13.3.1 Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology 2024/2025

13.3.1 Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology

The Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology program provides broad and general training in clinical psychology. It is based on the scholar-practitioner training model and prepares students for clinical research and practice. It also prepares students for registration as psychologists. It is intended for applicants with Bachelor’s degrees, as well as applicants with Master’s degrees. It is also intended for Registered Psychologists wanting to pursue a doctorate and additional clinical training, research, and supervision. Students learn about clinical psychology’s history, contemporary training and supervision issues, prominent research methods, and best practices in the field. The goal is to develop local clinical scientists, lifelong learners, and highly effective clinicians. Graduates of the program will be community leaders in psychological assessment, diagnosis, therapy, relationship building, teaching and supervision, patient-focused research, consultation, and overall professionalism and ethical behaviour.

The PsyD program is dissertation-based and requires 123 credit hours, including 28 graduate courses, dissertation credits, and a year-long (1600-hour) internship/clinical residency. It is a 5-year program. Thirty credits are taken in year 1 (12+12+6), 28 in year 2 (11+10+7), 26 in year 3 (10+10+6), 21 in year 4 (9+9+3), and 18 in year 5 (6+6+6). Students with graduate coursework and/or Master’s degrees in clinical psychology, counselling psychology, or school psychology may be able to complete the program in four years.

Students are admitted once a year, with fall intake only. Admitted students take 2-4 courses year-round (i.e., during fall, winter, and spring trimesters).

A. Program Learning Outcomes

The PsyD program is based on the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) standards and procedures and the College of Alberta Psychologists’ (CAP) credentialing guidelines. It has been ministerially approved by Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education and, in the future, will seek CPA accreditation and CAP curriculum approval.
In terms of specific learning outcomes, graduates will:

1. Understand clinical psychology’s theoretical and empirical bases and
   traditions;
2. Behave ethically and legally and be familiar with relevant codes of
   professional conduct;
3. Competently provide clinical services to clients;
4. Provide culturally sensitive and responsive services to clients;
5. Assess and evaluate clinical services using various modes of scientific inquiry and validation;
6. Be lifelong learners and local clinical scientists;
7. Conduct applied research and monitor their own clinical effectiveness and efficacy;
8. Work collaboratively and effectively with other mental health professionals.

Additional outcomes align with Concordia University of Edmonton’s (CUE) overarching mission, vision and strategic plans, as well as the Faculty of Graduate Studies’ prescribed outcomes (refer to section 13.0.1). Specifically, graduates will also:

1. Recognize and support mental health needs of diverse populations;
2. Recognize and support comprehensive health and wellness of faculty, students, staff, and community members;
3. Design and undertake applied and interdisciplinary research;
4. Exhibit effective oral and written communication of research results;
5. Be independent thinkers, ethical leaders, and citizens for the common
   good.

B. Admission Requirements

In addition to meeting the Admission and General Admission requirements for the Faculty of Graduate Studies (refer to section 13.1.1), students applying to the PsyD program must present the following minimum requirements:

1. Four-year bachelor’s degree in psychology from a recognized institution; honours thesis or equivalent preferred.
2. Applicants must have taken the following courses:
   • Three credits of undergraduate or graduate biological/neuropsychological bases of behaviour;
   • Six credits of undergraduate or three credits of graduate-level cognitive-affective bases of behaviour (e.g., Learning and Motivation, Human Motivation, Sensation and Perception);
   • Six credits of undergraduate or three credits of graduate-level social psychology (e.g., Social Psychology, Sex Role Behaviour, Cultural Psychology).
     Note: Group Counselling does not count in this category;
   • Three credits of undergraduate or graduate psychology of the individual (e.g., Theories of Personality, Theories of Human Development, Abnormal Psychology).
     Note: Multicultural Counselling does not count in this category;
   • Three credits of undergraduate or graduate research design/methods;
   • Three credits of undergraduate or graduate statistics/data analysis;

   Note: Students may apply to the program if they are missing required courses. However, they would be admitted as probationary graduate students and would need to present missing courses before taking PSY 898 (Dissertation Research).

3. GRE verbal, quantitative, and analytic scores;
4. Personal interview.

Applicants shall also submit the following additional documents with
applications:

• Current CV, including clinical and research experience;
• 2-page statement of intent and career objectives. In the statement, please indicate PsyD faculty preferences regarding a potential research/dissertation supervisor;
• Three letters of reference:
  • o Preferred: 2 academic and 1 employer.

Note: Due to the limited enrolment capacity of Concordia University of Edmonton’s graduate programs, admission is competitive; meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission. The PsyD program normally admits 10-15 students a year.

C. General Academic Requirements

The Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree will be awarded for the successful
completion of 123 graduate credits with a GPA of 3.0 (B) or better. Students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.0 with no course grade less than 2.3 (C+). Students who do not maintain satisfactory standing may be placed on academic probation or required to withdraw from the program.
For further information, please see Academic Schedule, section 2.0, Graduate Admission, section 13.1.1, Student Life, section 8.0, and Academic Regulations, section 9.0.

D. Program Requirements

The requirements of the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program are as follows:

As noted above, the program is administered in a continuous learning format with coursework and research occurring in spring and summer months, as well as traditional fall and winter trimesters.
Subject to PsyD Training Committee approval, students may transfer up to 30 credits (10 courses) towards doctoral degree requirements (see 13.1.2 Transfers, Course Exemptions, and Substitution). Students with graduate coursework and/or Master’s degrees in clinical psychology, counselling psychology, or school psychology may, for example, transfer courses related to eight of the 10 1st-year courses and theoretically complete the program in four years. Two 1st-year courses (PSY 801 (Theoretical and Empirical Foundations of Clinical Psychology) (3 Cr.) & PSY 810 (Dissertation Research and Proposal Development) (3 Cr.)) are required of all new doctoral students and cannot be substituted/replaced by transfer credits. PsyD course descriptions can be found in section 14.0, Course Descriptions, under subject heading Psychology (Graduate Studies).

E. Practicum Requirements

Prior to completing PsyD practica courses, students are required to obtain one or more types of Record Checks. A Criminal Record Check is the most common type of background check required by most clinical organisations/corporations. It is obtained through local police services, like the Edmonton Police Service (EPS), or through the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Some organisations/corporations also require a Vulnerable Sector Check, which is a separate part of record checks. Additionally, a few organisations/corporations require an Alberta Intervention Record Check that is completed through Children’s Services.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure she/he can satisfy requirements for a record check. If a student cannot, it will affect that student’s ability to participate in practica, complete the program/graduate, and register with the CAP or any other provincial regulatory body.

F. Graduation Requirements

Students graduate on one of the three degree-conferral dates following successful completion of their program requirements, including internship/clinical residency and dissertation defence, as well as general program requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies, section 13.1.4 (e.g., FGS 600 (Graduate Ethics Training (GET) Course). For further information about graduation requirements, see Graduation Requirements, section 13.1.5.