California School of Professional Psychology

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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 Academic Dean: Dalia Ducker, PhD
Phone: (415) 955-2149
E-mail: dducker@alliant.edu

Degree and Credential Programs Offered by CSPP

CSPP offers 8-week programs in the following areas:

Master’s Programs

• Master of Arts in Organizational Psychology (MA)

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 wellbeing 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).

Online Coursework

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, Human Development - Lifespan, 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 are advised to consult their program policies and consult with their program director regarding online coursework and its application to their requirements.

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 only required for courses using live webcasting. Please note that Alliant does not endorse any particular technology, but we do use PC technology in all of our classrooms and online platforms. Alliant has worked to make sure other technologies are compatible with our learning platforms. However, it is possible other types of systems will create additional technological problems that the student will need to be able to solve. Online learning platforms may be opened on portable electronic devices that are internet enabled.

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