Ph.D. Program in Clinical Psychology

The Ph.D. Program in Clinical Psychology is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). The program adheres to the scientist/practitioner model, and requires a number of clinical and research practica in addition to an extensive curriculum. This is a four-year plus internship, full-time program designed to prepare skilled psychologists who are capable of serving as clinicians, appreciative of the relationship between science and clinical practice, and capable of conducting sound research.

The scientist-practitioner orientation emphasizes academic content areas of psychology and views clinical training as growing directly out of foundations in psychological theory and research. It reflects the School's belief that a competent and effective clinician is best described as a scientist-practitioner, well-versed not only in clinical techniques and methods, but also in the theoretical and research-based underpinnings of various approaches.

As an expression of the scientist-practitioner model, the sequence of courses in the program emphasizes a thorough preparation in theoretical psychology and methodology. The sequence becomes the matrix against which students receive applied training in clinical psychology. For example, the first year of the program exposes students to a course in the theory of measurement prior to course work in intellectual assessment. Theoretical foundations in personality and psychopathology are explored prior to behavioral and personality assessment.

Concurrent with the work in assessment, students begin study of the traditional psychotherapies. The second year of course work expands students' knowledge of treatment procedures, specialized populations, and related topics. In addition, the student completes two semesters of statistics (research design and analysis) in the second year.

By the end of the third year, students are prepared to begin writing their dissertation. Each student selects a mentor from the faculty, and that mentor serves as chairperson of the student's dissertation committee. Adhering to the following guidelines, the chairperson and student select the remaining three members of the committee:

  • Two members must be full-time program faculty;

  • One member may be a doctoral-level faculty or professional from within or outside the University; and

  • All members are subject to the approval of the Program Director.

 

Research Practicum

All first, second- and third-year students participate in a research practicum of ongoing projects supervised by doctoral faculty members. The practicum requires approximately 10 hours a week. Research projects frequently culminate in the publication of articles in psychological journals and paper and poster presentations at APA, EPA and other professional meetings, with students in the doctoral program participating as authors and presenters.

Clinical Practica

All students participate in clinical practica while carrying a full load of course work. The practica vary according to the level of each student's experience. In general, first-year students entering the program with a B.A. degree begin their training at the school-affiliated Center for Psychological Services. They are supervised by full-time members of the doctoral faculty. Second-year students may be assigned to a practicum at a local hospital or mental health clinic, where they practice assessment and counseling skills under the supervision of a licensed Ph.D. clinical psychologist from the assigned institution or agency. Students in the second or third year may also be placed at the Center for Psychological Services under FDU faculty supervision. Third-year students may be placed at practicum sites in the New York metropolitan and New Jersey areas, where they conduct inpatient and/or outpatient psychotherapy under the supervision of a licensed Ph.D.-level clinical psychologist. Clinical practica require between 10 and 12 hours each week, and students are typically placed in over 10 sites in the NY metro/NJ areas. Efforts are made to assign students to practicum sites that reflect their particular interests.

The following is a partial sampling of practicum sites for FDU's Ph.D. Program in Clinical Psychology:

BERGEN REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER
Paramus, New Jersey
An inpatient and outpatient general hospital with a large psychiatric service and multi-level care facilities for a geriatric population.

REHABILITATION SPECIALISTS
Hawthorne, New Jersey
A community re-entry program for head-injured individuals with a specialized program for treatment of addictive behaviors in a head-injured population.

JERSEY CITY MEDICAL CENTER
Jersey City, New Jersey
An inpatient service for pediatric patients in need of critical care services, and who also have special neuron-developmental problems.

ESSEX COUNTY HOSPITAL
Cedar Grove, New Jersey
Providing inpatient diagnostic and treatment services for a varied psychiatric population.

NEW YORK UNIVERSITY - BELLEVUE HOSPITAL CENTER
New York, New York
Offering a full range of inpatient services to a varied ethnic population.

ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL
Paterson, New Jersey
Offering outpatient mental health services for individuals, families, and groups.

CENTER FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY
Hackensack, New Jersey
Featuring a full range of outpatient psychotherapy and psychological assessment for a wide range of outpatients. Special programs in anxiety disorders, child, adolescent and adult ADHD and LD, mental retardation, and play therapy - to mention a few.