Counseling Psychology (PhD)
Program Overview
The Ph.D. Program in Counseling Psychology offers doctoral education and training in psychology and prepares students for entry-level practice in counseling psychology. Doctoral level counseling psychologists conduct research, teach at the university level, supervise students and professionals, consult with community agencies, and provide clinical services to people across the developmental lifespan. Counseling psychologists also enhance the science of health promotion and health psychology and emphasize community-based interventions.
Mission
It is the mission of the Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology program to train multiculturally competent counseling psychologists who are: (1) clinically adept in multiple settings with a variety of psychological and health-related issues; (2) able to conceptualize, conduct, and evaluate research across biological, cultural, and relational systems in numerous social contexts, such as families, schools, neighborhoods, and communities.
Profession-Wide Competencies
Profession-Wide Competencies
(i) Research
- Demonstrate the substantially independent ability to formulate research or other scholarly activities (e.g., critical literature reviews, dissertation, efficacy studies, clinical case studies, theoretical papers, program evaluation projects, program development projects) that are of sufficient quality and rigor to have the potential to contribute to the scientific, psychological, or professional knowledge base.
- Conduct research or other scholarly activities.
- Critically evaluate and disseminate research or other scholarly activity via professional publication and presentation at the local (including the host institution), regional, or national level.
(ii) Ethical and legal standards
- Be knowledgeable of and act in accordance with each of the following:
- the current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct;
- Relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels; and
- Relevant professional standards and guidelines.
- Recognize ethical dilemmas as they arise, and apply ethical decision-making processes in order to resolve the dilemmas.
- Conduct self in an ethical manner in all professional activities.
(iii) Individual and cultural diversity
- An understanding of how their own personal/cultural history, attitudes, and biases may affect how they understand and interact with people different from themselves.
- Knowledge of the current theoretical and empirical knowledge base as it relates to addressing diversity in all professional activities including research, training, supervision/consultation, and service.
- The ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles (e.g., research, services, and other professional activities). This includes the ability to apply a framework for working effectively with areas of individual and cultural diversity not previously encountered over the course of their careers. Also included is the ability to work effectively with individuals whose group membership, demographic characteristics, or worldviews create conflict with their own.
- Demonstrate the requisite knowledge base, ability to articulate an approach to working effectively with diverse individuals and groups, and apply this approach effectively in their professional work.
(iv) Professional values, attitudes, and behaviors
- Behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology, including integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others
- Engage in self-reflection regarding one’s personal and professional functioning; engage in activities to maintain and improve performance, well-being, and professional effectiveness.
- Actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision.
- Respond professionally in increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence as they progress across levels of training.
(v) Communications and interpersonal skills
- Develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals, including colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervisees, and those receiving professional services.
- Produce and comprehend oral, nonverbal, and written communications that are informative and well-integrated; demonstrate a thorough grasp of professional language and concepts.
- Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to manage difficult communication well.
(vi) Assessment
- Demonstrate current knowledge of diagnostic classification systems, functional and dysfunctional behaviors, including consideration of client strengths and psychopathology.
- Demonstrate understanding of human behavior within its context (e.g., family, social, societal and cultural).
- Demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge of functional and dysfunctional behaviors including context to the assessment and/or diagnostic process.
- Select and apply assessment methods that draw from the best available empirical literature and that reflect the science of measurement and psychometrics; collect relevant data using multiple sources and methods appropriate to the identified goals and questions of the assessment as well as relevant diversity characteristics of the service recipient.
- Interpret assessment results, following current research and professional standards and guidelines, to inform case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations, while guarding against decision-making biases, distinguishing the aspects of assessment that are subjective from those that are objective.
- Communicate orally and in written documents the findings and implications of the assessment in an accurate and effective manner sensitive to a range of audiences.
(vii) Intervention
- Establish and maintain effective relationships with the recipients of psychological services.
- Develop evidence-based intervention plans specific to the service delivery goals.
- Implement interventions informed by the current scientific literature, assessment findings, diversity characteristics, and contextual variables.
- Demonstrate the ability to apply the relevant research literature to clinical decision making.
- Modify and adapt evidence-based approaches effectively when a clear evidence-base is lacking.
- Evaluate intervention effectiveness, and adapt intervention goals and methods consistent with ongoing evaluation.
(viii) Supervision
- Demonstrate knowledge of supervision models and practices.
(ix) Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills
- Demonstrate knowledge and respect for the roles and perspectives of other professions.
- Demonstrates knowledge of consultation models and practices.
Information
Accreditation Info
Northeastern’s Counseling Psychology Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA). The next APA accreditation site visit will be held in 2021. Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation American Psychological Association 750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Phone: (202) 336-5979/E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation
This program meets the “Guidelines for Defining ‘Doctoral Degree in Psychology’” as implemented by the ASPPB/National Register Designation Project. Therefore, a graduate of this designated program who decides to apply for licensure as a psychologist typically will meet the jurisdictional educational requirements for licensing. However, individual circumstances vary, and, there are additional requirements that must be satisfied prior to being licensed as a psychologist. Students should contact the state / provincial / territorial licensing board in the jurisdiction in which they plan to apply for exact information. Additional information including links to jurisdictions is available on the ASPPB’s web site: www.asppb.org.
Application Due Date: 1/6
Program Faculty
Contact Information
Dr. Rachel Rodgers
Program Director r.rodgers@northeastern.edu
Curriculum
Our clinical training prepares counseling psychologists to work in various settings with individuals presenting with a variety of psychological and health-related issues. We emphasize an ecological model which encourages the conceptualization of relationships and research across multiple systems: biological, cultural, and relational. These relationships occur in various social contexts, including families, schools, neighborhoods and communities. At least two years of intensive clinical training is required. This preparation includes advanced fieldwork at various mental health settings in the Boston area. Students are expected to be at their site for 20 hours each week. Approximately half of their time is direct service delivery. Training goals include advanced skill development in behavioral observations, interviewing, psychological assessment, counseling and treatment planning and practice, consultation, effective use of supervision, and an understanding of and commitment to the profession’s ethical codes. Students must complete a one year, full-time pre-doctoral internship that has been approved by the program.
The PhD in Counseling Psychology at Northeastern University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association and meets the “Guidelines for Defining ‘Doctoral Degree in Psychology’” as implemented by the ASPPB/National Register Designation Project. Therefore, a graduate of this designated program who decides to apply for licensure as a psychologist typically will meet the jurisdictional educational requirements for licensing. However, individual circumstances vary, and, there may be additional requirements that must be satisfied prior to being licensed as a psychologist, potentially including specific clinical practice supervision requirements at the advanced practicum, internship and post-doctoral level. Students should contact the state / provincial / territorial licensing board in the jurisdiction in which they plan to apply for exact information. Additional information including links to jurisdictions is available on the ASPPB’s web site: www.asppb.org. For questions about the PhD in Counseling Psychology as it relates to doctoral psychology licensure, please contact Director of Clinical Training, Jessica B. Edwards George, PhD at j.george@northeastern.edu
Sample Curriculum
Students will enter the program with a masters degree. It is anticipated that time to completion is a minimum of four years.
Total 62 Credits
Please see the program requirements in the university catalog here: Course Catalog
Important Information
Prospective Student information
Program Facts
Credit Hours
62 semester hours
Program Length
4 years from MA
Admission Requirements
- Masters degree in psychology or related field
- Strong academic record (3.5 GPA and above preferred)
- Demonstrated interest in and commitment to counseling psychology
- Official GRE General and TOEFL or IELTS*
- Personal statement. Applicant may wish to highlight:
- Long-term career goals
- Specific research and clinical interests
- Current and past clinical and research experiences
- Fit with program emphasis
- Three letters of reference
- Completed application (Due January 6)
- Personal interview with the faculty and current students will be held on (February 15, 2019)
Graduation Requirements
- Successful completion of all required courses
- GPA 3.0 or better
- Passing grades on all comprehensive examinations
- Successfully completed fieldwork and internship
- Completed dissertation
Research Teams
| Research Topics | Faculty Leader(s) |
| APPEAR Applied Psychology Program for Eating and Appearance Research | Rodgers, Edwards George |
| Dating Violence and Relationship Risk Prevention Team | Rizzo |
| Feminist Therapy and Theory; Feminist Ecological Model | Sanchez |
| Intersectionality Lab in Applied Psychology | Robinson-Wood |
| Mindfulness for Health Behavior Change | Shiyko |
| Use of Technology & Games for Health Behavior Change | Shiyko |
Fieldwork-at-a-glance
- Minimum of two years of advanced fieldwork
- At least 20 hours per week at an approved fieldwork site with supervision by a licensed psychologist or a licensed psychiatrist for a minimum of 600 hours per year
- Minimum of one hour of individual supervision per week by a licensed doctoral level psychologist
- Minimum of half (50%) of the 20 hours per week are required in direct service
Our Students
Babatunde Aideyan
received a BA in Psychology from Emory University, and an MA in Counseling from Northwestern University. He has several years of work experience in corporate work environments where he developed data analysis skills and survey research skills and is now a member of the Motivational Interviewing and Health Disparities research team at Northeastern University. While obtaining his master’s degree, Tunde interned at a community mental health agency that supported group home and foster care residents, as well as in a private practice setting. He has worked on research studies investigating on-campus online Recovery programs, and sense of community in online education. His primary research interests include health disparities across ethnic minority populations and using innovative statistical methods for predicting mental health outcomes. He is also interested in positive psychology and strength-oriented mental health practices.
Janelle Alabiso
received her MA in counseling psychology from Boston College in 2012 and her BA in psychology from Boston University in 2008. She has co-authored several scientific posters and articles and has contributed to research projects on hoarding and OCD at Boston University; Tourette Syndrome, OCD and ADHD at Mass General Hospital; and substance abuse in a VA primary care setting at the Bedford VAMC. Additionally, she served as the project coordinator for the Safing Center, a clinic at the Bedford VAMC that focuses on intimate partner violence. Her current research and clinical interests include integrated behavioral healthcare and effective interventions and treatment for substance abuse. She is presently a graduate research assistant in Dr. Christina Lee’s Motivational Interviewing and Health Disparities Research Lab.
Rachel Berry
is a Ph.D. student in Counseling Psychology and a member of the APPEAR Research Team at Northeastern University. She received a B.A. in Art History from Davidson College (2008) and a M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Wake Forest University (2014). Prior to attending Northeastern, she worked as a Post-Masters Fellow in the NC State University Counseling Center in Raleigh, NC. Rachel’s primary research interests are the intersections of disordered eating and anxiety, control, self-concept, attachment patterns, and trauma. She is also interested in discourses around bodies and the psychological impact of fat shaming, beauty myths, and healthism.
Jenna Campagna
is a Ph.D. student in Counseling Psychology and a member of the Applied Psychology Program for Eating and Appearance Research (APPEAR) Lab at Northeastern University. She received a B.A. in Psychology from the College of the Holy Cross (2011) and a M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from Boston College (2016). Prior to beginning graduate school, Jenna worked as a psychometrist and clinical research assistant in the Pediatric Neuropsychology Department at Rhode Island Hospital. During that time, she administered neuropsychological test batteries and researched the impact of neurocognitive late effects of pediatric cancer on children and families, sleep habits in pediatric cancer survivors, and attention in children with epilepsy. Jenna completed a clinical practicum at Franciscan Children’s Hospital on the Community Based Acute Treatment (CBAT) Unit during her M.A. training and is currently completing her first doctoral practicum placement at the McLean Anxiety Mastery Program. Her primary research interests include the psychological impact of social media and pop culture on self-esteem, body satisfaction, disordered eating, and exercise behaviors in adolescent girls. She also has interest in the areas of health habits and body satisfaction in women, pediatric psychology, and trauma and attachment behaviors in children.
Elizabeth Cook
received an M.S. in Applied Psychology from University of Baltimore and an A.B. of Psychology, along with certificates in African-American Studies and Gender & Sexuality Studies, from Princeton University. Her primary interests pertain to social justice and the intersection of race and gender, specifically as they relate to Black women. Currently, she is active on several research teams exploring a range of topics, including racial micro aggressions among women of color and body image/appearance research. Elizabeth is currently working on her dissertation exploring internalized misogynoir among Black women.
Koriann Cox
received her master’s degree in mental health counseling and bachelor’s degree in forensic psychology from Seattle University. Her primary interests are resilience and comorbid mental health and addiction issues, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder and substance use disorders. Her secondary interests include homelessness, intimate partner violence, and issues within forensic populations. Her previous work has looked at homelessness in veterans with addiction, intimate partner violence in veterans with PTSD, and behavioral reinforcement to increase treatment engagement within forensic populations. She has worked previously for the Department of Veterans Affairs and conducted research within correctional and hospital settings. Previous clinical work has included positions within community agencies providing mental health and substance use treatment to legally-involved individuals, providing mental health support to formerly homeless and/or incarcerated individuals in a job retraining program, and working with individuals with severe mental illness and problematic sexual behaviors.
Hannah Doucette
received her M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi and her B.A. in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Hannah also spent several years working as a clinical research assistant and case manager in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Department at Rhode Island Hospital. Her clinical experience includes working with adolescents in a variety of settings, including the juvenile justice system and intensive treatment programs. Her research interests include interpersonal trauma exposure and risk-prevention among children and adolescents. Currently, Hannah’s research focuses on adolescent dating violence prevention, specifically parent-based interventions.
Russell DuBois
received an M.S. from Palo Alto University and a B.A. from University of California, San Diego. His primary interests are in the area of eating and appearance research and health psychology. His previous work has examined health and gender disparities and barriers to treatment in the VA healthcare system. He has held clinical positions working with adolescents and adults with a range of psychological and behavioral disabilities.
Laura Fischer
received a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Rhode Island and an M.S. in Psychology from Drexel University in Philadelphia. She has held positions across a variety of clinical, research, and community mental health settings, including the Center for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Her primary clinical and research interests include empirically supported treatments for anxiety disorders, mindfulness-based interventions, and the implications of intersecting identities for mental and physical health.
Sean Hallinan
received his BA in Psychology from Northeastern University and his MS in Mental Health Counseling from Suffolk. He has worked in a variety of treatment settings including group homes, homeless shelters, community treatment centers, psychiatric hospitals and emergency rooms. His clinical interests include homelessness, military personnel, and veterans. His research interests focus on technology and mental health – how mobile technology can be leveraged as a research and treatment tool.
Joan Hanania
received her Master of Arts and Master of Education degrees in Psychological Counseling from Teachers College, Columbia University. She completed her undergraduate studies in Psychology and Educational Psychology from McGill University. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, Joan worked at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and at an outreach outpatient community clinic. Additionally, she authored several journal articles and posters. Joan’s primary research and clinical interests include pediatric psychology, child and adolescent psychopathology, treatment outcomes, and health disparities.
Erik Hood
received an M.S. from Husson University (2015) and a B.A. from Bates College (2008). His primary research interests include understanding factors that influence unhealthy adolescent relationship behaviors such as in-person dating violence, cyber dating abuse, and unsafe sexual practices. He is also interested in understanding how parents exacerbate or protect teens from involvement in these unsafe activities. Prior to beginning at Northeastern, Erik worked in a variety of clinical and research settings including work with nontraditional college students returning to school, adults with intellectual disability maintaining independence in their community, and adult men mandated to specialized sexual offender treatment. Erik has also supported adolescents in an inpatient hospital, supported residential, and alternative high school settings.
Alice Lowy
received her M.A. in Psychology from Boston University in 2014 and her B.A. in Psychology and Spanish Literature from Kenyon College in 2008. Her previous clinical experience with court-mandated youth sparked an interest in examining treatment accessibility for underserved populations, as well as cultural influences on psychopathology. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies, she served as Program Administrator of a residential and partial treatment program for eating disorders, during which she oversaw program and staff development. She is primarily interested in evaluating current efforts toward eating disorder prevention for understudied populations, particularly regarding unique cultural risk factors and perceptions of health.
Madeline Manning
is a Ph.D. student in the Counseling Psychology program at Northeastern University. She received her B.A. in Psychology and Communications from Stonehill College (2015) and her M.A. in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine from Boston University School of Medicine (2017). Prior to enrollment at Northeastern, Madeline gained clinical experience at Franciscan Children’s Hospital Community Based Acute Treatment (CBAT) Unit and at Riverside Community Care Life Skills Center during her M.A. training, where she served as a mental health counselor to outpatient and residential patients ranging in age from 4 to 18 years old. While working towards her M.A., Madeline also worked as a clinical research assistant at the Pediatric Anxiety Research Clinic at Bradley Hospital for Children and the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Rhode Island Hospital, working with teens expressing suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Madeline’s primary research interests include exploring the protective factors that encourage resilience in children and adolescents, as well as integrating community and individual resilience to violence and trauma. Other interests of Madeline include the areas of pediatric psychology, pediatric anxiety, adolescent dating violence prevention.
Chantal Muse
received an M.A. from Chatham University and a B.A. from Duquesne University. Previously, she worked on a study examining how employment status effects the health and well-being of Sub-Saharan African women. Also, she held a clinical position at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic Acute Adult Trauma Unit and the Comprehensive Services and Recovery Unit. Her primary research and clinical interests are working with cancer patients, examining the patient-provider relationship, specifically the relationship between African-American women with breast cancer and white doctors, and health communication.
Mariana Nicholls
received an M.A. from Boston University School of Medicine in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine in 2016 and a B.A. from Florida State University in Psychology and Family and Child Sciences in 2014. Mariana is fluent in Spanish and her primary research interests include decreasing health disparities among the Latino/a population due to language barriers in clinical settings by researching culturally competent assessment tools. Additionally, she is interested in the immigrant population and the effects that acculturation stress has on the development of substance use and mental health concerns. Her previous work involved serving as a psychology intern at the South End Community Health Center providing bilingual outpatient psychotherapy and working in the Boston Medical Center Psychiatric Emergency Department providing bilingual crisis intervention.
Jennifer O’Flynn
is a Ph.D. candidate in Counseling Psychology at Northeastern University. She earned her Ed.M. in Human Development and Psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and her BA in Psychology from the University of Connecticut She has experience working in university, outpatient and inpatient clinical settings. Her primary research interests relate to eating disorder prevention, educating emerging adults about mental health issues, using motivational interviewing in non-clinical contexts and reducing barriers to professional help seeking in college-aged populations.
Lisa Rines-Toth
received her Master of Arts and Master of Education degrees in Psychological Counseling from Teachers College, Columbia University. She also holds a BA in English Literature from Columbia University. Prior to beginning her doctoral studies at Northeastern, Lisa worked at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital in New York City as a clinician in the psychiatric emergency department. Lisa’s primary research and clinical interests are in the general areas of integrated behavioral care, crisis intervention, addiction and mindfulness & yoga. Lisa currently works as a counselor in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston Medical Center.
Kaitlyn Schneider
received an M.S. from Villanova University and a B.S. from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Her primary research interests are in the areas of domestic violence, attachment, and trauma. Her previous work has explored the development of a rater-based method to measure secondary attachment strategies enacted within the maternal-fetal attachment relationship. She has also previously worked clinically with clients experiencing domestic violence.
Daniel Gittins Stone
received a BA in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston (2010), and an MA in Counseling from the Boston Graduate School of Psychoanalysis (2012). He recently completed a post-master’s fellowship at the Boston Institute for Psychotherapy, where he worked with children, families and school staff in the Boston Public School system. As a fellow, Daniel practiced individual and group counseling with children and adolescents, and co-created and implemented a collaborative student support system. His current research and clinical interests include integrated behavioral care and student support for high risk children and adolescents, and social emotional curriculum for school-aged children.
Peter Ward
received his MA in counseling psychology from Boston College in 2013 and his BA in psychology from the University of Delaware in 2007. Before starting doctoral study at Northeastern, Peter worked as a staff clinician at Habit OPCO Boston, a methadone clinic in Boston. Previously, Peter served as the behavioral health intern at the Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program. Additionally, he has worked as a research assistant at the Washington DC VA Medical Center, where he conducted research on PTSD in veterans returning from combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. His current research and clinical interests include innovative treatment approaches for opioid dependence, including psychotherapy integration with Medication-Assisted Treatments (MATs). Peter’s dissertation research focuses on measuring motivation in a sample of 300 adults in methadone treatment in Boston. Besides his interest in substance abuse research and treatment, Peter’s interests also include issues in counseling men, underserved populations, and studying interpersonal processes variables within the therapeutic alliance. He has served as a graduate research assistant in Dr. Christina Lee’s Motivational Interviewing and Health Disparities Research Lab and currently works as an adjunct instructor for two Northeastern courses in Counseling Psychology: “Counseling Theories and Practice” and “Mental Health and Counseling.” Last year, Peter’s Advanced Fieldwork experiences involved administering neuropsychological assessments at the Cognitive Neurology Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. This year, his fieldwork experience is at McLean Franciscan Hospital Unit 1, where he provides group and individual psychotherapy in an inpatient setting for adolescents and children in treatment for acute risk of harm and/or major mental illness. Peter is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Massachusetts.
Elda Zeko-Underwood
received her M.A. in Rehabilitation Counseling from Assumption College. Currently she is vice-president of Northeastern Counseling Psychology Graduate Organization (NCP-GO). Her previous professional experience include service provision in disability rights and research of factors that impact access to higher education for minority groups. As part of two faculty led research teams, her current interest lay in understanding the impact of microaggressions on intersections of gender, race and sexual orientation. She is also exploring patterns of adolescent dating violence. In addition, she has taught and continues to teach several undergraduate courses such as Introduction to Psychology as well as Human Relationships and Family.
Current Student Information
Goals & Competencies
Goal #1: To prepare graduates for the role of professional psychologists, to include advanced skill development in behavioral observations, interviewing, psychological assessment, counseling and treatment planning and practice, consultation, effective use of supervision and an understanding of and commitment to the profession’s ethical codes.
Objective 1A: Students will be exposed to various professional roles including student teaching, participation in research projects where they are mentored by faculty and mentor peers and/or junior colleagues.
Competency 1A1: Students will demonstrate a thorough understanding of their roles as clinicians.
Competency 1A2: Students will demonstrate a thorough understanding of their roles as educators.
Competency 1A3: Students will demonstrate a thorough understanding of their roles as community change agents ethically serving diverse populations and advocating for social justice.
Competency 1A4: Students will demonstrate a thorough understanding of their roles as researchers.
Goal #2: To foster understanding and application of the scientific basis of clinical practice in psychotherapy and clinical assessment
Objective 2A: Students will acquire an understanding of the biological, cognitive and affective, and social aspects of behavior.
Objective 2B: Students will acquire knowledge of the history and systems of psychology
Objective 2C: Students will acquire knowledge of empirical research regarding effective clinical practice, assessment, and interventions.
Objective 2D: Students will acquire knowledge of contemporary theories that explicate human behavior across the lifespan.
Objective 2E: Students will study current evidenced based practices in psychotherapy, psychological testing, and biological bases of clinical practice.
Objective 2F: Students will acquire knowledge and skills to implement evidence-based clinical interventions with diverse populations.
Competency 2A: Students will understand the regulation of biological and emotional functions of the nervous system.
Competency 2B: Students will understand the contribution of environmental factors to brain development, to the development of the mind, and to their functions.
Competency 2C: Students will understand theories and research with respect to clinical efficacy.
Competency 2D: Students will understand contemporary theories of human behavior from a lifespan developmental perspective.
Competency 2E1: Students will demonstrate a thorough understanding of current evidence based practices in psychotherapy, psychological testing, and the neuroscientific bases of clinical practice.
Competency 2E2: Students will develop the ability to select and apply evidence-based interventions and to assess progress and outcomes.
Competency 2F1: Students will demonstrate that they are familiar with outcome research for various intervention strategies.
Competency 2F2: Students will develop the ability to implement a wide range of developmental, preventive, remedial, and psychoeducational interventions, including psychotherapy, crisis management, consultation and dealing with emergency psychological/psychiatric situations with people across sources of difference.
Goal # 3: To produce graduates who possess advanced and applied research skills within an ecological perspective
Objective 3A: Students will be involved in course work on advanced and applied research skills. Objective 3B: Students will become proficient in reporting research findings.
Objective 3C: Students will be able to critically evaluate research from an ecological perspective.
Competency 3A1: Students will demonstrate competency in research design and data analysis related to health and illness using quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods models.
Competency 3A2: Students will be able to develop meaningful research questions, based upon theories and models in the scholarly research literature.
Competency 3A3: Students will be able to implement appropriate research design, methods, and statistical analyses, consistent with the research questions.
Competency 3A4: Students will understand advantages and disadvantages of various research designs, modes of inquiry, data collection methods, statistical procedures, and measurement concepts.
Competency 3B: Students will demonstrate the ability to report their research investigations appropriately, including knowledge of the socio-cultural contexts in the interpretation of the data.
Competency 3C1: Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate and critically assess the methodology of empirical research and the validity of research conclusions within a multicultural/ecological perspective.
Competency 3C2: Students will be able to integrate themselves in research projects on research teams that stress a multicultural/ecological perspective.
Competency 3C3: Students will successfully complete their dissertation proposals grounded within a multicultural/ecological perspective.
Goal # 4: To produce graduates who are committed to and demonstrate ethical practice as counseling psychologists.
Objective 4A: Students will learn through courses, mentoring, and supervision in the ethical codes of the profession.
Objective 4B: Student will learn through courses and supervised clinical experiences, local, state, and national laws affecting professional psychological practice.
Competency 4A: Students will become competent in understanding the codes of ethics and professional conduct of APA and develop a competent ethical decision-making process.
Competency 4B: Students will demonstrate understanding of the legal issues affecting practice and resolution of ethical/legal conflicts that may occur.
Goal #5: To produce graduates who are multiculturally competent across sources of difference, including race, ethnicity, gender, class, religion/spirituality, disability, and sexual orientation, in both clinical and research settings.
Objective 5A: Students will study, be mentored in, and be exposed to multicultural perspectives that stress the understanding of different worldviews and confronting forms of oppression.
Competency 5A1: Students will be able to integrate multiple worldviews and important historical and political positions in their clinical and research activities.
Competency 5A2: Students will be able to understand their own positions of privilege, related to race, gender, social class, ability, and/or sexual orientation and its effect on their work as professional psychologists.
Competency 5A3: Students will be able to integrate and actively advocate for the elimination of racism, sexism, class oppression, homophobia, ageism, and other forms of oppression.
Competency 5A4: Students will be able to conceptualize and advocate for social and economic justice as professional psychologists.
Goal # 6: To advance the field of counseling psychology using program strengths: (a) an interdisciplinary and interprofessional approach to clinical services provision and enhancement of the science of health promotion and health psychology; (b) stress on urban, community-based interventions using an ecological approach.
Objective 6A: Students will be exposed to interprofessional models of health promotion research within the Bouvé College of Health Sciences.
Objective 6B: Students will study the strengths and challenges facing urban populations and work within health promotion and prevention.
Competency 6A1: Students will develop an understanding of how health promotion research is conceptualized and undertaken by an interprofessional team.
Competency 6B1: Students will understand the unique challenges facing urban populations and work within settings that provide health promotion and prevention efforts with multicultural populations.
