Contact the PsyD Clinical Psychology Program Office
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Handbooks
Please refer to the Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) Doctoral Student Handbook for more information.Clinical Psychology, Doctor of Psychology
The Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology degree program has been designed to prepare prospective psychologists in the delivery of ethical, culturally-competent and evidence-based diagnostic, intervention and assessment services that effectively meet the needs of diverse populations in diverse settings. To help to ensure that students are adequately prepared, the curriculum is designed to provide for the meaningful integration of theory, training, and practice and emphasize the development of attitudes, knowledge, and skills essential to the training of clinical psychologists who are committed to the ethical provision of quality services.
Requirements Accordion Open
To receive a Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses, consisting of 101 units of graduate-level courses and two thousand (2000) hours of clinical practice. In addition to coursework, the Psy.D. doctoral degree requires their graduate students to engage in practicum and/or clinical experiences, to demonstrate a high level of competency in their field, and to engage in research and scholarship.
Overview Accordion Closed
In addition to University Requirements:
- Complete individual plan requirements.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 101 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Required |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
| Research | Individualized research is required. |
| Licensure | This program may lead to licensure. |
| Clinical Competency Exam | Required |
Purpose Statement
The Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology degree program has been designed to prepare future psychologists in the delivery of ethical, culturally-competent and evidence-based diagnostic, intervention and assessment services that effectively meet the needs of diverse populations in diverse settings. Students learn to provide continuing and comprehensive mental and behavioral health care to address issues that occur across the lifespan for individuals and families. To help to ensure that students are adequately prepared, the curriculum is designed to provide for the meaningful integration of theory, training, and practice. The PsyD in Clinical Psychology degree program is designed to emphasize the development of attitudes, knowledge, and skills essential to the training of clinical psychologists who are committed to the ethical provision of quality services. Specific goals of the program include the following:
Student Learning Outcomes
The program aim is to prepare prospective psychologists in the delivery of ethical, culturally-competent and evidence-based diagnostic, intervention and assessment services that effectively meet the needs of diverse populations in diverse settings.
Profession-wide Competencies:
- Research/Science foundation - demonstrates understanding and respect for research, research methodology, techniques of data collection and analysis, biological bases of behavior, cognitive-affective bases of behavior, and development across the lifespan.
- Ethical and legal standards -Demonstrates application of ethical concepts and awareness of legal issues regarding professional activities with individuals, groups, and organizations.
- Individual and cultural diversity – Awareness, sensitivity and skills in working professionally with diverse individuals, groups and communities who represent various cultural and personal backgrounds and characteristics defined broadly and consistent with APA policy/guidelines.
- Professional values, attitudes and behaviors - Adherence to professional values including self-reflection, integrity, professional identity and comportment, accountability and concern for the welfare of others.
- Communication and interpersonal skills -Develop individual and group interpersonal skills to improve and foster participation and interaction critical for achieving individual, group and diverse community goals. Able to demonstrate verbal and non-verbal congruency and ability to demonstrate engagement
- Assessment - Able to assess and diagnose problems, capabilities and issues associated with diverse individuals, groups and/or organization. Able to demonstrate conceptualization of problems considering the context and other relevant factors.
- Intervention - Able to plan, implement and evaluate interventions designed to alleviate suffering and to promote health and well-being of diverse individuals, groups and organizations. Able to demonstrate conceptualization of problems considering the context and other relevant factors
- Supervision - Able to guide, support and direct the integration of research and clinical expertise in the context of patient factors.
- Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills - The ability to provide expert guidance or professional assistance in response to a client’s needs or goals. Able to use interpersonal skills needed to collaborate well with others.
Details Accordion Closed
Additional Admission Requirements
- Admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
- NAU Graduate Online application is required for all programs. Details on admission requirements are included in the online application.
- Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution
- Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A"), or the equivalent.
- Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.
- Transcripts
- For details on graduate admission policies, please visit the Graduate Admissions Policy
- International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy
Individual program admission requirements include:
- 3 letters of recommendation with at least two from faculty
- completion of bachelor's degree in psychology, or closely-related field; or a master's degree in psychology or closely-related field
- personal statement
- interview
If your undergraduate GPA is less than 3.00, a graduate GPA of a 3.25 is acceptable (minimum 18 units competed as part of a master's degree).
Students who do not have an undergraduate degree in psychology will need to complete at least five undergraduate or introductory graduate courses that are primarily psychological in content and must address these three required areas*:- Introduction to psychology or general psychology
- Abnormal, psychopathology, or maladaptive behavior
- Statistics or research methods
*Two additional courses in field of psychology must also be completed. In addition, students who have not taken courses in the required areas must complete these classes early in their program as these courses serve as prerequisites.
Doctoral Requirements
Take the following 101 units:
Assessment Requirements (13 units)
Clinical Intervention and Psychotherapy Requirements (24 units)
Consultation and Supervision Requirements (3 units)
Ethics and Professional Conduct Requirements (5 units)
Human Development Requirements (3 units)
Psychology Foundations: Basic Science/Psychology Requirements (12 units)
Psychopathology Requirements (6 units)
Statistics and Research Methods Requirements (9 units)
Clinical Psychology Practicum (12 units)
Clinical Research Project Requirements (3 units)
Internship (2 units)
Clinical Electives (9 units)- Elective coursework chosen in consultation with your advisor.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also take. For prerequisite information click on the course or see your advisor.
- PROGRAM FEE INFORMATION
Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee of $3500 per semester has been approved for this program. Program fee is waived for internship semester.
Accreditation Status Accordion Closed
Thank you for your interest in our Clinical Psychology PsyD program.
The APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA) has issued a Notice of Actions indicating that the NAU Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.), has been granted initial Accreditation, on contingency. The Accreditation on contingency expiration date is February 25, 2027. According to the CoA Accreditation Operating Procedures, “‘Accredited, on contingency’ is granted to a doctoral program when the program demonstrates initial evidence of educational quality consistent with the SoA [Standards of Accreditation] and the capacity to meet all accreditation standards in the designated time frame. Review for this status requires matriculation of students, clinical evaluations of students in practicum, evidence of the integration of science and practice, and significant resource allocation.”.
Students who complete a program that is recognized as “accredited, on contingency” effective before their graduation date will have completed an APA accredited program. Accreditation is effective from the last date of the site visit, February 25, 2022. The CoA will conduct its next review of the NAU program in 2025, at which time the program will be considered for full accreditation status.
To view the program’s accreditation status, please visit the APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation’s program search site. Questions related to the program’s accreditation status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:
The American Psychological Association
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20002-4242
202.336.5979
Application Process Accordion Closed
To receive a Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses, consisting of 101 units of graduate-level courses and two thousand (2000) hours of clinical practice. In addition to coursework, the Psy.D. doctoral degree requires their graduate students to engage in practicum and/or clinical experiences, to demonstrate a high level of competency in their field, and to engage in research and scholarship.
Admission Deadlines
Completed application files are reviewed and admission decisions are made during one cycle each year. All application materials must be submitted to the Graduate College online application to be reviewed for entrance in the subsequent academic year.
Application deadline: March 1, 2023.
***Admission decisions are made shortly thereafter and students receive notification of this decision electronically. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their application file is complete. Incomplete files are not reviewed.
As part of the application process, candidates may be invited to an interview day once their application is received and reviewed.
Program of Study Accordion Closed
The program of study (POS) is the agreed-upon plan for completing program requirements. Current and previous programs of study may be downloaded from the NAU Graduate College Programs of Study webpage. Students complete the POS with their advisers during the first semester of graduate work. The POS is used as a verification document when students apply for graduation. The original, signed POS, is submitted to the Educational Psychology department office and placed in the student’s file. In most cases, amendments to your POS can be made with your adviser’s approval.
Prerequisites
Please be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also take. Course prerequisites are listed on the Program of Study form. Students may also review the online catalog for selected courses where prerequisites are required. Please check with the department or a faculty adviser if you have questions regarding prerequisites.
Related Forms and Websites
When completing or revising the POS, the Clinical Psychology Academic Catalog Listing may be useful for translating the program of studies into a semester by semester plan. Academic Catalog Policies – transfer credit, timelines, doctoral requirements, residency, and other policies
Diversity Accordion Closed
The Clinical Psychology PhD Program is strongly committed to promoting appreciation for and skills in working within the intersections of cultural and individual diversity. The program’s emphasis on the diversity including indigenous peoples and Latinas/os and integrated healthcare, trains students to consider the role of culture and environment in mental and emotional health in assessment and intervention. Towards that end, the program offers a “Diversity Engagement Forum” open to the community as a safe arena to discuss and learn more about issues/events impacting diversity. Respect for diverse backgrounds highlights the culture of the program.
Northern Arizona University promotes global engagement and the College of Education and Department of Educational Psychology collaborate with the University Center for International Education to develop graduate and undergraduate experiences in global cultures and host international faculty and graduate students. Recent foci of the international programs have included China, Italy, and Western Europe.
The program’s commitment to diversity and international engagement is incorporated into the PsyD curriculum in terms of class readings, assignments, and clinical training across courses at various levels of knowledge and skill development. Diversity issues are infused throughout the courses in the curriculum; the syllabi document coverage of this topic within courses. Comprehensive coverage of this issue is provided in the diversity course (CPP740). Issues in the Assessment and Treatment of Diverse Populations (CPP740) provides an in-depth review and reinforcement of how personal history/biases affect relations with others and requires that students integrate this understanding into professional roles. PP7340 also offers a comprehensive and detailed study of the current theoretical and empirical knowledge base as it relates to addressing diversity in all professional activities including research, training, supervision/consultation, and service. In the practicum seminars, relevant diversity issues are discussed in the presentation of clinical cases. Intervention and Assessment courses require students to account for and integrate diversity knowledge and skill in developing and treating individuals and interpreting their test results. Practicum and internship supervisors facilitate students’ diversity competence in applied clinical work. All students complete practicum which involve providing psychological services to underserved and under- represented populations.
NAU has implemented a coherent plan to ensure that all students are taught the necessary skills and competencies with an emphasis on valuing diversity and exploring the cultural context of behavior in most courses. Specifically, the following diversity objectives are integrated in most courses across the curriculum: a) Self-awareness and sensitivity to the diversity of others; b) Acquisition of knowledge about diversity including but not limited to racial/ethnic, sociocultural/socioeconomic, gender, national origin/immigrant status, affectional orientation, religious/spiritual, and physical ability groups; c) Development of inquiry skills and methods of understanding diversity issues within their socio-historical contexts; d) Student consideration and evaluation of the limitations and applicability of different theoretical orientations as they pertain to diverse groups; e) Development of treatment approaches that are culturally responsive and incorporate the clients’ worldview; and f) Awareness of applicability and limitations of standardized testing instruments with diverse groups.
Student Admission, Outcomes, and Other Data Accordion Closed
NOTE: The first cohort of students begin the program in Spring 2020. No students have completed the program, to this point.
Professional code of ethics and licensure guidelines Accordion Closed
Students in this doctoral program should follow the professional code of ethics and licensure guidelines established by the following organizations:
Ethical Codes
American Psychological Association, Inc.
Licensure Guidelines
Arizona: State of Arizona Board of Psychologists Examiners
Other States and General Licensing Information: Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards
Clinical Psychology Doctor of Psychology Program Faculty Accordion Closed
Frederick S. Wechsler, Ph.D., Psy.D., ABPP (Clinical)
Professor of Practice and Program Director
Clinical Psychology
Northern Arizona University
Phone: 602-776-4608
Dr. Evelyn Burrell
Director of Clinical Training
Assistant Clinical Professor
Phone: 602-776-4628
Dr. Marie-Christine Goodworth, PhD
Phone: 602-776-4640
Marie-christine.goodworth@nau.edu
Dr. Sheryl Harrison
Associate Clinical Professor
Phone: 602-776-4617
Dr. Jenny Holzapfel
Assistant Clinical Professor
Phone: 602-776-4612
Dr. Chris McBride
Associate Professor of Practice
Phone: 602-776-4605
Dr. Michael McCarthy
Associate Professor of Practice
Phone: 602-776-4609
Dr. Lisa Outhier
Associate Clinical Professor
Phone: 602-776-4613
Dr. Gregory Shrader
Associate Clinical Professor
Phone: 602-776-4661
Dr. Lawrence Sideman
Associate Clinical Professor
Phone: 602-776-4623