2021-2022 Graduate Course Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2021-2022 Graduate Course Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Clinical Psychology, PhD


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Contact:

Kevin Antshel, Ph.D.
430 Huntington Hall
kmantshel@syr.edu
(315) 443-9450

Faculty

Kevin Antshel,  Joseph W. Ditre, Les A. Gellis,  Afton Kapuscinski,  Katie Kidwell,  Aesoon Park,  Jillian Scheer,  Shannon Sweeney,  and Sarah Woolf-King

Research Faculty

Stephen A Maisto, Ph.D.

The clinical psychology training program at Syracuse University is a doctoral program designed to train students to be responsible, innovative, and scholarly psychologists. The program embraces the scientist-practitioner model, and a strong emphasis is placed on both research and clinical training. The program is accredited by the American Psychological Association.

Admission

In making decisions about admission, the clinical faculty consider a student’s grades, GRE scores, letters of recommendation, personal statement, and evidence of the hard work, interest, and motivation that is vital to success in graduate school. Experience in research is also looked on positively. Applicants should have at least 18 credits of psychology, including a laboratory course and a statistics course. Recently admitted applicants have averaged higher than 155 on the verbal + quantitative GREs and had higher than 3.5 undergraduate GPAs. The program does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, ethnic origin, religion, or physical disability. Applications are considered for the fall term only, and the deadline for receipt of the COMPLETED application is December 1. The program receives about 180 applications per year for four to five openings. There are typically between 20-25 students in the program.

Financial Assistance

The department makes a determined effort to offer each student financial support from several sources: graduate scholarships, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, clinical assistantships, and fellowships.

Goals


GOAL 1: To produce graduates who have an understanding of the research methods of clinical psychology and who apply these methods to advance knowledge in the discipline of clinical psychology

1-A. Graduate students will acquire knowledge of research methods in clinical psychology.

2-B. Graduate students will have the ability to apply their research skills in such a way as to contribute to the knowledge base of clinical psychology.

GOAL 2: To produce graduates who apply their theoretical and empirical knowledge base to the understanding and amelioration of human problems and have the requisite knowledge and skills to provide competent entry-level clinical psychology practice

2-A. Graduate students will be able to apply their research knowledge and skills to address real-world clinical psychological problems.

2-B. Graduate students will be able to provide competent beginning-level clinical practice upon graduation.

GOAL 3: To produce graduates who are sophisticated consumers of the theoretical and empirical literature of clinical psychology and continue as lifetime learners and critical thinkers

3-A. The Clinical Program strives to instill a respect for the scientific basis of clinical psychology.

3-B. Students who graduate from the Clinical Program will continue to learn and grow in their professional roles.

GOAL 4: To produce graduates who are aware of the influence of cultural and contextual factors that may affect research activities and clinical practice

4-A. Students will develop sensitivity to cultural and diversity factors and corresponding respect for individuals who are members of minority groups or any other groups that are outside of the students’ own sphere of identification.

4-B. The Clinical Program expects that students will be aware of the limitations of standardized tests or interventions when applied to individuals from backgrounds different from that of the standardization sample.

GOAL 5: To produce graduates who are well-socialized professionals who uniformly conduct their work in an ethical manner that takes into account the rights and needs of the individuals with whom they are directly involved as well as other members of society

5-A. Students from the Clinical program will understand their responsibilities as professionals who actively intervene in the lives of others as a result of their research and practice behaviors.

5-B. Students who graduate from the Clinical program will consider themselves members of a professional community.

Student Learning Outcomes


1. Demonstrate profession-wide competence in research

2. Demonstrate profession-wide competence in ethical and legal standards

3. Demonstrate profession-wide competence in individual and cultural diversity

4. Demonstrate profession-wide competence in professional values, attitudes, and behaviors

5. Demonstrate profession-wide competence in communications and interpersonal skills

6. Demonstrate profession-wide competence in assessment

7. Demonstrate profession-wide competence in intervention

8. Demonstrate profession-wide competence in supervision

9. Demonstrate profession-wide competence in consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills

Program Requirements


The Ph.D. requires at least 90 credits, including a 6-credit master’s thesis and an 18-credit dissertation. Students must attend the University on a full-time basis and remain in residence until the 90 credits are completed. The required clinical curriculum includes coursework in clinical research methods, psychopathology (child and adult), assessment, and psycho¬therapy, along with supervised clinical practica. The APA-required core curriculum also includes courses in the following areas: statistics and design, cognitive-affective, social, individual differences, biological, history and systems, professional ethics, and issues of cultural and ethnic diversity. The clinical curriculum includes 9 credits of electives. Students must pass a Ph.D. qualifying exam that includes a critical review of a substantive area in clinical psychology that is evaluated by members of the core clinical faculty. A full-time, one-year, APA-accredited internship is also required before the Ph.D. is awarded; this is usually completed in the sixth year. The internships carry stipends and may be completed at any APA-accredited agency in the United States or Canada.

Psychological Services Center


The clinical psychology program is associated with the SU Psychological Services Center, which is a service delivery, training, and research facility that serves SU students and members of the Syracuse community. Services are provided to children, adolescents, and adults. The Psychological Services Center is staffed by a director, clinic secretary, and graduate students in clinical psychology and related fields. Supervision is provided by full-time clinical faculty and part-time adjunct faculty drawn from local hospitals and clinics. Supervisors vary in their conceptual approach to understanding and modifying behavior. A broad array of clinical services are offered, including individual, marital, family, and group therapy, as well as psychological evaluations and testing.

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