The course is primarily based on an active learning approach founded on the principles of Accountable Talk, which dictates that all students must be held accountable to their learning community, to accurate and appropriate knowledge, and to rigorous thinking. In other words, this will not be a standard lecture course in which students passively absorb knowledge, rather the course format will take a partnership approach in which students help one another build knowledge (based on the course textbook and instructor guidance), in order to make sense of who we are and the culture in which we live.
PSYD 791. Psychopharmacology. (2).
This course will examine the principles of psychopharmacology and will review individual classes of drugs as well as their mechanisms. Special attention will be given to drug-to-drug interactions, particularly with the elderly. Students will become familiar with the FDA drug review process and will consider relevant legal and ethical issues.
Course Transfers and Waivers
Course Transfers
Students are permitted to transfer up to nine (9) credits into the doctoral program if those credits were taken in clinical psychology at the graduate level*. Transferring a course will import the credits earned to be applied towards the 114 that are required for the program. Transferred credits are not calculated into your GPA. Transfer work must be:
1. Graduate level (applicable to a graduate degree at the institution granting credit)
2. Completed within seven years
3. Completed with a grade of “B” or higher
4. Documented by official transcripts from the institution
5. Listed on a “Petition for the Transfer of Credit” form (available from the CLU Registrar)
6. Approved by the program director.
Course Waivers
You may waive an additional fifteen (15) credits beyond the coursework that has been transferred in the PsyD program if you have taken commensurate courses at the graduate level*. Only required courses may be waived. When a course is waived, it means that you are not required to take it again but the credits from the course are not imported and do not count towards the program requirement. For example, a student waiving a 3-unit course will be required to take three credits of electives in addition to the number of electives required to reach 114 total program credits. The following requirements must be met for course waivers to be approved.
1. Courses must have been taken within the past seven years
2. You must have successfully passed the course with a grade of “B” or higher
3. You must have an official transcript on file that lists the course
4. You complete the “Request for Course Waiver” form (available from the PsyD Program)
5. You must submit both the Request for Course Waiver form and the course syllabus for the time that you took the class to the CLU instructor teaching the class that you desire to waive. The CLU professor has full discretion in determining if the previous course is sufficient for waiver.
6. The academic advisor or program director must also approve the waiver.
*Courses ineligible for Transfer or Waiver: Transfer of credit or course waivers are not granted for practica, internships, theses, dissertation, or elective courses. We consider these courses fundamental to the program’s character and must certify that students have received training according to those standards. Additionally, some topics in clinical psychology require ongoing training and development throughout our professional careers. These include ethics and cultural competency. As such, course transfers and waivers are not accepted for PSYD 763 – Ethics and PSYD 782 – Multicultural Psychology.