Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (2024)

We welcome students, faculty, and staff from diverse ethnic, cultural, religious, sexual orientation, age, and ability backgrounds.

The core mission of the Clinical Psychology (PsyD) program at the University of LaVerne is to train scholar-practitioners who think critically, apply their knowledge diligently, and practice ethically and compassionately. Our philosophy is that clinical practice is based on the scientific foundations of psychology and that the science of psychology is informed by good clinical practice.

Our program has three primary aims. The first is to produce graduates who are knowledgeable of, skilled in applying, and able to integrate among; the theoretical and scientific foundations of the discipline of psychology; the core foundations of professional psychology; and multicultural clinical psychology. The second aim is to produce graduates who are skilled in the foundational and functional competencies associated with the practice of clinical psychology. Finally, the third aim is to produce graduates who are knowledgeable about, and skilled in, the principles of psychological research and can utilize and integrate such knowledge with clinical practice.

The PsyD program is designed to be completed in five years. It requires all students to be enrolled on a full-time basis for four years of coursework. Students complete a dissertation and one-year, full-time predoctoral internship before the doctoral degree is granted.

For an overview of the program’s policies and procedures, please click here.

Accreditation

Accredited as a Program in Clinical Psychology by the Commission on Accreditation of the Amer­ican Psychological Association. The program’s next site visitwill be in 2028.Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the following:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 336-5979apaaccred@apa.org

Standard V of the Standards of Accreditation (SoA) requires that doctoral graduate programs provide potential students, current students, and the public with accurate information on the program and on program expectations. This information is meant to describe the program accurately and completely, using the most up-to-date data on education and training outcomes, and be presented in a manner that allows applicants to make informed decisions about entering the program. This information is presented in the link below

• Student Admissions, Outcome, and Other Data

Cohort Model and Student Groups

Our program is relatively small, with 12-14 students entering each fall. We operate on a cohort model, meaning students take most of their courses with the group entering the same time they do.

All PsyD students are automatically members of the Psychology Graduate Student Alliance (PGSA) and have opportunities for participation in other student groups as well.

Faculty

The ideal graduate program will have faculty with relevant expertise in the field and who’ve worked in the kinds of places graduates want to work. Our faculty can prepare students to take the next step in their career and education. Learn more about the PsyD faculty.

Clinical Training, Internships, and Assistantships

Clinical training consists of practica and a predoctoral internship. Practica occur during Years Two and Three of the program and require a minimum of 1,500 training hours at two different sites. Students may elect to complete additional practica training during Year Four.

Students have a broad selection of practicum training sites throughout Southern California.

The internship in Year Five requires a minimum of 1,500 clinical hours and meets predoctoral licensure requirements in California.

The capacity for self-awareness and an appreciation of the psychotherapeutic process are important aspects of an individual’s development as a clinician. Our program encourages this process by requiring students to complete at least 20 hours of personal psychotherapy during the program and prior to the predoctoral internship.

Graduate Assistantships are provided for all students in their first year. Starting in the second year, a limited number of teaching assistantships are available for highly qualified students to assist faculty on a variety of teaching and/or research projects. Students receive partial tuition credit for these assistantships.

Dissertation

The PsyD program is designed to help students develop competence in the scientific foundations of psychology, clinical practice, research methods, and data analysis. Therefore, students conduct an empirical dissertation designed during Year Three and completed during Year Four, prior to the internship.

Licensure and Careers

Graduates, following completion of postdoctoral clinical training, are eligible to be examined for licensure as psychologists. The program is designed to meet all of the academic and predoctoral clinical requirements for California licensure in psychology. Since these requirements vary from state to states, students interested in practicing psychology outside California should consult with the licensing board in the state they intend to practice for information on eligibility.

Our graduates typically establish careers in a variety of settings including: correctional facilities, community mental health agencies, residential treatment settings, social service agencies, university counseling centers, hospitals, and private practice.

Code of Ethics

The American Psychological Association Code of Ethics states:

7.04 Student Disclosure of Personal Information
Psychologists do not require students or supervisees to disclose personal information in course- or program-related activities, either orally or in writing, regarding sexual history, history of abuse and neglect, psychological treatment, and relationships with parents, peers, and spouses or significant othersexceptif (1) the program or training facility has clearly identified this requirement in its admissions and program materials or (2) the information is necessary to evaluate or obtain assistance for students whose personal problems could reasonably be judged to be preventing them from performing their training- or professionally related activities in a competent manner or posing a threat to the students or others.