Contact
Aesoon Park, Ph.D.
430 Huntington Hall
aepark@syr.edu
Faculty
Kevin Antshel, Ph.D., Joseph W. Ditre, Ph.D., Les A. Gellis, Ph.D., Afton Kapuscinski, Ph.D., Katie Kidwell, Ph.D., Aesoon Park, Ph.D., Jillian Scheer, Ph.D., Shannon Sweeney, Ph.D., and Sarah Woolf-King, Ph.D.
Description
The clinical psychology training program at Syracuse University is a doctoral program designed to train students to be responsible, innovative, and scholarly psychologists. The program embraces the scientist-practitioner model, and a strong emphasis is placed on both research and clinical training.
Accreditation
The Clinical psychology program at Syracuse University is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, 750 First Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20002-4242; 202-336-5979). Completion of the program satisfies the current requirements for licensure in New York State.
Completion of the program satisfies the current requirements for certification and licensure in New York State. The residency requirements for the program includes at least one year in full-time residence at Syracuse University and at least two years of full-time study at Syracuse University. A minimum of three years total of full-time study is required for the doctoral degree. Full disclosure of education/training outcomes and information allowing for informed decision-making can be found at our web site: https://thecollege.syr.edu/psychology/graduate-study-psychology/clinical-psychology-graduate-program-overview/
Questions related to the program’s accreditation 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: apaacred@apa.org; Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation.
Psychological Services Center
The clinical psychology program is associated with the SU Psychological Services Center (PSC), which is a service delivery, training, and research facility that serves SU students and members of the Syracuse community. Services are provided to children, adolescents, and adults. The Psychological Services Center is staffed by a director, clinic secretary, and graduate students in clinical psychology and related fields. Supervision is provided by full-time clinical faculty and part-time adjunct faculty drawn from local hospitals and clinics. Supervisors vary in their conceptual approach to understanding and modifying behavior. A broad array of clinical services are offered, including individual, marital, family, and group therapy, as well as psychological evaluations and testing.
Admissions
The program is strongly committed to the recruitment of individuals from diverse backgrounds. Applications are considered for the fall term only, and the deadline for receipt of the completed application is December 1. Only full-time students are considered for admission.
In making decisions about admission, the clinical faculty consider a student’s complete application and for evidence of the hard work, interest, and motivation that is vital to success in graduate school. Experience in research is also looked on positively. Applicants should have at least 18 credits of psychology, including a laboratory course and a statistics course. Recently admitted applicants have had higher than 3.5 undergraduate GPAs.
The program does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, race, ethnic origin, religion, or physical disability. The program receives about 180 applications per year for four to five openings. There are typically between 20-25 students in the program.
Financial Support
The department makes a determined effort to offer each student who is in good standing financial support in the form of a stipend and tuition remission. Stipends may stem from several sources including, clinical assistantships, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, fellowships, or clinical internships and externships. Outstanding students are placed into competition for University-wide fellowships. In addition, students are encouraged to apply for available external funding.
Satisfactory Progress
Students’ progress is reviewed by the program faculty in three main areas: (a) academic or course-related requirements, (b) clinical / interpersonal skill development, and (c) research requirements. Maintenance of a satisfactory GPA (3.0) is necessary for success in the Clinical Psychology Program, but it is not sufficient to guarantee progress toward the doctoral degree.
In addition, students must earn a minimum grade of B in PSY 847 Practicum in Psychotherapy and PSY 655 Experimental Design and Statistical Methods I and PSY 756 Experimental Design and Statistical Methods II and a minimum grade of B- in all other courses.
As part of scientist-practitioner training, students must demonstrate satisfactory clinical and interpersonal skills, actively participate in a research group, demonstrate the ability to function independently in all phases of the research process, and make timely progress toward completion of research requirements.
All students who receive department funding as a Teaching Assistant will be evaluated each semester by the faculty member assigned to the course. Each student’s overall performance will be assessed (e.g., teaching effort and performance, attendance, meeting deadlines, following course guidelines and policies, professionalism, etc.). In addition, if the TA assignment includes teaching, the faculty member may conduct an in-class observation to evaluate each student’s teaching skills and individualized feedback will be provided. It is expected that a student’s overall performance each semester, as assessed by the faculty member assigned to the course, will meet or exceed expectations in order for a student to remain in good standing in the program.
Notes
The official designation required by the New York State Board of Regents is Clinical Psychologist.
Student Learning Outcomes
The student learning outcomes are to demonstrate profession-wide competence and students will:
- Demonstrate profession-wide competence in research
- Demonstrate profession-wide competence in ethical and legal standards
- Demonstrate profession-wide competence in individual and cultural diversity
- Demonstrate profession-wide competence in professional values, attitudes, and behaviors
- Demonstrate profession-wide competence in communications and interpersonal skills
- Demonstrate profession-wide competence in assessment
- Demonstrate profession-wide competence in intervention
- Demonstrate profession-wide competence in supervision
- Demonstrate profession-wide competence in consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills
Program Requirements
The courses offered in the program consist of intensive exposure to the prominent theories and methods in clinical psychology. The Ph.D. requires 90 credits of coursework and a series of milestones (see below). Seven course areas are mandated by NYSED and students do not have the option of substituting courses in place of mandated courses.
Mandated Courses
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| PSY 736 | Advanced Introduction to Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 674 | Advanced Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 693 | Advanced Personality | 3 |
| PSY 682 | Physiological Processes and Health Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 653 | Psychological Measurement | 3 |
| PSY 894 | History and Systems Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 655 | Experimental Design and Statistical Methods I | 3 |
| PSY 756 | Experimental Design and Statistical Methods II | 3 |
Required Course Work
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| PSY 624 | Graduate Seminar in Psychological Methods | 3 |
| PSY 647 | Clinical Assessment I | 3 |
| PSY 648 | Assessment II | 3 |
| PSY 739 | Lifespan Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 745 | Introduction to Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSY 843 | Seminar in Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSY 847 | Practicum in Psychotherapy (two semesters) | 6 |
| PSY 851 | Clinical Therapy Experience Practicum (two semesters) | 0 |
| PSY 655 | Experimental Design and Statistical Methods I | 3 |
| PSY 756 | Experimental Design and Statistical Methods II | 3 |
| PSY 736 | Advanced Introduction to Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 674 | Advanced Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 693 | Advanced Personality | 3 |
| PSY 682 | Physiological Processes and Health Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 653 | Psychological Measurement | 3 |
| PSY 894 | History and Systems Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 649 | Ethical and Professional Issues in Clinical Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 860 | Topics in Psychology | 3 |
| |
| Practicum in Psychotherapy | |
| Introduction to Psychotherapy | |
| Ethical and Professional Issues in Clinical Psychology | |
| Clinical Assessment I
and Assessment II | |
| Clinical Therapy Experience Practicum | |
| PSY 997 | Masters Thesis | 6 |
| PSY 999 | Dissertation | 18 |
| PSY 996 | Internship in Clinical Psychology | 0 |
| 12 |
| Total Credits | 90 |
Milestones
In addition to the required coursework, all students must complete the following milestones.
PSC Experience
Students must also successfully pass two semesters as practicum students in the Psychological Services Center (PSC), indicated by the course PSY 851 Clinical Therapy Experience Practicum.
Master’s Thesis
All students are required to complete a Masters. Students who completed a Masters thesis elsewhere will be required to complete a pre-doctoral project.
Doctoral Qualifying Exam
Students must pass a doctoral qualifying exam before beginning work on their dissertation. The qualifying exam is designed to facilitate completion of the dissertation.
Dissertation
The dissertation proposal must be successfully defended before applying to internship.
Internship
A full-time, one-year predoctoral clinical internship is also required before the Ph.D. is awarded. The internship is usually completed in the sixth year of the program.
Optional Concentrations
Please keep the” triple dipping rule” in mind as you consider the following optional programs to complement your MA and Ph.D. programs.
The triple dipping rule- Per university policy (link: https://syracuse-next.courseleaf.com/undergraduate/academic-rules/), specific courses/credits can be counted toward up to two (but no more than two) graduate programs or degree. The courses listed in the Program of Study for the Master’s count towards the Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology.
Concentration in Neuroscience (Optional)
Requirements
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| BIO 607 | Advanced Neuroscience | 3 |
| NEU 613 | Readings in Neuroscience | 0-3 |
| NEU 614 | Interdisciplinary Methods of Neuroscience | 0-3 |
| PSY 777 | Advanced Cognitive Neuroscience | 3 |
In addition, students are expected to:
Present at least one special seminar and participate in other research days organized or sponsored by the Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program during your tenure as a student.
Attend program-sponsored seminars given by outside speakers, graduate students, postdocs, and faculty.
Concentration in Advanced Quantitative Methods in Psychology (Optional)
The program has two goals. First, students will receive training in a wide range of advanced statistics or quantitative methods. Such breadth assures that students have maximum flexibility in designing a curriculum that best fits their individual career goals. Second, the program emphasizes competence in the application of knowledge and analytic skills acquired through coursework to students’ own research. Together these will help promote the pursuit of high-quality research and research-focused careers in academic and non-academic settings.
Pre-requisites
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| PSY 655 | Experimental Design and Statistical Methods I | 3 |
| PSY 756 | Experimental Design and Statistical Methods II | 3 |
Requirements (Part A)
12 credit hours of coursework focusing on statistical or quantitative methods at the 500-level or above. Select from these courses:
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| CSE 581 | Introduction to Database Management Systems | 3 |
| IST 718 | Big Data Analytics | 3 |
| MAT 521 | Introduction to Probability | 3 |
| MAT 525 | Mathematical Statistics | 3 |
| MAT 651 | Probability and Statistics I | 3 |
| MAT 652 | Probability and Statistics II | 3 |
| MAT 750 | Statistical Consulting | 3 |
| PSY 612 | Advanced Experimental Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 624 | Graduate Seminar in Psychological Methods | 3 |
| PSY 653 | Psychological Measurement | 3 |
| PSY 780 | Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling | 3 |
| PSY 854 | Bayesian Statistical Analysis | 3 |
To demonstrate the minimum level of competence, students must earn a B- or better in each of the courses.
Courses may count toward the certificate and other degrees so long as the ‘triple dipping’ rule and any other university policies are met.
Requirements (Part B)
An approved empirical research product demonstrating competence in the use of an advanced statistical or quantitative method:
A research product that demonstrates competence in the use of an advanced statistical or quantitative method may include one of the following options:
(b-1) submitting a manuscript based on empirical research using an advanced statistical or quantitative method for peer review, or
(b-2) successfully defending a thesis, qualifying exam, or dissertation using an advanced statistical or quantitative method. Specific statistical or quantitative methods on which the product is based may be different from those in the student’s elective coursework or desired specialization areas in psychology.
To confirm that this requirement is met, the student must:
- Submit to the committee a two-paragraph description about at the initiation of the project or proposal of the milestone: indicate the advanced statistical or quantitative method to be used in their project, along with a statement that the student alone will conduct the advanced statistical or quantitative method analysis. The committee will indicate if the proposal is sufficient for this requirement.
- After the completion of the project, the committee must review and approve the final product along with a short statement confirming that they conducted the advanced statistical or quantitative method.
