Clinical program curriculum
Students are expected to obtain advanced understanding of the core knowledge domains of adult and child clinical psychology, acquire clinical skills in psychological assessment and intervention and develop recognized expertise in psychological research.
To achieve these goals, the clinical psychology program consists of academic course work (51 credit hours), research activities, a comprehensive examination, clinical practica and internship.
The following courses and requirements must be satisfied for the PhD degree in clinical psychology. See the graduate calendar for course descriptions.
Ethics and professional issues
- PSYC 6101: Ethical Standards (1.5 ch)
- PSYC 6102: Professional and Ethical Issues in Clinical Psychology (1.5 ch)
Research methodology
- PSYC 6001: Statistics and Design I (3 ch)
- PSYC 6002: Statistics and Design II (3 ch)
- PSYC 6003: Multivariate Statistics (3 ch) or PSYC 6004: Qualitative Research Methods (3 ch)
Psychological assessment/psychopathology
- PSYC 6202: Lifespan Psychopathology (3 ch)
- PSYC 6211: Assessment Skills with Children and Adolescents (3 ch)
- PSYC 6212: Assessment Skills with Adults (3 ch)
Psychological interventions and evidence-based practice
- Systems of Psychotherapy (0 ch)*
- PSYC 6311: Therapy Skills with Adults (3 ch)
- PSYC 6312: Therapy Skills with Children and Adolescents (3 ch)
- PSYC 6405: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (3 ch)
- PSYC 6408: Evidence-Based Practice (3 ch)
General/experimental psychology
- History of Psychology (0 ch)**
- Biological Bases of Behavioural (3 ch)***
- Cognitive/Affective Bases of Behaviour (3 ch)***
- Social Bases of Behaviour (3 ch)***
Research experience
- PSYC 6521: Research Apprenticeship I (3 ch)
- PSYC 6522: Research Apprenticeship II (3 ch)
- PSYC 6998: PhD Dissertation (0 ch)
Practica and internship training
- PSYC 6626: Adult Assessment Practicum (0 ch)
- PSYC 6627: Child/Adolescent Assessment Practicum (0 ch)
- PSYC 6628: Adult Intervention Practicum (0 ch)
- PSYC 6629: Child/Adolescent Intervention Practicum (0 ch)
- PSYC 6633: Clinical Supervision Practicum (0 ch)
- PSYC 6634: Advanced Clinical Practicum (0 ch)
- PSYC 6624: Predoctoral Clinical Internship (0 ch)
Comprehensive exam
- PSYC 6525: Clinical Comprehensive Examination (3 ch)
* Students must demonstrate knowledge of systems of psychotherapy via undergraduate coursework or by completion of assigned readings in consultation with the Director of Clinical Training (DCT).
** Students must obtain a B+ or higher in a 3-credit one semester undergraduate course. Students who have not completed such a course will be admitted to the program conditional on completing this requirement prior to enrolment.
*** These three core content areas (outside seminars) can be satisfied by one 3-credit graduate course or two 3-credit advanced undergraduate courses. The DCT will help determine whether suitable undergraduate or graduate courses have been completed to fulfil one of these areas.
Clinical students receive four types of training:
- Academic seminars: most courses take the traditional academic seminar format (i.e., reading list, student presentations, papers/exams); other courses use a problem-based learning format.
- Clinical skills training: direct clinical skills training using a performance-based approach taught by licensed clinical faculty or clinical associates.
- Clinical training experience: During the first three years of the program, students are engaged in clinical training (assessment, intervention, supervision) at the Psychological Wellness Centre. Subsequently, students are required to complete two external practica in the community. Students will acquire a minimum of 1000 training hours prior to completing a one-year, full-time predoctoral internship at a CPA-accredited site.
- Independent study: independent projects undertaken with supervision or consultation of a faculty member (e.g., research apprenticeships, the PhD Dissertation, optional co-teaching apprenticeship).
Typical course of study
The following is the typical sequence that students can expect to follow for the clinical program. The actual course sequence may vary due to variations in the graduate teaching schedule from year to year. Students will meet with the DCT on an annual basis to review progress toward completion of program requirements.
First year (21 ch)
| Fall |
Winter |
Summer |
|
PSYC 6001: Statistics I
PSYC 6101: Ethics
PSYC 6102: Professional Issues
PSYC 6212: Adult Assessment Skills
PSYC 6202: Lifespan Psychopathology
|
PSYC 6002: Statistics II
PSYC 6211: Child/Adolescent Assessment Skills
PSYC 6521: MA Research Apprenticeship
PSYC 6626: Adult Assessment Practicum (1 day/week)
|
PSYC 6521: MA Research Apprenticeship (cont’d)
PSYC 6626: Adult Assessment Practicum (1 day/week)
PSYC 6627: Child/Adolescent Assessment Practicum(1 day/week)
|
Second year (15 ch)
| Fall |
Winter |
Summer |
|
PSYC 6311: Adult Therapy Skills
PSYC 6522: PhD Apprenticeship
PSYC 6003/6004: Multivariate/Qualitative Statistics or Outside Seminar
PSYC 6627: Child/Adolescent Assessment Practicum (1 day/week)
|
PSYC 6312: Child/Adolescent Therapy Skills
PSYC 6522: PhD Apprenticeship (cont’d)
Outside Seminar
PSYC 6628: Adult Intervention Practicum (1 day/week)
|
PSYC 6522: PhD Apprenticeship (cont’d)
PSYC 6628: Adult Intervention Practicum (1 day/week)
PSYC 6629: Child/Adolescent Intervention Practicum (1 day/week)
|
Third year (12 ch)
| Fall |
Winter |
Summer |
|
PSYC 6003/6004: Multivariate/Qualitative Statistics or Outside Seminar
PSYC 6408: Evidence-Based Practice
PSYC 6405: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
PSYC 6629: Child/Adolescent Intervention Practicum (1 day/week)
|
PSYC 6408: Evidence-Based Practice (cont’d)
PSYC 6525: Comprehensive Exam
|
PSYC 6634: Advanced Practicum (full-time)
PhD Thesis Proposal
|
Fourth year (3 ch)
| Fall |
Winter |
Summer |
|
PhD Thesis Proposal
PSYC 6406: Clinical Seminar
PSYC 6633: Clinical Supervision Practicum
|
PhD Thesis
|
PhD Thesis
|
Fifth year (0 ch)
| Fall |
|
PSYC 6624 (internship)
PhD Thesis
|
