The doctoral program in Clinical Psychology at American University reflects the scientist-practitioner model of training. The Clinical track within the Psychology doctoral program enables students to obtain intensive training in both research and applied clinical work. When a student enters our program, he/she is assigned to a faculty research mentor to begin learning about research design and methodology in areas of Psychology of interest to the student. This collaboration supports students' development of research questions that lead to thesis and dissertation projects. Faculty supervise students on topics such as Affective and Motivational Processes in Depression, Anxiety Disorders, African-American issues, Eating Disorders, Cognitive Assessment and Therapy, Smoking, Drug Expectancies, Child Clinical Issues, Sports Psychology, and Human Services Program Evaluation. We also equally emphasize clinical training. Beginning in the first semester of the program, students participate in an experiential psychotherapy practicum and receive supervision on their videotaped psychotherapy sessions with clients from the University Counseling Center; in the second and third years of the program, students participate in psychotherapy practica based on the object relations and cognitive behavioral theoretical traditions. The program's psychological assessment sequence also begins in the first year of the program.
We are excited for you to review, below, information about the specifics of our faculty, students, curriculum, and labs. Our Department is a vital, interactive place. Students have a lot of access to faculty, input into Department decision making, and opportunities to gain expertise in research and clinical skills within the Department and in the Washington area research and clinical community.
The Clinical program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association Committee on Accreditation (COA) and has been accredited since 1972. COA is part of the Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation (OPCA). OPCA contact information is as follows: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street, NE • Washington , DC • 20002-4242
Phone: 202-336-5979 • TDD/TTY: 202-336-6123
Fax: 202-336-5978 Email: apaaccred@apa.org
http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/
