Graduate Story
This clinical psychology program allowed me to grow both as an individual and as a professional in ways I never thought possible. The faculty and staff are dedicated to helping each student thrive.
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Specializations
Your path in psychology should reflect your passion and professional goals. That's why every student in the Department of Psychology chooses an area of specialization. You have the option of choosing Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology, or Health Psychology and Integrated Care if you would like to deepen your academic, clinical, and research expertise in one of these areas. If, however, you're interested in developing broad, well-rounded skills across several domains, the Clinical Generalist option provides the flexibility you're looking for. Explore the details of each specialization below.
Department of Psychology
Overviews and Curricula
Required classes for the Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology specialization are Child Colloquium, your primary lab course, EBPP Child and Adolescent Treatment, Pediatric Assessment, Pediatric Health Psychology, and Mindfulness Interventions. Thereafter, students can pick from an array of child and adolescent focused electives such as Behavioral Parent Training, Autism Diagnostic Assessment and Modular CBT for youth. In addition, students are expected to engage in research and clinical experiences in child and adolescent mental health.
The Clinical Neuropsychology specialization focuses on the study of brain-behavior relationships and understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying our cognition, behavior, and emotions. This concentration is designed to provide specialized instruction and training for students who want to pursue a career in clinical neuropsychology. In addition to required courses in psychobiology, cognitive psychology, and intellectual assessment, students will have the opportunity to take additional coursework in neuropsychological assessment, neuroscience and neuroanatomy, child assessment, behavioral neurology, and other neuropsychology related topics. Clinical and research experiences in neuroscience and neuropsychology will also be emphasized.
The Health Psychology and Integrated Care Specialization is an interface between psychological science and mental health care delivered in integrated healthcare settings. The training includes a clear focus on delivering care within medical settings such as primary care clinics, hospital settings and other medical team-based care activities that can reduce health disparities by focusing on population health across an entire panel of patients. As such, coursework includes training in healthcare systems, integrated behavioral health in primary care with brief interventions and screening, groups for focused care of lifestyle change, substance use, and other chronic illnesses, as well as the development of care pathways for specific diagnoses. Core issues relating to the social determinants of health, access to care, care quality and quality improvement, culturally competent care will be addressed in coursework and in practicum training sites within medical settings.
The Clinical Generalist specialization is designed to provide students with broad and general academic training experience related to clinical practice. Students will take a series of courses that expose them to the theory and practice of several psychological treatment approaches and assessment skills and techniques. They will also receive instruction in psychopharmacology that will inform their understanding of patients and assist them in effectively working with patients within the scope of their role as psychologists. The Clinical Generalist specialization prepares students to work in a range of clinical settings, including hospitals, medical centers, university counseling centers, community mental health clinics, school districts, and other settings in which there are diverse patients presenting with a broad range of problems.
Overview and Curriculum
The psychology of religion and spirituality is a minor area of emphasis that prepares students for a more advanced understanding of their clients' religious and spiritual concerns and how they overlap with psychotherapy issues. After completing the curriculum students will be able to tailor their case conceptualizations and treatments to clients from diverse religious and spiritual backgrounds and be sensitive to clients' spiritual struggles and questions.