Clinical Psychology, Psy.D.

Psy.D. Program Highlights

• Exceptionally strong internship placements! Percentages of students who obtained APA/CPA-accredited internships are listed below:
  • 2014-94%
  • 2015-95%
  • 2016-86%
  • 2017-96%
  • 2018-94%
  • 2019-100%
  • 2020-95%
  • 2021-91%
  • 2022-97%
  • 2023-95%
  • 2024-95%
• Our faculty are approachable experts who serve as student-focused role models in clinical psychology. They specialize in a variety of areas, such as addictions and recovery, neuropsychology, therapeutic assessment, psychology and spirituality, trauma, and multicultural counseling.
• Evening, on-campus courses start at 4:30 and allow you to work during the day, until you begin your practicum, which generally takes place during weekday hours. At that time, you will need flexible work hours.
• You may compete for one of a designated number of assistantships annually, which provide tuition remission and a stipend for working in a variety of capacities at Immaculata.
• Students and faculty have presented at conferences including the Society for Personality Assessment, the American Psychological Association, the Pennsylvania Psychology Association and the International Rorschach Congress. Some travel grants are available for attending conferences.
• Most of our students complete their degree in about six years.
• Our students report that the Psy.D. program helps them gain not only knowledge, but also confidence in their abilities, increased self-awareness and a sense of professional competence.
• Our graduates work in private practices, outpatient mental health facilities, hospitals, and other settings. Some alumni work at university counseling centers, veterans’ hospitals, or for the military. Some have opened their own private practices, and others teach as adjuncts at universities.

The Master of Arts (M.A.) in Clinical Psychology is embedded within the Psy.D. curriculum. This degree is open to doctoral students admitted into the Psy.D. program who enter with a bachelor’s degree or with a master’s degree in an unrelated field.

The Immaculata University Psychology Internship Consortium is an APA-accredited internship, organized and monitored by the Immaculata’s Psychology and Counseling Department. The Consortium provides doctoral internships for Immaculata’s Psy.D. clinical doctoral candidates. A limited number of placements are offered for intern applicants from other APA-accredited doctoral programs through APPIC’s Match II and Post Match Vacancy Service (see additional information about the Consortium on the IU Psychology Internship Consortium page).

Learn more about Psy.D. admissions deadlines and requirements as well as graduate tuition.

Accreditation

Immaculata University’s Psy.D. program in Clinical Psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). 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
(202) 336-5979
apaaccred@apa.org
www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

Immaculata’s Neuropsychology Assessment Clinic

Training Opportunity for Psy.D. Students

Immaculata’s Neuropsychology Assessment Clinic offers Psy.D. students interested in neuropsychology an opportunity to provide neuropsychological assessments to an older population under the supervision of Psy.D. faculty. Students hone their neuropsychological skills through hands-on learning, administering, scoring, interpreting tests, writing reports and providing feedback to clients.

Services Offered

• Cognitive Impairment
• Dementia
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Base line Cognitive Assessments
• ADHD
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Clinical Intakes
• Administration of a variety of neuropsychological tests
• Interpretation of test data
• Comprehensive Reports
• Feedback Sessions

Psy.D. Program Philosophy

The Psy.D. program educates and trains students to be competent practitioners of clinical psychology by providing a strong foundation in core areas relevant to practice, including theory, psychopathology-diagnosis, intervention, assessment, multiculturalism and human diversity, professional ethics, scientific foundations, and research.

The program provides a unique interpersonal experience that stems from the dedication to service that defines the spiritual mission of the University. Earning your Psy.D. from Immaculata will give you not only a solid foundation of clinical skills that are applicable to a wide range of settings, but also an ethical and spiritual base communicated through the nurturing qualities of administrators and program faculty. Dedicated full-time and adjunct faculty provide an education steeped richly and broadly in the traditions of theory, assessment, diagnosis, and intervention. With teaching styles that are empathic, human, supportive, and restorative, faculty are committed fully to the training and socialization of professional psychologists into careers of service, scholarship, and leadership.

This unique blend of academic rigor with respect for students as whole people characterizes the entirety of the learning environment and facilitates students’ emergent sense of competency as professional psychologists.

With attentiveness to the educational needs of their students, faculty members are outstanding professional role models, committed to each other as people and professionals, who work as a unified team to bring their training, skill and character into the heart and soul of the classroom. This is the quality of the interpersonal atmosphere that surrounds Immaculata’s Psy.D. students and demonstrates the depth and maturity of the program’s character.

Program Aims and Competencies

Immaculata’s Psy.D. program has aims related to the acquisition and attainment of competencies in the following areas.

Aim 1: PsyD graduates will be competent practitioners of clinical psychology and will acquire the following profession-wide competencies:

• Research
• Ethical and Legal Standards
• Individual and Cultural Diversity
• Professional Values, Attitudes, and Behaviors
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills
• Assessment
• Intervention
• Supervision
• Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills

Aim 2: PsyD graduates will acquire discipline specific knowledge to inform their clinical competencies.

• Knowledge of Scientific Foundations

View the full Aims and Competencies Grid here.

Psy.D. Program Curriculum

All course scheduling is done with advisement. Class sizes are small, often 8-12 students, with some around 18-20, depending on the nature of the subject.

Prerequisites

Required for students admitted with a bachelor’s degree, or a master’s degree in a field unrelated to psychology, (or at the department’s recommendation).

• PSYC 689 Counseling Skills and Theories (3)
• PSYC 690 Theories of Counseling (3)
• PSYC 675* Psychopathology (3)

REQUIRED CONCENTRATION (117 credits)

• PSYC 698 Professional Development Series (0)
• PSYC 700 Biological Bases of Behavior (3)
• PSYC 701 Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior (3)
• PSYC 702 Professional Issues and Ethics (3)
• PSYC 703 Tests & Measurements (3)
• PSYC 704 Pre-Practicum Seminar (0)
• PSYC 705 Human Development (3)
• PSYC 706 Research & Statistics I (3)
• PSYC 707 Research & Statistics II (3)
• PSYC 708 Advanced Psychopathology (3)
• PSYC 709 Group Dynamics (3)
• PSYC 710 Cognitive and Behavioral Theories and Therapies (3)
• PSYC 711 Psychoanalytic Theories and Therapies (3)
• PSYC 712 Client-Centered and Relationship Theories and Therapies (3)
• PSYC 713 History and Systems in Psychology (3)
• PSYC 714 Practicum and Seminar I (3)**
• PSYC 715 Practicum and Seminar II (3)
• PSYC 716 Practicum and Seminar III (3)
• PSYC 717 Practicum and Seminar IV (3)
• PSYC 719: Family Systems Theories and Therapies (3)
• PSYC 721 Psychology of Human Diversity (3)
• PSYC 724 Practicum and Seminar V (3)
• PSYC 725 Practicum and Seminar VI (3)
• PSYC 726 Practicum and Seminar VII (3)
• PSYC 727 Practicum and Seminar VIII (3)
• PSYC 728 Cognitive Clinical Assessment (3)
• PSYC 729 Assessment II: Personality (3)
• PSYC 730 Assessment IV: Advanced Skills (3)
• PSYC 731 Assessment V: Neuropsychological (3)
• PSYC 734 Aging and Mental Health*** (3)
• PSYC 735 Human Sexuality*** (3)
• PSYC 736 Survey Design and Application*** (3)
• PSYC 737: Substance Use Disorders & Other Addictions*** (3)
• PSYC 738: Therapeutic Assessment*** (3)
• PSYC 739: Animal Assistant Therapy*** (3)
• PSYC 740 Clinical Psychopharmacology (3)
• PSYC 741 Clinical Supervision, Consultation, and Management (3)
• PSYC 745 Social Psychology (3)
• PSYC 766 Advanced Neuropsychology*** (3)
• PSYC 768 Forensic Psychology*** (3)
• PSYC 786 Internship in Clinical Psychology I (1.5)
• PSYC 787 Internship in Clinical Psychology II (1.5)
• PSYC 788 Internship in Clinical Psychology III (1.5)
• PSYC 790 Dissertation Seminar I (3)
• PSYC 791 Internship in Clinical Psychology IV (1.5)
• PSYC 792 Internship in Clinical Psychology V (1.5)
• PSYC 793 Internship in Clinical Psychology VI (1.5)
• PSYC 797 Comprehensive Examination (0)
• PSYC 798 Doctoral Dissertation I (3)
• PSYC 799 Doctoral Dissertation II (3)
• PSYC 800 Doctoral Dissertation III (3)
• PSYC 000 Dissertation Continuation (0)

*PSYC 675 is the only class from a master’s degree program that is considered for transfer, at three credits; does not apply to the required 117 credits.

**The department has specific guidelines for practica. Most practicum work is scheduled during weekday hours and includes a didactic seminar on campus. Supervised practica cannot be done at your place of employment.

***B.A. admits and M.A. admits are required to take two electives. Students are free to take more than the specified number of electives at the additional fee of a three-credit course.

GPA Minimums

The minimum level of achievement (MLA) for PsyD students in any course for which there is a letter grade is a B, which equates to 3.0. PsyD students must carry a 3.3 minimum cumulative GPA; if the cumulative GPA drops below 3.3, the student will be placed on academic probation. Thus, while the minimum course expectation is B, the overall cumulative GPA for the program must be maintained at a 3.3 or higher. Permission to move forward on dissertation or internship requires a 3.3 GPA or higher. PsyD students are referred to the PsyD Handbook for additional information related to academic probation for PsyD students.

If a student earns less than a B grade in a course, they must retake the course. The course may only be repeated once. A student unable to earn a B or higher in the course on the second attempt will be dismissed from the program. Any grade less than a B in two different courses results in program dismissal.

If a student earns an F in a course that is designated Pass/Fail (e.g., Practicum Seminars), the student must successfully complete a remediation plan and retake the course. Failure to successfully complete the remediation plan will result in program dismissal. A student unable to pass the course on the second attempt will be dismissed from the program. Any failing grade in two different Pass/Fail courses results in program dismissal.

Full-Time and Residency Requirements

Psy.D. students are required to meet the University’s full-time requirement, which has been defined as two consecutive semesters of at least three classes each semester at the start of the program, and the American Psychological Association’s three-year full-time residency requirement. Internship year does not count toward residency.

To meet these requirements, Psy.D. students must take at least three classes for at least two consecutive semesters at the start of the program. Students may meet the remaining two years of required full-time study by completing either:

• Two consecutive semesters of at least three classes each semester, or
• Three consecutive semesters of at least two classes each semester

Clinical Psychology Program Faculty

• Sr. Monica Acri, IHM PsyD (Professor Emerita)
• Jolie Bell, PhD
• Ashley Gilbert, PsyD
• S. Donna Kelley, PsyD (Program Director)
• Avina Khiatani, PhD
• Cara Knaster, PsyD
• Kim Levan, PsyD
• Francien Richardson, PsyD
• Jay Tarnoff, PhD
• Kristen Ullrich, PsyD
• Jed Yalof, PsyD (Professor Emeritus)
• Pamela Abraham, Psy.D. (Professor Emerita)

Department of Psychology and Counseling Staff

• Linda Hampson
• Kelly Richardson, M.S.

Certificates of Emphasis

Certificates of Emphasis may be earned in one of the following areas through course work, practicum, and research that has a concentrated focus:

• Psychological Testing
• Integrative Psychotherapy
• Human and Cultural Diversity
• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
• Neuropsychology
• Forensic Psychology
• Therapeutic Assessment

Diversity and Inclusion

Student Diversity Forum

The Graduate Psychology and Counseling Department Student Diversity Forum fosters appreciation, knowledge, and understanding of other cultures. Students can choose to work with faculty to generate publications relating to human diversity, to engage in community outreach in culturally diverse neighborhoods, and to socialize with others interested in diversity. The Forum provides an environment of unity, advancement and success for students by offering peer networking and mentorship as well as academic and spiritual leadership.

State-by-State Licensure Requirements

The ASPPB (Association of State and Provincial Psychology Board) lists state-by-state requirements for licensure. Immaculata’s State Licensure Disclosure by Program page provides licensure details for every state (see Psychology and Counseling section).