Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology
Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology
This clinical psychology doctoral program, located in Louisville, Kentucky, was among the first PsyD programs in the U.S. and has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1989. Engage in generalist training in clinical psychology using a scholar-practitioner model based on scientific principles, grounded in evidence-based practice, and learn in a collaborative and cooperative setting.
Become a trained and licensed professional prepared to practice with clients across the lifespan. Our strong generalist program is unique in that the core curriculum provides training in working with children, adolescents, and adults. This ensures marketability and mobility for our graduates in the current job market. Students can choose to customize their training and select five electives or choose to take one elective and four content-specific classes.
Emphasis Areas
- Forensic Psychology
- Health Psychology
- Neuropsychology
- Advanced Clinical Psychology
Features
- Carry with you an emphasis on critical thinking, ethical decision-making and the promotion of social justice
- Gain clinical experience and provide services under stellar supervision in our Center for Behavioral Health, Spalding’s community-based psychological services center, or at one of our other 50+ community partners.
- Provide assessment and treatment to under-served populations as part of your curriculum
- Develop data-driven research skills during your dissertation that can be applied to future practice
- Participate in faculty-led Research Interest Groups (RIGs), where you can earn authorship on publications and presentations
- The Collective Care Center provides psychological services and supports to individuals who have experienced race-based trauma and stress.
Facts
Student admissions, outcomes and other data:
You may be eligible to transfer up to 30 hours of master’s level courses from another university.
Our program is a recipient of three federal HRSA-sponsored grants:
- $1.15 million federal grant that provides stipend support to students who complete final practicums in primary care settings serving vulnerable and medically underserved populations.
- $750,000 grant to train psychology doctoral students and students in other allied health professions
(nursing, OT, dentistry, etc.) in how to build resiliency skills, and to fund 8 PsyD students per year in learning to deliver the program. - $1,000,000 grant to fund students in learning and delivering integrated primary care services in Underserved areas of Kentucky.
100 % Match Rate
Our internship match rate is consistently above the national average for PsyD programs:
- 100% of our doctoral students have matched in the national match process every year since the 2013-2014 academic year.
- 100% of our doctoral students have matched to accredited sites every year since 2014-2015.
Career Opportunities
You’ll complete three years of practicum plus a summer of pre-practicum to get you ready to provide evidence-based psychological assessment and psychotherapy to a diverse range of clients.
This training along with the curriculum will prepare you to work in a wide range of psychological service settings:
- Hospitals
- University counseling centers
- Community mental health centers
- Schools
- Forensic settings
- Private practice
- Primary care and other health care settings
See our professional licensure disclosure.
More About Our PsyD
5-Year Plan: Academic Year 23-24
Year 1
Fall
- 571: Intro to Intervent (3 credit hrs)
- 658: Psychopathology (3 credit hrs)
- 651: Cog Assess (3 credit hrs)
- 590: Prof. Devel Sem. (0 credit hrs)
- 575: Found of Psy Assess (3 credit hrs)
Spring
- Emphasis Area 1 (3 credit hrs)
- 608: Applied Developmental (3 credit hrs)
- 652: Assess of Pers (3 credit hrs)
- 590: Prof. Devel Sem. (0 credit hrs)
- 555: Ethics (3 credit hrs)
Summer
- 508: Bio Basis of Behav (3 credit hrs)
- 656: Intro to Therapy Prac (3 credit hrs)
- 655: Intro to Assess Prac (3 credit hrs)
- 653: CBT Systems Psychotx
Year 2
Fall
- 610: Applied Statistics (3 credit hrs)
- 621: Multicultural (3 credit hrs)
- Emphasis Area 2 (3 credit hrs)
- 680: Practicum A (3 credit hrs)
Spring
- 609: Res Meth & Design (3 credit hrs)
- 509: Soc Basis of Behav. (3 credit hrs)
- Emphasis Area 3 (3 credit hrs)
- 681: Practicum A (1 credit hr)
Summer
- 657: Group Psychotherapy (3 credit hrs)
- 681: Practicum A (1 credit hr)
- 501: Cog/Affective Basis (3 credit hrs)
Year 3
Fall
- Emphasis Area 4 (3 credit hrs)
- 718: Child Psychopathology (3 credit hrs)
- 765: Relational Systems of Psychotherapy (3 credit hrs)
- 781: Clinical Prac B (3 credit hrs)
- 890: Dissertation Seminar** (2 credit hrs)
Spring
- 719: Child and Adolescent Tx (3 credit hrs)
- Elective option or Trauma (3 credit hrs)
- 781: Clinical Prac B (1 credit hr)
- 821: Clin Applic Multicult (3 credit hrs)
- 894: Dissertation (1 credit hr)
Summer
- 860: Internship Seminar (0 credit hrs)
- 781: Clinical Prac B (1 credit hr)
- 721: Trauma [or elective] (3 credit hrs)
- 894: Dissertation (2 credit hrs)
**Students who choose to propose early can take 890 in the summer of their second year, independent study. In this case, 894 must be taken every semester through the spring of the fourth (4th) year for these credits in this order: year three (3) fall: 1, year three (3) spring: 1, year three (3) summer: 1, year four (4) fall: 2, year four (4) spring: 2.
Year 4
Fall
- 894: Dissertation (2 credit hrs)
- 810: Addictions [or elective] (3 credit hrs)
- 611: Program Eval and Consultation (3 credit hrs)
- 881: Clinical Prac C (3 credit hrs)
- 861: Pre-internship Seminar (0 credit hrs)
- Apply for Internship
Spring
- 870: Interprofessional Seminar (3 credit hrs)
- Addiction or elective option
- 881: Clinical Prac C (1 credit hr)
- 894: Dissertation (2 credit hrs)
- Internship Interviews
Summer
- 506: History & Systems – OL (3 credit hrs)
- 881: Clinical Prac C (1 credit hr)
Year 5
Fall
892: Internship (1 credit hr)
Spring
892: Internship (1 credit hr)
Summer
892: Internship (1 credit hr)
Program Aims
Spalding University’s clinical psychology doctoral program’s aim is to educate strong generalist clinical psychologists who demonstrate mastery of profession-wide competencies, and who can conceptualize human behavior using a biopsychosocial perspective. The program utilizes a scholar-practitioner/local clinical scientist model that emphasizes the ability to balance and integrate research and clinical practice using high-level critical thinking skills. Within these professional goals is the overarching aim to train ethical psychologists who demonstrate a high level of professional integrity and a commitment to the promotion of social justice.
Program Accreditation
Our Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology program has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1989. The program most recently received the maximum of 10 years of reaccreditation in 2017. For further information about the accreditation status of this or any other psychology doctoral program, please contact: APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 First Street NE, Washington DC 20002-4242, (202) 336-5979; [email protected]; www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/.