California School of Professional Psychology

The California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP), the largest of Alliant’s four schools, has been educating professional psychologists for over 40 years. The mission of the California School of Professional Psychology is to provide the highest quality education, training, research, and service in professional psychology and related human services fields. CSPP strives to improve the quality of life by addressing major contemporary issues in a problem-solving way, fostering respect for human diversity in a multicultural society, and combating discrimination in all of its forms, especially racism, sexism, and heterosexism. In all of its activities, CSPP is committed to exhibiting the highest professional and ethical standards, addressing the needs of both individuals and organizations and serving those who are underserved. CSPP embraces the international mission of Alliant and is committed to fostering the international exchange of ideas, research findings, and professional practices, and to international education and training programs.

CSPP enrolls students from across the nation and around the globe who represent many different backgrounds and experiences.

Our students are dedicated, service-oriented, and independent. Collectively, they provide over one million hours of service annually to their local communities. Postdoctoral CSPP graduates provide an additional 425,000 hours of professional service in the United States in preparation for licensure.

Students who enroll in a CSPP program join a professional family that includes over 12,000 alumni who have improved the quality of life for children, adults, families, and organizations throughout California, the nation, and the world. CSPP alumni work in schools, community clinics, medical centers, courts and prisons, organizations, and universities. They are therapists, educators, advocates, policy makers, supervisors, researchers, administrators, and consultants, strengthening the communities in which they live and work.

CSPP Dean: Morgan Sammons, PhD, ABPP (Clinical Psychology)
Phone: (415) 995-2066
E-mail: msammons@alliant.edu

Degree Programs

CSPP offers APA-accredited doctoral (PhD and PsyD) programs in Clinical Psychology across five locations. The Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree in Clinical Psychology programs and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Clinical Psychology programs offered in Fresno/Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco are individually accredited by the Commission on Accreditation (CoA), Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242; Phone: 202-336-5979; Email: apaaccred@apa.org).

CSPP offers a Master of Arts in Couple and Family Therapy (CFT) in Irvine, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Diego and a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Marital Family Therapy in Irvine, Sacramento, and San Diego. The CFT Masters and Doctoral programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapist (112 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; Phone: 703-838-9808; Email coamfte@aamft.org).

CSPP offers a Postdoctoral MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology, an MA in Clinical Psychology in Japan, a PsyD in Clinical Psychology in Hong Kong, and an MA in Counseling Psychology in Mexico and San Francisco. It also offers a PhD in Consulting Psychology (San Diego), an MA and PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology (Los Angeles and San Diego), an MA and PhD in Organizational Psychology (San Francisco), an MA in Organizational Behavior (Fresno), and a PsyD in Organizational Development (Fresno). Additionally, a Dual Clinical/Industrial-Organizational Psychology PhD program is offered in San Diego.

The Commission on Accreditation (CoA) of the American Psychological Association accredits only doctoral level clinical psychology programs and internships; master’s level clinical psychology programs are not eligible for accreditation, and neither are the PhD programs in Consulting Psychology, Industrial-Organizational Psychology, and Organizational Psychology, the PsyD Program in Organizational Development, the MA programs in Industrial-Organization Psychology and Organizational Behavior, the dual Clinical Industrial-Organizational Psychology program, and the postdoctoral program in psychopharmacology. The CoA also does not accredit programs outside of the United States and Canada; however, the PsyD program in Hong Kong has been designated as a doctoral program in psychology by the National Register/ASPPB, as has been the Consulting Psychology Program.

Licensure

All psychologists who offer direct services to the public for a fee must be licensed or certified by the state in which they practice. Applicants for licensure in the state of California must hold an earned doctoral degree in psychology, educational psychology, education with a field of specialization in counseling psychology, or education with a field of specialization in educational psychology from an approved or accredited educational institution. They also must have completed 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience (of which at least 1,500 must be postdoctoral) and have taken and passed the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and the California Psychology Supplemental Examination (CPSE). In addition, they must submit evidence of having completed coursework in human sexuality, child abuse, substance abuse, spousal abuse, and aging and long-term care. Continuing education is required to maintain the license. CSPP doctoral course requirements are designed to fulfill the programmatic requirements for licensure in California, and in some cases they exceed the requirements.

Every state has its own requirements for licensure. Therefore, it is essential that all CSPP Clinical PsyD and PhD students who plan to apply for licensure in states other than California contact the licensing board in those states for information on state requirements (e.g., coursework, practicum and internship hours, supervision, or nature of the doctoral project or dissertation). Students seeking licensure in other states should plan ahead to ensure they meet all of those states’ requirements.

For further information on licensure in California or other states contact:

Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards
PO Box 241245
Montgomery, AL 36124-1245
(334) 832-4580, asppb@asppb.org

California Board of Psychology
2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1400
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 263-2699, bopmail@dca.ca.gov

Practice Directorate American Psychological Association
750 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
(202) 336-5979, apaaccred@apa.org

Graduates of CSPP’s Master of Arts in Couple and Family Therapy program are eligible for licensure as Marital and Family Therapists (MFT) in the state of California upon completion of post-degree intern hours and passing of the licensure exam. Candidates for licensure as an MFT in California are required to complete a total of 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience, at least 1,700 of which must be completed after the completion of the master’s degree. Candidates must then pass written examinations for licensure. Continuing education is required to maintain the license. Because each state has its own requirements for licensure as an MFT, it is imperative that students planning to pursue licensure in a state other than California contact the licensing board in the applicable state for information on that state’s requirements. For further information on licensure in California or other states contact:

California Board of Behavioral Sciences
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite S-200
Sacramento, CA 95834
(916) 574-7830, BBSWebmaster@bbs.ca.gov

American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy
112 South Alfred Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-3061
(703) 838-9808, coamfte@aamft.org

Graduates of CSPP’s Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling program are eligible for licensure as Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCCs) in the state of California upon completion of post-degree intern hours and passing of the licensure exams. Candidates for licensure as an LPCC in California are required to complete a total of 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience after the completion of the master’s degree. Candidates must then pass written examinations for licensure. Continuing education is required to maintain the license. Because each state has its own requirements for licensure as an LPCC, it is imperative that students planning to pursue licensure in a state other than California contact the licensing board in the applicable state for information on that state’s requirements. For further information on licensure in California or other states contact:

California Board of Behavioral Sciences
1625 North Market Blvd., Suite S-200
Sacramento, CA 95834
(916) 574-7830
www.bbs.ca.gov
BBSWebmaster@bbs.ca.gov

American Counseling Association
5999 Stevenson Ave.
Alexandria, VA 22304
(800) 347-6647
www.counseling.org

CSPP Academic Policies

Student Disclosure of Personal Information (all CSPP Programs)
The following policy was adapted from the Student Competence Task Force of the Council of Chairs of Training Councils (CCTC), http://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/cctc.html, December 4, 2003.

Professional helpers are expected to demonstrate competence within and across a number of different but interrelated dimensions. Because programs that educate and train professional helpers also strive to protect the public and profession, faculty, training staff, and supervisors, they have a legitimate and vested interest in the comprehensive evaluation of student competence to include multiple aspects of development and functioning (e.g., cognitive, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, and ethical).

In CSPP, multiple aspects of student professional development and functioning (e.g., cognitive, emotional, psychological, interpersonal, technical and ethical) are evaluated throughout the doctoral and master’s programs. This kind of comprehensive evaluation is necessary in order for faculty, staff, and supervisors to appraise the professional development and competence of their students. Faculty, staff, and supervisors have a professional, ethical, and potentially legal obligation to (a) evaluate the interpersonal competence and emotional well being of student trainees who are under their supervision and who provide services to clients and consumers, and (b) ensure – insofar as possible – that the trainees who complete their programs are competent to manage future relationships (e.g., client, collegial, professional, public, scholarly, supervisory, and teaching) in an effective and appropriate manner.

Faculty, staff, and supervisors evaluate student competence in areas other than coursework, scholarship, comprehensive examinations, or related program requirements. Students may therefore be required to participate in learning activities that require different levels of self-disclosure. These multiple evaluative areas include, but are not limited to, demonstration of sufficient (a) interpersonal and professional competence (e.g., the ways in which students relate to clients, peers, faculty, allied professionals, the public, and individuals from diverse backgrounds or histories); (b) self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-evaluation (e.g., knowledge of the content and potential impact of one’s own beliefs and values on clients, peers, faculty, allied professionals, the public, and individuals from diverse backgrounds or histories); (c) openness to processes of supervision (e.g., the ability and willingness to explore issues that either interfere with the appropriate provision of care or impede professional development or functioning); and (d) resolution of problems or issues that interfere with professional development or functioning in a satisfactory manner (e.g., by responding constructively to feedback from supervisors or program faculty, by participating in personal therapy in order to resolve problems or issues).

Grades and Academic Standing

The following grading definitions have been adopted by CSPP:

A Outstanding. Performance exceeds expectations.

B Good. Performance meets expectations.

C Marginal. Performance barely meets expectations. Moderate concern. Marginal pass. Implications for academic standing.

D Poor. Performance does not meet expectations. Serious concern. No credit. Implications for continuing in the program.

F Unsatisfactory. Performance is extremely problematic. No credit. Implications for continuing in the program.

The following policy was approved January 12, 2004, and revised in the spring semester of 2007:

Good Academic Standing: Any record of performance that does not qualify for Warning, Probation, Termination; all A’s and B’s.

Warning: One grade of C

Probation: (a) In the first 60 units of the program: two C’s; (b) During the entire program: three C’s or one D/F.

Termination: Students will be terminated from the program if their GPA falls below a 3.0, or if they are on probation for two terms.

1. Students placed on academic warning or probation status will return to good standing upon receiving all A/B’s in the semester following the semester which qualified the person for warning/probation status.

2. Students must repeat a course for which they do not receive credit. Both grades will remain on the transcript.

3. Students may be placed on warning, on probation, or terminated for other performance, ethical, or professional behavior, such as acts of misconduct, unprofessional behavior; failure to complete 67% of the units attempted every academic year; failure to complete coursework in a timely and sequential fashion; failure to complete their educational program, including dissertation within 8 years; or failure to pass comprehensive, preliminary, or other competency exams. (Please refer to local program handbooks and the Graduate Student Handbook.)

4. Students may be required to take a mandatory leave of absence, a modified sequence or reduced load of courses, or to repeat or take additional courses if their academic work or professional development requires serious remediation.

When CSPP policies and procedures differ from those described for Alliant International University in general, the policies and procedures of CSPP will apply.

Online Coursework

CSPP has been an innovator in the delivery of high quality online courses for many years. Core and adjunct faculty members who choose to teach online have been trained in the delivery of online and active pedagogy and the use of an asynchronous and a live web-based platform for content delivery and have been mentored by members of the Systemwide Online Department (SOD). Our philosophy about online education combines progressive understanding of technology’s promise and recognition that professional practice gains much from the face to face delivery of classroom instruction and supervision. At this point, students in the clinical PsyD and PhD programs are offered the opportunity to take some of their foundational science courses online (Biological Aspects of Behavior, Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior, History and Systems of Psychology, Lifespan or Human Development, and Social Bases of Behavior). A range of electives are offered, which may, with advisor and program director approval, be taken in the place of program electives. Required clinical courses (including assessment and psychotherapy courses), practica, and research and dissertation sequences are completed in the face to face environment.

Students in online courses have the benefit of faculty expertise and peer involvement across all CSPP programs. This cross-state and international experience has provided enriching experiences and, in some cases, formed lasting collegial relationships for students. For example, PhD clinical students trained at the Fresno campus to teach undergraduate pre-requisites (Abnormal Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Statistics, and Social Psychology) have been able to teach those courses to students awaiting enrollment in our Hong Kong PsyD Program. Clinical students in Los Angeles, San Diego, Irvine, San Francisco, and Fresno-Sacramento have taken a course on Bisexuality from an international expert who lives in Europe. These opportunities for enriched education are provided as options to students. In almost every case, students still have the opportunity to take all of their required courses in a face to face classroom environment. Our online education goals at CSPP are designed to create a high standard for the delivery of enhanced academic programming, while developing the technology skills our students and graduates will need in the new millennia.

In order to participate fully in the high quality online courses, students are urged to have access to recent computer equipment and software, with high processing speeds and virtual memory. A high speed internet connection (either DSL or Cable) is essential for web cast courses. Laptops may be most convenient for the anytime, anywhere nature of these courses. Computers with embedded or detachable web cams will make it possible for you to interact live with your online professors and class mates. A good set of headphones with noise cancelling microphone will enhance your experience, but are not required. Please note that Alliant does not endorse any particular technology, but we do use PC technology in all of our classrooms and online platforms. Although other technologies may be compatible, it is possible they will create additional technological problems that the student will need to be able to solve. We do not currently have the ability to download lectures to portable handheld devices but do anticipate that ability within the next year.