Mission

The Psychology Department is committed to the professional training and development of doctoral level psychologists in the Ignatian tradition of cura personalis, which challenges students to learn, lead, and serve in a diverse and changing world.

The competencies of the PsyD program exist within the larger context of health service psychology, Standards of Accreditation of the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association, and the mission of Loyola University Maryland. Additionally, the development of these competencies was guided by the competencies adopted by the National Council of Schools and Programs in Professional Psychology (NCSPP, 1986-87 Mission Bay Conference); the Jesuit tradition of leadership and service; and the department's own mission and philosophy of training. Training is sequential, cumulative, graded in complexity, and designed to prepare students for further organized training.

Philosophy of Training

The members of the Psychology Department are committed to providing students with a strong background in clinical psychology and to training students to understand and adapt to the diverse and changing needs in health service psychology. Training combines a foundation of knowledge of the field with the skills necessary for a systematic approach to answering questions, resolving problems, and enhancing the development of individuals and groups, as well as promotion of the values and attitudes consistent with the practice of health service psychology. This training is built upon excellence in didactic and experiential methods of teaching and supportive mentoring relationships.

Model of Professional Training

The PsyD program endorses the "scholar-practitioner" model which is designed to train autonomous practitioners of health service psychology who will deliver mental health services and lead others in service to the general public in diverse settings.

The PsyD program is committed to a professional development model of training in which each student is encouraged to develop a unique professional identity consistent with the individual's own values, style, and philosophy. Within this framework, the program promotes the integration of theoretical and empirical literature in all types of professional decision making. Investigation of varying theoretical models, interaction with diverse role models within the profession, and supervised experience in a broad range of models are encouraged.

The program is committed to training students in a generalist model. As suggested in the philosophy of training, the faculty believe it is essential that all graduates possess a strong base in the foundations (i.e., both content and methods) of clinical psychology regardless of the extent to which they choose to specialize within the field. To support that base, each student receives training in a minimum of three theoretical models such as cognitive, behavioral, psychodynamic, dialectical-behavioral, family systems, and interpersonal psychotherapies. All students receive training and clinical experience in empirically validated therapies in a variety of clinical settings with populations who vary in age, ethnicity and race, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and other aspects of identity. In addition, students are trained in current methods of psychological assessment in order to formulate accurate diagnoses and develop treatment plans.

Competencies

The competencies expected of graduates of the MS/PsyD program are as follows:

Competency 1: Research

Competency 2: Ethical and Legal Standards

Competency 3: Individual and Cultural Diversity

Competency 4: Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors

Competency 5: Communication and Interpersonal Skills

Competency 6: Assessment

Competency 7: Intervention

Competency 8: Supervision

Competency 9: Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills.

Accreditation

The MS/PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology is accredited with the American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (CoA), 750 First Street NE, Washington DC 20002‑4242, 202‑336‑5500.

Admission Criteria

Admission to the MS/PsyD in Clinical Psychology is limited to a highly select group of students with a strong academic background. The successful applicant will have received either a bachelor's or master's degree from an accredited institution and obtained at least an overall 3.000 grade point average (out of 4.000) at the undergraduate level of study or an overall 3.200 (out of 4.000) grade point average at the graduate level of study. Applicants are also evaluated on experiences (e.g., clinical, research, and volunteer), a written essay, and letters of recommendation. Applications are considered for fall admission only. The completed applications will be reviewed and evaluated by teams of psychology faculty members, and a decision will be communicated via email to the applicant. An interview is required.

Students who are accepted for the MS/PsyD in Clinical Psychology will be expected to complete four years of full-time study plus an additional full-time internship year.

Admission to the MS/PsyD program in psychology is contingent upon passing a criminal background check. Each student recommended for admission into the program will be required to obtain, pay for, and pass a criminal background check. These background checks are routinely required by the Loyola Clinical Centers, schools, hospitals, and other agencies that participate in the clinical education of Loyola students. Failure to pass a criminal background check may make a student ineligible to complete requirements and result in revocation of the student's acceptance into the graduate program. Additional information regarding the criminal background check process will be included in the acceptance letter. Applicants are also required to submit proof of immunizations prior to matriculating. Detailed admission information (application procedures, required documents, deadlines, etc.) can be found under Admission .

Prerequisites

Applicants must have a 3.000 from an accredited university with a major in Psychology or must have a 3.000 from an accredited university and have completed the following prerequisites: general psychology; psychopathology; statistics and/or research methods; at least one of the following: social psychology, group psychology, diversity/multicultural psychology, or personality; and at least one of the following: learning/cognitive theory, neuropsychology, sensation and perception, or developmental psychology.

Credits Required

The MS/PsyD program requires the completion of 131 credits, including credits earned for coursework, clinical placements, and dissertation. Students are also required to complete a full-time internship. Students will earn an MS in Clinical Psychology in January of the second year in the program after the completion of 58.5 credits. All requirements for the MS/PsyD program, including the dissertation and internship, must be completed within seven years of enrollment in the program. This necessitates that students apply for the internship no later than the fall of their sixth academic year.

The awarding of the masters and doctoral degrees requires successful completion of all required coursework, clinical placements, internship, and dissertation, as well as passing written and oral comprehensive exams.

Grades and Academic Dismissal

University-wide academic standards can be found in the section on Academic Standards and Dismissal  under Academic Regulations and Policies.

In addition, students who receive a grade of less than B- (2.670) in any course will not be permitted to count this course for their degree. Students receiving a grade of less than B- in a required course must retake and successfully complete the course and are encouraged to meet with their advisor to discuss this issue. Both the original and retake grades remain on the student's transcript and will be calculated into the cumulative quality point average (QPA).

Students receiving a grade of less than B- in an elective course must meet with their advisor to determine if they should retake the same course or substitute an alternative elective. In either case, the original course grade remains on the student's transcript and is calculated into the cumulative QPA.

It is the student's responsibility to make certain that the minimum QPA requirement of 3.000, which is a B average, is maintained. Students who fall below this level of achievement will be placed on academic probation for one semester and must meet with their advisor to discuss their progress. Failure to raise the cumulative QPA to 3.000 in the following semester will result in dismissal from the program. Moreover, either the receipt of one F (0.000) or the accumulation of two grades of C+ (2.330) or lower also will result in dismissal from the program.

Academic dismissal may also result from excessive course withdrawal, academic dishonesty, or other unethical or unprofessional conduct reflecting upon a student's ability to enter into the academic or professional field.

Evaluation and Review

Each semester (fall/spring), the Psychology Department conducts a PsyD Professional Standards (PPS) evaluation for all PsyD students, evaluating their professional development in specific domains. Students also engage in self-evaluation. Students then meet with their advisors to discuss the results of the PPS. If significant concerns are raised about a student's professional development or competencies, a Professional Assessment Review (PAR) will be conducted for the purpose of remediation or dismissal.

Comprehensive Examinations

In order to remain in the program, students are given three attempts to pass two doctoral comprehensive exams. The written doctoral comprehensive examination assesses knowledge and integration of material relevant to clinical psychology. The oral clinical competency examination assesses case conceptualization and oral presentation skills.

Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation requires the student to demonstrate a sound understanding of an area of professional interest and provide a scholarly contribution that may be of an applied nature. It is expected that the dissertation includes an extensive review of theory and previous research. An oral presentation of the proposal and an oral presentation and defense of the finished dissertation are required. The doctoral dissertation may consist of:

• the implementation and evaluation of a clinical intervention or training program, or evaluation of a preexisting program;
• empirical analysis of a clinical population or psychological process;
• a needs assessment, followed by a model for implementation;
• empirical or theoretical analysis of aspects of a model of psychopathology;
• the development and/or evaluation of an assessment instrument.

Students are required to engage in active dissemination of their research during their time at Loyola. This research can be the dissertation or another psychology research project. Active dissemination of research can include presentation at national or regional conferences, on-campus events such as Emerging Scholars, or publication in peer-reviewed journals. Each student and their advisor need to sign a form verifying active dissemination of research.

Clinical Placement and Internship

The clinical placement and internship are integral components of the student's academic experience. Through these supervised experiences, students are afforded an opportunity to apply skills and techniques acquired from assessment and intervention-oriented course material. Students are supervised on-site by licensed psychologists, including some live observation or review of recorded sessions. Clinical placement facilities have been carefully chosen by the department for the quality of their training experiences and supervision. Students also participate in group consultation and professional development on campus.

A minimum of 1,500 clinical placement hours are completed in the first four years of the program. Approximately 25 percent of the total placement hours involve direct client contact/intervention. Typically, the fifth year of the curriculum is a full-time internship, for which a student applies during the fourth year (although students may opt for various reasons to complete the internship in the sixth or even seventh year). The internship year may or may not be spent in the local area.

The Loyola Clinical Centers is the training clinic for the Psychology Department. Under the supervision of licensed psychologists, first- and second-year doctoral students have a wide range of training opportunities: child, adolescent, and adult therapy; individual, couples, family, and group therapy; and child, adolescent, and adult psychoeducational and neuropsychological assessment. Third- and fourth-year students may receive advanced clinical training at the Loyola Clinical Centers or may have opportunities to work there as teaching or graduate assistants. Located at Belvedere Square (approximately one mile from the Evergreen Campus), The Loyola Clinical Centers is an interprofessional clinic offering a wide range of services to the Baltimore community.

Colloquium

Each semester, students attend presentations by locally or nationally recognized professionals or faculty on varying topics relevant to health service psychology. Students also attend group meetings each semester with the Director of Clinical Training and the Director of Doctoral Field Education to discuss their progress and needs in the program.

Assistantships

The Psychology Department has a limited number of teaching and/or graduate assistantships available for qualified graduate students. These assistantships typically include partial tuition remission and a stipend. Psychology assistantships are usually not available to students during their first year of the MS/PsyD program. Students who are interested in such opportunities after their first year may complete an application, available on the Human Resources website. Students who are interested in assistantships or employment in other departments on campus may contact the Human Resources Office for further information (some of these positions may be available to students in the first year of the MS/PsyD program).

Program of Study