Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) Program Mission

The primary mission of the Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) Program at Marshall University is to train doctoral-level psychologists who are highly skilled generalists. Training within the program will foster an appreciation for the importance of critical inquiry at all levels of clinical practice. There is a specific emphasis on developing a sensitivity to the needs of rural and underserved people. The Psy.D. program is accredited by the American Psychological Association.

Model and Goals

The philosophy of the program follows a practitioner-scholar model of education and training; consequently, graduates of the program are trained as practitioners of clinical psychology as an empirically informed field. Education and training within the program emphasize the importance of critical inquiry at all levels of clinical practice, including treatment planning for individual clients, assessment of program outcomes, and the design and execution of rigorous research. The program is dedicated to educating students for professional practice careers. The program faculty has set forth several pertinent goals and objectives to be obtained by students during their time in the program. These goals and objectives are founded on the core competencies of clinical education and training stated by the National Council of Schools in Professional Psychology (NCSPP).

The program exposes students to the following primary clinical orientations: integrative, behavioral, cognitive behavioral, and psychodynamic. In the context of this exposure, we encourage each student to develop an orientation that is best suited to his or her style and situation. We endeavor to support students in their development, whether they prefer to remain eclectic or choose to invest in a particular theoretical orientation. The fact that the faculty represents a variety of orientations fits well with this model. Although the perspectives of clinical faculty vary, they share a common mission to provide education and training that is solidly grounded empirically. We also emphasize that multiple systemic and individual factors must be considered in developing a cooperative relationship between client and therapist that will ultimately lead to more positive life experiences for the client. There is a sharp focus on the impacts of community and culture from a biopsychosocial model of influence on human development. As such, the generalist orientation of the program serves as a model to students that the field of clinical psychology is as diverse as the human population it serves.

Education and Training Goals and Objectives

1. The primary goal of the program is to provide high quality graduate education and training in clinical psychology with an emphasis on the role of empirical knowledge as it pertains to clinical practice. As such, students will develop the specific competencies that are the foundation of the education and training model developed by NCSPP.
   Objective 1.1: Relationship competence: Students are expected to develop the ability to form productive partnerships with clients, peers, supervisors, faculty, and community members.
   Objective 1.2: Assessment competence: Students are expected to develop competency in clinical assessment as evidenced by knowledge of basic psychometric theory and sound test administration and interpretation skills. In addition, students should be able to demonstrate the use of sound assessment methodologies that allow them to describe their client, to plan a course of intervention, and to assess intervention outcomes.
   Objective 1.3: Intervention competence: Students are expected to demonstrate the ability to form a coherent, theoretically based, empirically-supported treatment plan that is refined during the course of intervention.
   Objective 1.4: Research and evaluation competence: Students must demonstrate the ability to conceptualize as appropriate a logical research question, frame it in terms of an operational definition, and develop a sound method for addressing the question. Students must be able to execute the plan and analyze the quantitative and/or qualitative data in a rigorous and systematic manner.
   Objective 1.5: Consultation and education competence: A rural behavioral health practitioner may often find that the most important function s/he can serve is as a consultant within existing systems. Students will demonstrate competence in distinguishing various types of consultation from direct intervention.
   Objective 1.6: Management and supervision competence: Students will become knowledgeable in the areas of organization and supervision of psychological services. Students will demonstrate this knowledge in their ability to provide formal and information supervision to less experienced students. They will also demonstrate this knowledge in their ability to function professionally in at least two different agency settings.
   Objective 1.7: Legal and Ethical competence: Students are expected to understand and abide by the APA Code of Ethics in all professional and academic settings.
   Objective 1.8: Cultural/Diversity competence: Students will understand the significant impact cultural differences have on clinical practice and be able to articulate those impacts in reference to specific clinical cases. Students will be able to identify cultural differences in an academic sense and demonstrate through program planning and service delivery that the differences are appreciated.
   Objective 1.9: Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors competence: Students will show evidence in behavior and comportment that reflect the values, behaviors, attitudes of the field of psychology. This includes being honest, accountable, punctual, and reliable. Their development of a professional identity will begin to emerge, and they will use resources, such as supervision and literature, to continue their professional development. Students will conduct themselves in a professional manner, including attire, across different settings. Students will recognize and work to resolve situations that challenge the adherence to professional values and integrity. Likewise, they will act to understand and safeguard the welfare of others.
2. The second goal is to ensure that the clinical training of students is thoroughly grounded in the broad scientific areas of psychology.
   Objective 2.1: Students will demonstrate knowledge in the following broad areas of scientific psychology: biological aspects of behavior; cognitive and affective aspects of behavior; social aspects of behavior; history and systems of psychology; psychological measurement; research methodology; and techniques of data analysis;
   Objective 2.2: Students will demonstrate knowledge in the following scientific, methodological, and theoretical areas of psychology: individual differences in behavior, human development, dysfunctional behavior and analysis, and professional standards of ethics.
3. Rural areas are characterized by unique needs that are not often met by service delivery models and therapeutic modalities developed primarily in urban settings. Therefore, a third goal is to promote an understanding regarding the impact of rural culture on clinical practice.
   Objective 3.1: Students will develop an understanding of the diverse forces at work in rural areas that can and do impact various aspects of human development and community functioning.
   Objective 3.2: Students will be able to articulate alternative service delivery models that may improve access and use of behavioral health services in rural areas.
   Objective 3.3: Students will be encouraged to seek internships in settings that serve rural populations.
4. Finally, the program seeks to nurture in students the spirit of lifelong learning. In the service of this goal, the faculty strives to create an atmosphere of inquiry in which students are encouraged to utilize a variety of means to answer complex questions related to human nature.
   Objective 4.1: Faculty and students will regularly engage in formal and informal discussions of current literature and pertinent research issues.
   Objective 4.2: Faculty and students will be encouraged to regularly attend conferences and workshops that promote critical thinking regarding issues pertinent to the broad field of psychology.

Program Goals and Objectives

1. The primary program goal is to enhance the scope and quality of services available in rural areas by increasing the likelihood that doctoral students graduating the program will choose to work in rural and underserved regions, particularly those regions in West Virginia.
   Objective 1.1: As research has shown that students who are native to rural areas and who train there are more likely to return to those areas to practice, the department has determined that a minimum of 50% of the slots be reserved within the program for residents of West Virginia and the surrounding region. The department anticipates offering the remaining slots to individuals from a broad range of geographic regions and all interested individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.
   Objective 1.2: Quality practicum placements are cultivated in rural settings to allow students to be trained in alternative service delivery models.
2. The second program goal is to promote an understanding of the impact(s) of rural culture, particularly Appalachian culture, on human behavior and behavioral health needs.
   Objective 2.1: Faculty and students are encouraged to develop research projects that permit the examination of the impact of rural/Appalachian culture.
   Objective 2.2: Faculty and students are encouraged to present their work in conferences and workshops that address issues pertinent to rural populations.

Accreditation

The program is accredited by the American Psychological Association [Commission on Accreditation 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, Telephone: 800-374-2721; 202-336-5500, E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org]. The program has also been recognized as a designated program by the National Register/Association of State and Provincial Boards of Professional Psychology [National Register, 1200 New York Ave NW, Ste 800, Washington DC 20005, Telephone: 202-783-7663; ASPPB, PO BOX 849, Tyrone, GA 30290, Telephone: 678-216-1175, E-mail: asppb@asppb.org]. Marshall University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602; toll-free 1-800-621-7440, www.hlcommission.org).

Education/Training Outcomes for the Psy.D. Program

In keeping with APA Accreditation Guidelines, the following information is provided to permit students considering application to the Psy.D. program to make an informed decision.

Timeframe for Program Completion. The Psy.D. Program is designed to be a five year, full-time program. On average, students attending the program full time complete the program in that time frame. Those attending half-time include only those students who have completed a master’s degree prior to entry. For these students, average length of completion time is approximately 5.5 years.

Tuition and fees. Because tuition and fees are subject to change on an annual basis, students are encouraged to contact the Bursar’s Office at 1-800-438-5389 or the website at www.marshall.edu/bursar to obtain current program costs.

Internship acceptance rates. For the academic year 2019-2020, ten students applied for internship placement with acceptance figures as follows:

• Percent obtaining internships: 100%
• Percent obtaining paid internships: 100%
• Percent obtaining internships at APPIC sites: 100%
• Percent obtaining internships at APA sites 90%

Attrition. At present, the overall attrition rate is 0% (2016-2019).

Licensure outcomes. The program claims a licensure rate of 85%.

Admission Requirements

Admission Requirements

Applying to the Psy.D. Program

Prerequisite Coursework

Applicants must have completed a minimum of 18 undergraduate semester hours of psychology, including statistics, experimental psychology or research methods, and abnormal psychology in order to be considered for admission. Please note that some courses may have undergraduate prerequisite coursework attached to them. While these undergraduate courses are not required for admission, they must be taken prior to a student’s enrollment in those courses with such prerequisites.

Application Deadline and Materials

Students are admitted to the Psy.D. program once per year for classes starting in the Fall semester. Applicants are required to submit the completed application form with all requested supplemental materials, official transcripts from degree-granting institutions, official transcripts of all previous graduate coursework, official report of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test (scores may not be more than five (5) years old), and three letters of recommendation. Completed applications along with all supporting materials must be received by the December 1 deadline to receive priority consideration for admission the following fall. It should be noted that the application process is competitive. It is recommended that scores on the Verbal section not be lower than 150 and scores on the Quantitative section not be lower than 141. Likewise, it is recommended that applications have a minimum combined total on those two sections of 297. Grade point averages for successful candidates typically range from 3.2 to 3.6. Application materials and current program information can be obtained by contacting the Marshall University Psychology Department, the Marshall University Graduate Admissions office, or by consulting the Psychology Department website at www.marshall.edu/psych.

Applicant Review Process

Applicants are divided into two groups as follows:

1. Post-B.A.: This track is designed for students who either possess no graduate degree or whose graduate degree is in an area other than psychology. Students who have completed some graduate work towards a master’s degree in psychology but will not have completed the degree prior to admission to the Psy.D. program would also be a part of this track. Students accepted into this track are expected to enroll as full-time students throughout the program. A student accepted through this track may earn a master’s degree in general psychology as he or she makes successful progress toward the Psy.D.
2. Advanced Standing: A student who already has a master’s degree in psychology can apply for advanced standing in the Psy.D. program. In order to apply for advanced standing, a student must have completed a master’s degree in psychology from an accepted, accredited institution. Students who are admitted with advanced standing must select to enter in either a full-time track or a part-time track by the end of their first semester of enrollment. These tracks are described as follows:
   
   Full-time track: Students who apply for advanced standing and the full-time track must be able to document coursework and practicum equivalencies equal to approximately 36 hours of coursework required in the Psy.D. program at Marshall University. Review of equivalencies is described in the next section. Students in the full-time track must commit to a minimum of 9 hours of coursework and practica per semester during the entire time of their enrollment. They must also commit to taking summer coursework as needed. As such, these students can anticipate completing the program in approximately four years. This would assume 5-6 semesters of coursework and a full year for the pre-doctoral internship. Students admitted to the full-time track can apply to change to the part-time track if their circumstances warrant such a change. Although students with extenuating circumstances may drop below full-time for a given semester without changing tracks, they should recognize that this change may impact the time it will take to complete the program. Students in this track desiring to attend part time for more than one semester may be required to switch formally to the part-time track.
   
   Part-time track: Students who apply for advanced standing and the part-time track are not required to document equivalencies at any particular level, although they must still possess a master’s degree in psychology from an accredited institution. Students in the part-time track may enroll either full-time or part-time in any given semester with the exception of the residency year, described in the next section. During the residency year, full-time enrollment is required. Students in this track should anticipate completing the program in no fewer than 5 years and no more than 7 years from the date of enrollment.

Vertical Team Practica

Practica in the program are arranged according to vertical teams. Each team is led by a clinical faculty member who is a licensed psychologist. Teams are organized around a particular orientation to clinical conceptualization and treatment planning. Teams include students at all levels of training and allow newer students to be exposed to practica in which they may be placed as they progress through the program. Vertical team arrangements also allow more experienced students to become mentors to more junior students.

Comprehensive Evaluation Process

All students admitted to the program must complete the portfolio evaluation review as part of the comprehensive evaluation process. In addition, students who are admitted without a master’s degree will take a written comprehensive prior to being awarded the master’s degree.

Doctoral Research Project

All students are required to complete a doctoral research project prior to receiving their Psy.D. degree. Details of the doctoral research process are discussed in the Psy.D. Student Handbook.

Internship Requirement

All students are required to complete a one year, full time (or two year, half time) internship in clinical psychology at an approved internship training site. There are a very limited number of local approved sites and students should anticipate the possibility of relocation during this portion of the training period. Please contact the Psy.D. program director for additional information concerning this requirement.

Residency Requirement

All students are required to enroll as full time students for a one year “residency” period. For most students, this will be the 4th year, when students focus on their doctoral research and their rural practicum placements.

Rural Practicum Placement

A key component of our program is training in and supervised delivery of psychological services in rural settings. All students will spend at least one academic year (two sequential full semesters) placed in an approved rural training site. This placement will require driving to the site and may require an overnight stay each week. More information about this part of the program is available from the Psy.D. Program Director and/or the Practicum Coordinator.

Scheduling of Coursework

Courses are offered during Fall, Spring and Summer terms, with most courses offered no more than once per year. Students must plan to take courses during each term to make appropriate progress through the curriculum.

Other information about program (e.g. comprehensive exams, specific procedures for requesting evaluation of prior graduate coursework, graduate assistantships and other student funding opportunities; the doctoral program fee charged to students each semester of enrollment) is available from the psychology department; please contact the Psy.D. Program Coordinator.

Program Requirements

Two-C Rule and Student Behavior

The following two statements are applicable to all psychology graduate programs. 

1. 2-C Rule: Psychology students cannot be admitted to, or continue in, a graduate program in psychology if they earn more than one grade of "C" or lower in any graduate course in psychology or any course included in the plan of study. Such students will not be permitted to continue taking courses or to work on a doctoral research project. Please see the complete description of the 2C Rule on the second page of the M.A. in Psychology section. 
2. Ethics and Student Behavior: Students in all programs are expected to behave in accordance with the APA Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct. Consequences for violations may include suspension or dismissal from the student's program of study. When students in the clinical area of emphasis (M.A. program) or the Psy.D. program exhibit behavior indicating inability or limited capacity to successfully perform clinical roles and functions, they may be suspended or dismissed from their program of study. 

Plan of Study

Plan of Study

Following are the courses required for the Psy.D. program. A curriculum by year can be found by visiting the website at www.marshall.edu/psych.

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Foundational Psychotherapy
PSY 633	Individual Psychotherapy	3
Foundational Assessment
PSY 706	Integrated Assessment I	3
PSY 707	Int Assessment Pract I	1
PSY 708	Integrated Assessment II	3
PSY 709	Int Assessment Pract II	1
Optional
PSY 710	Adv Psych Assessment
Biological Bases of Behavior
PSY 674	Biological Bases of Behavior	3
PSY 618	Psychopharmacology	1
PSY 750	Clinical Health Psychology	3
Cognitive and Affective Aspects of Behavior
PSY 672	Cognition and Emotion	3
History and Systems of Behavior
PSY 560	History & Systems Psych	3
Research Methodology and Data Analysis
PSY 723	Clin Res Meth in Psych	3
PSY 799	Doctoral Research (6 or more credits)	6
PSY 717	Adv Quantitative Analysis	3
or EDF 625	Qualitative Research Educ
Human Development and Individual Differences
PSY 615	Adv Developmental Psychology	3
PSY 712	Geropsychology	3
PSY 764	Adv Human Sexuality	3
Psychopathology
PSY 608	Differ Diagnosis & Treat Plan	3
Professional Standards and Ethics
PSY 605	Ethic Legal & Prof Issue Psych	3
Social Aspects of Behavior
PSY 606	Adv Social Psychology 1	3
Cultural and Individual Diversity
PSY 752	Rural Community Psych I	3
PSY 726	Adv St Cross Cult Psych	3
Advanced Psychotherapy
PSY 635	Child/Fam Diagn Therapy	3
PSY 731	Psychotherapy I	3
PSY 732	Psychotherapy II	3
PSY 733	Psychotherapy III	3
PSY 755	Rural Community Psych II	3
PSY 634	Group Therapy	3
Consultation and Supervision
PSY 753	Supervision in Clin Psy	3
Clinical Practica
PSY 670	Clinical Practicum	1-3
PSY 671	Clinical Practicum	1-3
PSY 769	Pract in Clinical Psychology	1-3
PSY 713	Adv Assess Practicum	3
PSY 714	Adv Assess Practicum	3
PSY 770	Adv Practicum in Clin Psy	3
PSY 771	Adv Practicum in Clin Psy	3
PSY 772	Rural Pract I	3
PSY 773	Rural Practicum II	3
Internship
Select 3-9 credits from the following:		3-9
PSY 780	Pre-Doctoral Internship
PSY 781	Pre-doctoral Internship
PSY 782	Pre-doctoral Internship
PSY 783	Pre-Doctoral Internship
Clinical Seminars
Select two of the following:		6
PSY 790	Sem: Clinical Psychology
PSY 791	Sem: Clinical Psychology
PSY 792	Sem: Clinical Psychology
PSY 793	Sem: Clinical Psychology
PSY 794	Sem: Clinical PSY
PSY 795	Sem:Clinical Psychology
PSY 796	Sem: Clinical PSY
Teaching Experience
Optional
PSY 600	Teaching Psychology
Total Credit Hours		111-123

¹

Note: PSY 606 Adv Social Psychology carries a prerequisite of having taken an undergraduate course in Social Psychology. This prerequisite must be fulfilled before taking PSY 606 Adv Social Psychology as a program requirement.