Clinical Requirements

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MISSION OF PROGRAM

The mission of the doctoral program in Clinical Psychology at Stony Brook University (SBU) is to train clinical scientists who are skilled researchers and clinicians and who can advance the science of psychology by assuming active roles in academic and research settings. The program is accredited by the APA (Commission on Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, Phone: 202-336-5979) and by PCSAS (Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System, 1800 Massachusetts Ave NW, Suite 402, Washington DC, 20036, Phone: 301-455-8046).

 

OVERVIEW OF CURRENT PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS:

To receive a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from SBU you must:

1. Complete a series of required courses and demonstrate your academic competence across the field of psychology.
2. Satisfy a series of requirements in research and scholarship, culminating in the doctoral dissertation.
3. Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 160 hours of direct supervised contact with clients.
4. Complete one full year of approved internship.
5. Adhere to the ethical guidelines of the American Psychological Association as if you were a professional psychologist.
6. Satisfy any additional general requirements set forth as degree requirements for the Psychology Department as a whole.

 

SEQUENCE OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The course sequence below is designed to meet accreditation guidelines and NYS Licensing requirements. The median time to program completion is 5 years, followed by an internship year. Students must pass all courses with a B- or better, and they must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0.

First Year

Fall Semester: Total 12 Credits

 

Credits	Course	Title
3	501	Analysis of Variance and Experimental Design
0	508	Introduction to Computer Application and Statistics
2	534	Assessment: General Principles, Clinical Interviews, and Adult Psychology
2	545	Psychopathology: Conceptual Models and Internalizing Disorders
3	530	Intervention Science
2	698	Research
0	504	First Year Lectures

 

Spring Semester: Total 12 Credits

 

Credits	Course	Title
3	502	Correlation and Regression
0	508	Introduction to Computer Applications
2	602	Assessment: Personality Testing, Intellectual/Cognitive Testing, and Child Parent Assessment
2	596	Psychopathology: Externalizing and Psychotic Disorders
2	604	Intervention Practicum
2	603	Ethics and Professional Issues
1	698	Research
0	620	Human Diversity Issues in Psychology

 

Second Year

Fall Semester: Total 9 Credits

 

Credits	Course Number	Title
3	-	Multivariate Methods (Either 505 or the equivalent; counts as a Breadth Course)
2	605	Advanced Intervention Practicum
3	606	Supervised Practice (Use Supervisor’s Number)
1	698	Research

 

Spring Semester: Total 9 Credits

 

Credits	Course Number	Title
3	606	Supervised Practice (Use Supervisor’s Number)
3	-	Breadth Course
3	698	Research

 

Third Year

Fall Semester: Total 9 Credits

 

Credits	Course Number	Title
3	606	Supervised Practice
3	-	Breadth Course (Can be taken in Spring)
3-6	698	Research

 

Spring Semester: Total 9 Credits

 

Credits	Course Number	Title
3	606	Supervised Practice
3-6	698	Research (Credits registered for will depend on whether a breadth course is taken this semester)
3		Breadth Course (if necessary)

 

Breadth Courses: Students in the APA accredited program must take (1) PSY 620 Neuroscience: Applications in Psychology, (2) PSY 544 Emotion and Cognition, (3) PSY 510 History and Systems, and (4) a graduate social/health course of their choice. All of these courses are offered on a rotating basis. The DCT will let you know which courses to sign up for and when. Students in the PCSAS accredited program must take three breadth courses in line with the departmental requirements. (https://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/psychology/_pdfs/breadth_course_pdfs/Breadth%20Course%20Rules%20Updated%20Dec-2022.pdf).

 

Fourth and Fifth Years

Fall Semester: Total 9 Credits

 

Credits	Course Number	Title
3	606	Supervised Practice (optional)
6-9	699	Dissertation Research on Campus

 

Spring Semester: Total 9 Credits

 

Credits	Course Number	Title
3	606	Supervised Practice (optional)
6-9	699	Dissertation Research on Campus

 

Internship Year

Fall Semester: Total 9 Credits

 

Credits	Course Number	Title
1	608	Internship
8	700	Dissertation Research Off Campus

 

Spring Semester: Total 9 Credits

 

Credits	Course Number	Title
1	608	Internship
8	700	Dissertation Research Off Campus

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS GOING ON INTERNSHIP: 

Students leaving on internship should NOT change their official address in SOLAR to be outside of NY, even if their internships are outside of NY.

International students going on internship need to register for dissertation research off-campus (PSY 700) for the winter session (as well as for the fall and spring). Please register for 0 credits of PSY 700 for the winter

SUMMER ENROLLMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS:

All students MUST register for 0 credits of PSY 800 research every summer. This is to avoid loss of health insurance, student status, and authorization to be on campus.

ENROLLMENT PRIOR TO GRADUATION:

All students – domestic and international – who are graduating in either the winter or summer semester need to carry a minimum of 1 credit (in the winter or summer semester), and this will be done by registering for 1 credit of GRD 800. A detailed explanation of this is provided below. Please review it carefully.

Note: GRD 800 is for graduating students only. No other students will register for this course.

The Graduate School will run a GTS report for all students in GRD 800, and eligible students will have one credit of tuition (and associated fees) paid.

Details: After advancing to candidacy and defending their dissertation proposal, to graduate from the clinical program, a student must (a) successfully defend their dissertation, (b) successfully complete their internship, and (c) submit all relevant paperwork by the relevant deadlines. Once a student completes all graduation requirements, their degree will be conferred at the next conferral date.

For the vast majority of students, the dissertation is successfully defended before or during internship, meaning that their final degree requirement is completion of the internship. Almost all internships begin in the summer and end the following summer. So, for almost all clinical students, they will complete their last degree requirement (internship) in the summer and their degree will be conferred in August. Students in this scenario would thus register for one credit of GRD 800 in the Summer when their internship is ending, for degree conferral/graduation in August. Note that these students can be hooded in the May doctoral hooding commencement ceremony.

In rare cases, a student might complete their internship prior to successfully defending their dissertation. In that case, they would graduate the semester of their successful defense—say, in December (Fall semester) or January (Winter semester), after their internship ends in July or August. Those students would Register for one credit of PSY 700 during the Fall or one credit of GRD 800 in the Winter semester (whichever one is appropriate), and their degrees would be conferred in either December or January.

It is advisable to confirm your registration with the Graduate Program Director and Administrator prior to graduation as policies change periodically.