Catalog 2016-2017 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Clinical Psychology: PhD, San Francisco
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The Clinical Psychology doctoral programs prepare students to function as multifaceted clinical psychologists through curricula based on an integration of psychological theory, research and practice. The Clinical Psychology PhD program is a practitioner and scholar oriented program. The Clinical Psychology curricula have four major areas of study: foundations of psychology, clinical and professional theory and skills, applied clinical research and professional growth. Students can follow their own clinical interests and further their individual career goals by selecting a specialized series of courses, research and field placements related to a particular area.
The San Francisco PhD program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242; Phone: 202-336-5979; Email: apaaccred@apa.org; Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation).
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Program Goals
The San Francisco Clinical PhD program has adopted three Training Goals and five Objectives in order to develop students’ competencies. The Training Goals, Objectives and relative Competencies are as follows:
GOAL 1: To educate students to conduct applied research and to be grounded in, and contribute to, the knowledge base of psychology.
Objective 1: Applied Research. We expect students to develop research skills and knowledge, to develop the ability to review, synthesize, and critically evaluate empirical research, to develop skills as independent, ethically conscious and multiculturally competent researchers who contribute new knowledge to the field of psychology.
- Competency 1a: Students will understand the fundamental techniques of data analysis and research methodology.
- Competency 1b: Students will be able to apply fundamental research methods and analyses to an independently designed project.
- Competency 1c: Students will understand the fundamental APA ethical standards, legal regulations, multicultural considerations, and procedures related to psychology research.
- Competency 1d: Students will be able to apply fundamental research methods and analyses to a variety of diverse clinical problems and settings.
- Competency 1e: Students will be able to apply fundamental research methods and analyses to generate a meaningful scholarly contribution to the field of psychology.
GOAL 2: To prepare students to be effective professional psychologists skilled at evaluating theoretical and scientific knowledge, psychological functioning and providing efficacious interventions with diverse clients across a range of settings. We define diversity in keeping with Principle E of the 2010 amended version of the 2002 “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct”, as reflecting individual, role, and cultural differences, including those based on age, gender, gender identity, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, disability, language, socioeconomic status, and other differences.
Objective 2: Assessment. We expect students to develop an understanding of psychopathology and psychological assessment and to apply this knowledge to the evaluation of psychological functioning in a variety of settings with diverse populations.
- Competency 2a: Students will attain knowledge of the breadth of human psychopathology including foundational competence in diagnostic interviewing, interpretation of findings, and case conceptualization.
- Competency 2b: Students will be able to apply effective clinical assessment skills in varied field settings with diverse populations.
- Competency 2c: Students will know APA’s ethical principles and standards, legal regulations, and multicultural considerations related to assessment in varied settings.
Objective 3: Intervention. We expect students to understand the efficacy of diverse psychological interventions, and implementing them in a variety of settings with diverse populations.
- Competency 3a: Students will be able to formulate, execute, and evaluate effective interventions including empirically supported psychological practices in a variety of settings with diverse populations.
- Competency 3b: Students will be able to apply appropriate APA ethical principles and standards, legal regulations, and multicultural considerations related to interventions in a variety of settings.
Objective 4: Scholar-Practice Integration. We expect students to learn to integrate and apply research findings and clinical literature for practice with diverse populations and with appropriate APA ethical principles and standards, and legal regulations.
- Competency 4a: Students will demonstrate foundational knowledge of individual and group differences.
- Competency 4b: Students will demonstrate knowledge of psychology’s historical roots and systems.
- Competency 4c: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the scientific foundation of psychology and application of research principles to diverse populations in varied settings.
GOAL 3: To prepare ethical and responsible professional psychologists who are able to work collaboratively with other professionals, as well as take on multiple roles, in varied settings and develop attitudes and skills essential for lifelong learning and productivity.
Objective 5: Diverse Professional Roles. We expect students to be prepared to function as ethical, responsible, and culturally competent professional psychologists who can occupy multiple professional roles over a career lifetime to serve an increasingly diverse society.
- Competency 5a. Students will demonstrate an understanding of varied roles for multiculturally competent professional psychologists, including clinical service, assessment, applied research, prevention, and administrative roles.
- Competency 5b. Students will be prepared to engage in varied roles through application of knowledge and skills consistent with life-long learning and adaptation to the changing landscape of professional psychology work.
Training Model: A Scholar-Practitioner Program
Our program, which is infused with social justice concerns, educates students both to conduct a broad range of psychological research and to become broadly trained practitioners. We provide training for clinical psychologists in all aspects of conducting psychological research such that they are capable of being productive scholars who contribute to the body of psychological literature. We provide students with the knowledge, skills, and professional attitudes necessary to evaluate psychological functioning and provide effective interventions with diverse clients across a range of settings. We infuse multicultural perspectives throughout our curriculum, offer courses focusing on diverse populations, and provide clinical practica (field placements) that offer exposure to a range of client populations.
The program is designed to address all five levels of the biopsychosocial model of human functioning: biological, psychological, familial, community, and sociocultural. We encourage students to develop a personal integration of cognitive-behavioral, family systems, multicultural, and contemporary psychodynamic approaches. Because of the extensive clinical course offerings at CSPP-San Francisco, students are able to develop in-depth expertise in one or more of these orientations by selecting sections of required courses, elective courses, clinical practica (field placements), and supervisors that emphasize a specific theoretical orientation in therapy. Field Training
Clinical practicum training in community field placements typically begins in the second year (Practicum I) and continues in the third year (Practicum II). Practica offer up to 20 hours per week of training that includes direct clinical service, supervision, and didactic training. San Francisco’s clinical programs’ practicum placement is facilitated and supervised through our Office of Professional Training. All students in their field practicums are supervised by their onsite supervisor individually at least once a week and also in group supervision usually weekly. Although not required for the degree, some students choose to complete a supplemental practicum in their 4th year while applying for predoctoral internship and completing their dissertation research. An optional and funded research practicum is also available for students in their first or third year in the program. Established in conjunction with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, this one year 8-10 hours per week research and evaluation practicum provides a fundamental understanding of research and evaluation within a public health context.
The selection of professional training (practicum) placements for each student is guided by:
- CSPP’s requirement for diverse and rigorous professional training experiences,
- The rules and regulations of the California Board of Psychology, the body charged with the licensing of psychologists in the State of California, and
- The American Psychological Association’s criteria for practicum and internship training.
The primary criteria used in selection and approval of placements are the quality of the training experience and the supervision provided for the student.
The San Francisco campus places students in agencies throughout Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Solano counties. Additional placements are located in some counties outside the immediate Bay Area, including Napa, Sacramento, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, San Benito, and Yolo counties. Because stipends are modest and relatively scarce, particularly at the practicum level, students should not count on them to finance their studies.
Students typically begin the required pre-doctoral internship in the fifth year. All students are required to attend APA-accredited internships (exceptions to policy via petition to program), pursued through the national selection process. We strongly support students in preparing for and applying to APA-accredited internships.
Research Training
The cornerstone of the PhD program’s research training is a series of PhD Research Seminars: small groups that include a member of the program faculty and students at various levels in the program addressing research questions within the faculty member’s areas of research interest and expertise. All students enroll in a research seminar during the second semester of their first year and continue in the seminar at least until they complete a dissertation proposal. In these seminars, students work initially on a First Research Project and subsequently on a PhD Dissertation.
Consent of the instructor is required to enter a research seminar, and matching of new students to research seminars is done during the fall semester. Students have an opportunity to meet research seminar faculty during orientation and may visit seminars and have individual appointments with instructors before making their selections. Assignments are made on the basis of students’ interests and preferences and their match with faculty preferences and expertise. In past years, a majority of students have been placed into their first choice seminar, but we cannot guarantee that this will be the case for all students. Specialized Admissions Requirements: Credit for Previous Graduate Work
Entering students may be eligible to receive credit for previous graduate work up to a maximum of 30 units.
- To be considered for credit in our program students’ graduate coursework:
(a) Must have been taken from a regionally accredited master’s or doctoral program.
(b) Must have been completed prior to the student’s entry to our doctoral degree program.
(c) Must have resulted in grades of B or better and have been completed within the last seven years.
- The following graduate level courses offered at CSPP in San Francisco will be considered for credit for previous work: Social Bases of Behavior; Cognitive and Affective Aspects of Behavior; Biological Bases of Behavior and Psychopharmacology; Human Development; History and Systems; Advanced Psychopathology; Observation and Interviewing; Principles of Psychotherapy; Intellectual Assessment, Theory & Technique of Clinical Practice, and elective units. Other courses may be considered.
- Students who have completed an empirical master’s thesis in psychology may be able to get credit for the first semester of the Research Seminar and waive the First Research Project. To do so, they must submit a copy of their thesis (in English) to the Program Director so that it can be evaluated by program faculty.
Curriculum and Degree Requirements
The PhD program requires a minimum of 120 academic units and 30 internship units. A minimum of 60 academic units are required pre-candidacy (first/second years) and a minimum of 60 academic units and 30 internship units are required post-candidacy (third/fourth/fifth years). Core requirements are listed below for each year. In addition, taking courses listed under “other requirements” and completing electives are necessary for a student to meet the minimum overall units for graduation.
The standard PhD curriculum is five years and is designed to give students the opportunity to complete the dissertation before beginning a full-time internship in the fifth year. However, in consultation with their faculty advisor, students may extend their time to take additional courses, complete research work, or spread their internship over two years (usually, the fifth and sixth years). Students must remain in academic good standing, complete a minimum of 60 units including all first and second year courses, finish their First Research Project, and pass all preliminary examination subtests (in assessment, ethics, research methods, and statistics) before advancing to doctoral candidacy.
All students must enroll in a research seminar beginning their second semester in the program and remain continuously enrolled in research seminar, followed by dissertation and extension units, until both the First Research Project and dissertation are complete.
The program faculty believe that for many clinical students, personal psychotherapy can be an extremely valuable tool through which to better understand oneself, become comfortable with asking for and receiving psychological help, learning about one’s emotional vulnerabilities and “triggers,” and understanding the impact of one’s behavior and affect in the clinical encounter. As a general suggestion, we recommend that PhD clinical students consider seeking personal psychotherapy (individual, group, couple, family, or a combination) on a weekly basis at some point in their graduate training.
However, personal psychotherapy is voluntary and not required to complete the program. Students who follow this recommendation arrange and pay for their own therapy, which ideally would be provided by a licensed doctoral-level therapist (psychologist, psychiatrist, doctorate-holding LPCC, LCSW or LMFT). Upon request, the PhD program can provide a list of psychotherapists in the community who offer sliding-scale services.
Other Requirements:
- A score of 3.5 or higher on the Analytic Writing portion of the GRE general test or the GRE ScoreITNow Writing Exam, to be taken prior to the start of classes. (Note: this exam will not be used to decide admissions, but is solely a requirement for those admitted students intending to enroll). Students scoring below a 3.5, are also required to complete writing course(s) that is outside the required units of the program and approved by the program director and/or student advisor.
- Preliminary Examinations (currently in data analysis; article review; ethics; assessment) - given at end of first and second years and required for advancement to candidacy.
- First Research Project (must be completed before advancement to candidacy)**.
- Clinical Proficiency Progress Review (CPPR) given in Year 3 (a case-focused report and oral exam) - must be passed before graduation.
** Failure to complete First Research Project and/or dissertation proposal orals in timely manner may result in additional cost and time in program.
Curriculum Plan
Courses are 3 units, unless otherwise indicated.
Note(s):
* Two different 3-unit sections are required. Choose among cognitive-behavioral, family systems, and psychodynamic. A third Theory & Technique course may be taken as an elective.
See other Course Requirements
Note(s):
** Students who have not proposed their dissertation prior to the start of their fourth year need to enroll in PSY 9927 Research Seminar (4th Year) for the Fall Semester. If students have not proposed their dissertation prior to the start of the Spring Semester of the fourth year must enroll in PSY 9928 Research Cluster Seminar (4th Year).
See Other Course Requirements
Note:
*** Please note that two years of half-time internship rotations, taken in fifth and sixth years, may be substituted. See other course requirements.
Other Course Requirements
Special Strengths
All of our PhD clinical students receive generalist training in the foundational areas of psychology and clinical psychology in accordance with the accreditation guidelines of the American Psychological Association. Also, each of our course offerings is infused with multicultural content, and awareness of diversity issues is central to our philosophy of clinical and research training.
In addition, our program has special strengths (3 or more core faculty with high levels of expertise) in each of the following five areas of clinical psychology. Family/Child/Adolescent Psychology
We provide a wide range of family/child/adolescent (FCA) courses and practica. For treating FCA problems, we emphasize the acquisition of both traditional child-clinical skills (assessment, individual therapy) and family intervention skills (family therapy, couple therapy, child custody evaluation).
For students interested in pursuing FCA careers after graduation, we recommend that they take advantage of specific offerings in our program. The core of these learning experiences includes: (1) basic coursework (child psychopathology, child assessment, child psychotherapy, family therapy); (2) a one-year practicum (field placement) in an FCA setting; (3) PhD Research Seminar with a focus on FCA research; (4) dissertation research on an FCA topic; and (5) an internship focusing on FCA populations. We also offer varying electives. Six of the clinical PhD Research Seminars are led by faculty members with expertise in various FCA psychology topics (Professors Casey, Ja, Menon, Morales, and Porter). Students have the option to take as few or as many of these extensive FCA offerings as fit their career goals.
Gender Studies & LGBT Psychology
(Psychology of Women, Men, Gender Roles, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues)
The field of Gender Studies as defined here includes the study of gender role socialization processes and norms for males and females across the lifespan, as well as the topics of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) identity development and relationships. Faculty and students who work in this area are particularly interested in the behavioral and mental health consequences of gender-related socialization experiences (for example, in areas such as eating disorders, depression, substance abuse, intimate partner violence, health-related behaviors, and division of household tasks and childcare between parents in families).
In conjunction with the PsyD program on our campus, courses are offered on topics such as Women’s Lifespan Development, Men in Therapy, Domestic Violence, and Feminist Approaches to Supervision. Also, San Francisco provides unique opportunities for clinical and research projects on these topics.
Students may complete their second or third year clinical practicum at an agency specializing in LGBT issues (for example, the Pacific Center in Berkeley). Students also can enroll in one or as many courses as they wish in the online Rockway Institute Certificate Program in LGBT Human Services & Mental Health. See the sections of this catalog pertaining to the Rockway Institute and to Online Courses for a more complete description of the Certificate Program in LGBT Human Services & Mental Health.
Three of our PhD Research Seminars are led by faculty members whose areas of research expertise include gender studies (Professors Loewy, Menon and Morales).
Health Psychology
Health psychology is concerned with the interrelationships among psychological factors, health, and illness. It deals with psychologists’ roles in primary care; psychological aspects of prevention and treatment for specific illnesses (such as cancer, HIV, and cardiovascular disease); psychopharmacology; families and health; psychological aspects of immune and endocrine system functioning; recovery and rehabilitation following illness or physical trauma; psychosocial aspects of disability; health at every size; and neuropsychology. San Francisco has a wide range of research and field placement opportunities for students interested in health psychology.
For understanding and treating individuals in medical settings, we recommend that students take sections of required courses (Clinical & Ethical Issues; Advanced Clinical Seminar) that emphasize skills in cognitive-behavioral therapy and family systems therapy. We also recommend that students take electives in Neuropsychological Assessment, Psychopharmacology, Consultation in Primary Care Settings, and Pediatric Consultation and sections of Advanced Clinical Skills that relate to psychology and medicine. To gain clinical experience in medical settings, it is recommended that students take a one year practicum (field placement) in a health psychology setting (such as the San Francisco Veterans Administration Hospital, Children’s Hospital and Research Center in Oakland, or other medical settings affiliated with CSPP’s field placement office of professional training and BAPIC).
Some PhD faculty members have a strong background in health psychology research and are able to connect our students with opportunities in medical research institutions for the First Research Project and the dissertation. A focus on health psychology research is actualized through signing up for a PhD Research Seminar with one of five faculty members who has expertise in an area of health psychology research (Professors Ja, Loewy, Morales, and Tiet).
Students who complete these recommended courses, as well as a clinical practicum and research projects in health psychology, will be well prepared to pursue internships and postdoctoral work in the field of clinical health psychology.
Multicultural Community Psychology and Program Evaluation
In addition to infusing multiculturalism throughout our entire curriculum, the clinical PhD program provides specialized courses that integrate knowledge, research and intervention skills necessary for working with multicultural groups and community organizations. These include Intercultural Awareness (a first year course) and multiple sections of a course called Sociocultural Diversity, each of which focuses on a different racial/ethnic minority group (e.g., Asian American, African American, and Latino).
In addition, San Francisco has a wealth of multicultural field placements (practicum) and internships, as well as relevant research opportunities that enable students to gain special expertise in working with specific racial/ethnic groups.
Several of our program faculty have special expertise in the areas of program evaluation and consultation in mental health, juvenile justice, substance abuse, HIV prevention, and other types of community settings. Also, we offer advanced clinical courses in Consultation and in Program Evaluation. Much of the focus of our program evaluation course lies in understanding program efficacy and outcomes in a community based context. Critical components include an understanding of the development of logic models and a theory of change in program interventions.
In addition, students in the PhD clinical program are able to take courses in Organizational Psychology, another CSPP program that offers doctoral degrees on the San Francisco campus. These training experiences help prepare students for postdoctoral positions in mental health services administration and related roles as consultants and program evaluators for organizations in community settings. Most importantly, six of the PhD Research Seminars are led by instructors with research expertise in multicultural, community, and/or program evaluation topics (Professors Ja, Loewy, Morales, and Tiet).
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 specialization in counseling psychology, or education with a 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
or
California Board of Psychology
2005 Evergreen Street, Suite 1400
Sacramento, CA 95815
(916) 263-2699, bopmail@dca.ca.gov
or
Practice Directorate American Psychological Association
750 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
(202) 336-5979, apaaccred@apa.org
APA Education and Training Outcomes
The CSPP San Francisco Clinical Psychology PhD program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA) and publishes the following outcome data as required by APA:
- Time to Completion
- Program Costs
- Internship Placement Rates
- Attrition
- Licensure
Please visit the “About CSPP Programs” section of our website to view these data.
Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202)336-5979
Email: apaaccred@apa.org
Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation Clinical PhD Program Faculty: San Francisco
Dalia Ducker, PhD, Professor and Academic Dean, CSPP
Davis Ying Ja, PhD, Professor
Michael Loewy, PhD, Associate Professor
James McCollum, PhD, Visiting Assistant Professor
Meenakshi Menon, PhD, Associate Professor
Eduardo Morales, PhD, Distinguished Professor and Interim Program Director
Natalie Porter, PhD, Professor
Quyen Tiet, PhD, Professor
For a detailed description of program faculty background and research interests, please see the alphabetical listing of faculty for the California School of Professional Psychology.
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