|
|
Academic Catalog 2025-2026
Respecialization in Clinical Psychology Postdoctoral Certificate (with optional concentrations)
|
|
The Respecialization Program in Clinical Psychology (RCP) shares the mission and aims of the PhD in Clinical Psychology program which is to create a more humane, just, and sustainable world, and with Fielding’s values of academic excellence, community, diversity, and social justice.
The RCP program follows the PhD Program curriculum with some modifications since RCP students already hold a PhD in another discipline. The major distinctions between the PhD and RCP programs are a shorter curriculum sequence and program duration. RCP students are also not required to complete a dissertation or research practicum. They also have fewer in-person residency hour requirements. Clinical training requirements are the same for RCP and PhD students.
Students can optionally specialize in one of the following concentrations:
- Forensic Psychology
- Health Psychology
- Neuropsychology
- Social Justice & Diversity
This postdoctoral certificate is designed for psychologists who hold a PhD in a nonclinical discipline of psychology. Typically, such students hold PhDs in social, developmental, and organizational psychology and want to become licensed as a clinical psychologist. The program provides the clinical training, both academic coursework and supervised clinical training, required for license eligibility in many states.
Program Learning Outcomes:
The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program has four specific aims, which students must achieve by the time of graduation.
- Students will demonstrate doctoral-level discipline-specific knowledge that represents the scientific and theoretical knowledge areas of the discipline of psychology (i.e., history and systems of psychology, and the content areas affective, biological, cognitive, developmental, and social bases of behavior).
- Students will demonstrate doctoral-level conceptualization, evaluation, analysis, and integration of discipline-specific knowledge across the curriculum.
- Students will demonstrate doctoral-level ability to understand and critique research; design, conduct, analyze, and communicate theoretically informed research; and conduct research in a manner that is culturally sensitive and consistent with legal code and ethical standards, including the APA ethics code.
- Students will demonstrate doctoral-level competence in the profession-wide competencies, including conducting evidence-based diagnosis, assessment, and psychotherapy; and applying theory and research to develop case conceptualizations, treatment plans, and interventions that are consistent with legal and ethical standards and individual and cultural diversity factors.
Because students in the Respecialization in Clinical Psychology Certificate Program have earned a Ph.D. in a non-clinical area of psychology at another institution, they already demonstrated competency in objectives 1 and 3 (above). Therefore, the program objectives of the respecialization program are:
- Students will demonstrate doctoral-level conceptualization, evaluation, analysis, and integration of discipline-specific knowledge across the curriculum.
- Students will demonstrate doctoral-level competence in the profession-wide competencies, including conducting evidence-based diagnosis, assessment, and psychotherapy; and applying theory and research to develop case conceptualizations, treatment plans, and interventions that are consistent with legal and ethical standards and individual and cultural diversity factors.
|
Required Respecialization Coursework:
Effective date: 09/01/2017 5cr from PSY-710D1 and D2 or from PSY-710E and F
Theoretical Orientation Course
One 4-credit theoretical orientation course consistent with the Practicum Case Seminar plan you select: Practicum Case Seminar
8cr (four terms) of one of the following Practicum Case Seminar tracks, to include six training days and ten case presentations: - PSY-620 Practicum Case Presentations, 0 semester credits
- PSY-621 Clinical Training Days, 0 semester credits
- PSY-629A1 -A4 Practicum Case Seminar: Psychodynamic, 2 semester credits each
- PSY-629B1 -B4 Practicum Case Seminar: Cognitive/Behavioral, 2 semester credits each
- PSY-629C1 -C4 Practicum Case Seminar: Humanistic/Systems, 2 semester credits each
Clinical Practicum and Internship
Total Semester Credits: 104
Optional Concentrations
Forensic Psychology Concentration Requirements
- PSY-765 Forensic Psychology 4 semester credits
- PSY-765E Ethics in Forensic Psychology 2 semester credits
- PSY-765L Forensic Psychology Lab 1 semester credits
- 500 cumulative hours of forensic experience (inclusive of direct and indirect service as well as supervision), e.g. in a forensically oriented practicum or internship, a forensic rotation under supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist with forensic experience. (Forensic work as part of a paid employment does not fulfill this requirement). Students are encouraged to clear their rotation with the Director of the Forensic Concentration prior to fulfilling this requirement.
One of the following:
- A first author published research paper on a forensic topic or first author conference poster or paper
- 6 additional units of forensic courses, such as: PSY-626, other courses from the 765A-G core (not already completed as part of above requirements), PSY-770
- (PhD only) A forensically oriented dissertation, with at least one committee member who is a member of the forensic concentration faculty.
- PSY-639 Dissertation Completion 18 semester credits
Health Psychology Concentration Requirements
Practicum
A minimum of 240 hours of practicum be completed in Health Psychology PhD students:
Dissertation must be on a Health Psychology topic RCP Students:
Publishable quality research paper Neuropsychology Concentration Requirements
Concentration Meetings (attend 4)
Neuropsychology Concentration Meetings will take place at each of the 3 sessions: Winter, Summer and Fall. These evening meetings will involve a mix of discussion and presentations related to clinical issues, training and professional issues, Q&A about neuropsychology practice, guest presentations, etc. Students must attend and participate in 4 of these meetings. Case Presentation (attend and present)
Attendance at one in-person Neuropsychology Case Presentation day at session. To complete the concentration, each student will present one case at one Case Presentation Day. Additional Requirements (choose one option)
OPTION 1: Take one additional 4 credit term course in neuropsychology (e.g., PSY-774 Neuropsychological Care of TBI ) and complete 5 days of in-person session seminars that qualify for the neuropsychology concentration (see partial list below). OPTION 2: Do not take an additional course, but complete a total of 9 days of in-person session neuropsychology offerings (see partial list below). Social Justice and Diversity Concentration Requirements
Required
- PSY-712 Multicultural Psychology 4 semester credits
- 150 hours (including both direct and indirect hours) of clinical experience or one internship rotation focused on serving an underserved population. May be substituted with 150 hours of community service related activities with an underserved population.
- Research via dissertation, research practicum, new publication, or new conference poster/paper presentation on a topic related to social justice and diversity in clinical practice. This topic could include, but is not limited to, issues pertaining to underserved populations, mental health disparities, prejudice, discrimination, stigma, and promoting equity.
8cr of Electives
Choose 8 credits from credit-bearing seminars occurring at national sessions and/or special topics courses (up to no more than 4 credits) chosen from topics linked to this concentration, including but not limited to: |
|
|
