School of Professional Psychology

Sample Curriculum

photo of students in a classroomThis is a sample five-year curriculum for the Psy.D. degree.
 

First Year Required Classes

  • Psychopathology
  • Psychometrics
  • Diversity Integration I
  • Cognitive Assessment and Lab
  • Professional Development
  • Objective Personality Assessment
  • Clinical Interviewing
  • Social Psychology
  • Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior
  • Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies
  • Clinical Neuropsychology
  • Objective Personality Assessment
  • Group Therapy
  • Human Development
     

Second Year Required Classes

  • Statistics and Research Methods I and II
  • Practice Tutorial
  • Diversity Integration II
  • Psychodynamic and Interpersonal Therapies
  • Integrative Assessment
  • History and Systems of Psychology
  • Professional Ethics
  • Electives
  • Practicum
     

Third Year Required Classes

  • Chemical Dependency
  • Integrative Psychotherapy
  • Practice Tutorial
  • Consultation
  • Electives
  • Practicum
     

Fourth Year Required Classes

  • Supervision
  • Psychopharmacology
  • Diversity Integration III
  • Electives
  • Practicum
     

Fifth Year Required Classes

Doctoral Internship (One calendar year, minimum 2000 clock hours)
 

Practicum Requirements

Minimum of 700 clock hours per year in second, third, and fourth years. Practicum year runs July 1–June 30.
 

Dissertation Requirements

First Year: Chair, Topic, and Committee Members

Third Year: Approved Prospectus

Fourth Year: Defense and Final Draft
 

Elective Requirements

Each student is required to complete a minimum of 6 elective courses for a minimum total of 15 credit hours.* Common elective offerings include:

  • Health Psychology (H/R/P)
  • Child Assessment (C)
  • Rehabilitation Psychology (H/R/P)
  • Child Psychotherapy (C)
  • Neuropsychological Assessment (H/R/P)
  • Family Therapy (C)
  • Integrative Primary Care
  • Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics I and II (C)
  • Forensic Psychology (F)
  • Play Therapy
  • Forensic Assessment (F)
  • Trauma: Theory, Assessment, and Intervention
  • Forensic Intervention (F)
  • Directed Studies in selective topics
  • Projective Assessment
  • Teaching Assistant

*Students in emphasis tracks are required to complete electives within the emphasis. These are designated as (C) Child, (F) Forensic, and (H/R/P) Health/Rehabilitation/Primary Care.

Note: SOPP curriculum is year-round (trimesters). Students are required to engage in course work and training activities Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters for the duration of the program. The majority of SOPP classes are conducted Face-to-Face. A few SOPP classes are conducted in synchronous or asynchronous remote modalities.