Applied Psychology, Doctor of Psychology (0476)
Department website: http://www.wku.edu/psychology/
Program Coordinator
Robert K. Welsh, robert.welsh@wku.edu
The Doctor of Psychology in Applied Psychology provides knowledge and skills for its graduates to become effective change agents within community, therapeutic, educational, and education-related environments. The program is designed to prepare scholarly practitioners whose program content and experiences emphasize application to the real world.
The Psy.D. in Applied Psychology prepares students to:
• Function as competent practitioner/scholars, skilled in developing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based practices, particularly for rural and other under-served populations, in their chosen area of concentration;
• Provide ethical, competent, and professional supervision of psychological practice in their communities of practice; and
• Contribute to the practice and scholarship of psychology, consistent with the practitioner/scholar model, with the capacity to review scholarly literature, effectively integrate it with practice considerations, and evaluate outcomes.
Concentration(s)
- Clinical Psychology (BA/BS to PsyD)
- Clinical Psychology (MA to PsyD)
- School Psychology
Program Admission
Clinical Psychology (BA/BS to PsyD) Concentration
Program admission is based on a comprehensive evaluation of a candidate’s application file and an interview. Applicants must submit:
- Minimum GRE scores of 142 Verbal, 142 Quantitative, and 4.0 Analytic Writing1
- Undergraduate transcript of an earned undergraduate degree with a minimum of 18 hours of psychology coursework including statistics or research methods (3 hrs), abnormal (preferred) or personality psychology (3 hrs) with a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 and 3.00 in psychology coursework
- Three letters of recommendation from professionals attesting to the applicant’s potential for success in the program
- Personal statement describing professional interests, expectations for the degree, and career goals
- Resume or curriculum vita
- Psychology Department application
- Criminal background check
Clinical Psychology (MA to PsyD) Concentration
Program admission is based on a comprehensive evaluation of a candidate’s application file and an interview. Applicants must submit:
- Minimum GRE scores of 142 Verbal, 142 Quantitative, and 4.0 Analytic Writing1
- Graduate transcript of an earned master’s degree or higher in clinical psychology or a related field with a minimum graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.50
- Three letters of recommendation from professionals attesting to the applicant’s potential for success in the program
- Personal statement describing professional interests, expectations for the degree, and career goals
- Resume or curriculum vita
- Psychology Department application form
- Criminal background check
School Psychology Concentration
Program admission is based on a comprehensive evaluation of a candidate’s application file and an interview. Applicants must submit:
- Minimum GRE scores of 142 Verbal, 142 Quantitative, and 4.0 Analytic Writing.1
- Graduate transcript of an earned specialist’s degree in school psychology or a related field with a minimum graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.50.
- Three letters of recommendation from professionals attesting to the applicant’s potential for success in the program
- Personal statement describing professional interests, expectations for the degree, and career goals.
- Resume or curriculum vita.
- Psychology Department application
- Criminal background check
- 1
In lieu of the GRE scores, applicants may submit a portfolio that includes evidence of at least five years’ successful practice in the field and evidence of managerial/supervision experience or superlative practice.
Based on review of the application file, interviews will be held with viable candidates to assess compatibility with program goals and objectives. Additionally, student transcripts will be evaluated and deficient coursework may be required.Deficiencies will be denoted on the program of study.
Graduate Studies Admission
Please refer to the admission section of this catalog for Graduate Studies admission requirements.
Program Requirements (48, 51, or 96 hours)
Clinical Psychology (BA/BS to PsyD) Concentration (96 hours)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| EDFN 500 | Research Methods | 3 |
| EDFN 501 | Educational Statistics | 3 |
| PSY 511 | Psychology of Learning | 3 |
| PSY 520 | Individual Differences and Human Diversity | 3 |
| PSY 541 | Professional Issues and Ethics in Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 560 | Assessment of Individual Intellectual Functioning:Theories and Issues | 3 |
| PSY 562 | Practicum in Psychological Assessment | 3 |
| PSY 640 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSY 641 | Theories of Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSY 646 | Social Psychology for Applied Practice | 3 |
| PSY 651 | Clinical Neuropsychology for Applied Psychologist | 3 |
| PSY 660 | Assessment of Personality and Socio-Emotional Functioning | 3 |
| PSY 662 | Practicum in Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 592 | Psychology Internship | 3 |
| PSY 590 | Readings of Research Psychology (and 3 hour PSY elective) | 6 |
| or PSY 599 | Thesis Research | |
| MA Psychology awarded upon successful completion of the 48 hours of required courses above. | ||
| ADED 515 | How Adults Change | 3 |
| or CNS 557 | Human and Family Development in Counseling | |
| EDFN 740 | Intermediate Statistics and Design | 3 |
| or EDFN 744 | Seminar in Advanced Research Methods | |
| PSY 561 | Advanced Assessment in Educational Settings | 3 |
| or PSY 643 | Academic Assessment and Intervention | |
| or PSY 647 | Addictions: Assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning | |
| or PSY 766 | Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder | |
| or CNS 552 | Testing and Assessment in Counseling | |
| or CNS 567 | Mental Health Diagnosis and Treatment in Counseling | |
| or SWRK 623 | Social Work Clinical Assessment and Intervention | |
| PSY 642 | Clinical Interviewing and Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSY 701 | History and Systems of Applied Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 741 | Family Systems in Therapy | 3 |
| or CNS 588 | Family Systems Counseling | |
| PSY 751 | Clinical Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| PSY 777 | Foundations of Supervision | 3 |
| PSY 791 | Advanced Psychology Practice | 3 |
| PSY 799 | Dissertation in Psychology | 6 |
| PSY 801 | The Profession of Clinical Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 862 | Advanced Psychotherapy Interventions | 3 |
| PSY 877 | Advanced Clinical Supervision | 3 |
| PSY 895 | Pre-Doctoral Internship | 6 |
| Total Hours | 96 | |
Clinical Concentration (MA to PsyD) (48 hours)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ADED 515 | How Adults Change | 3 |
| or CNS 557 | Human and Family Development in Counseling | |
| EDFN 740 | Intermediate Statistics and Design | 3 |
| or EDFN 744 | Seminar in Advanced Research Methods | |
| PSY 561 | Advanced Assessment in Educational Settings | 3 |
| or PSY 643 | Academic Assessment and Intervention | |
| or PSY 647 | Addictions: Assessment, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning | |
| or PSY 766 | Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder | |
| or CNS 552 | Testing and Assessment in Counseling | |
| or CNS 567 | Mental Health Diagnosis and Treatment in Counseling | |
| or SWRK 623 | Social Work Clinical Assessment and Intervention | |
| PSY 642 | Clinical Interviewing and Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSY 701 | History and Systems of Applied Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 741 | Family Systems in Therapy | 3 |
| or CNS 588 | Family Systems Counseling | |
| PSY 751 | Clinical Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| PSY 777 | Foundations of Supervision | 3 |
| PSY 791 | Advanced Psychology Practice | 3 |
| PSY 799 | Dissertation in Psychology | 6 |
| PSY 801 | The Profession of Clinical Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 862 | Advanced Psychotherapy Interventions | 3 |
| PSY 877 | Advanced Clinical Supervision | 3 |
| PSY 895 | Pre-Doctoral Internship | 6 |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
School Psychology Concentration (51 hours)
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| ADED 515 | How Adults Change | 3 |
| or CNS 557 | Human and Family Development in Counseling | |
| EDFN 740 | Intermediate Statistics and Design | 3 |
| or EDFN 744 | Seminar in Advanced Research Methods | |
| PSY 520 | Individual Differences and Human Diversity | 3 |
| PSY 640 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSY 701 | History and Systems of Applied Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 741 | Family Systems in Therapy | 3 |
| or CNS 588 | Family Systems Counseling | |
| PSY 751 | Clinical Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| PSY 777 | Foundations of Supervision | 3 |
| PSY 785 | Doctoral Seminar in School Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 791 | Advanced Psychology Practice | 3 |
| or PSY 792 | Advanced Practicum in School Interventions | |
| PSY 799 | Dissertation in Psychology | 6 |
| PSY 895 | Pre-Doctoral Internship | 6 |
| Specialization | ||
| Select a specialization option | 9 | |
Therapies and Interventions with Children | ||
| Play Therapy | ||
| Advanced Play Therapy | ||
| Expressive Arts Techniques in Counseling | ||
or CNS 613 | Sandtray Techniques in Counseling | |
| OR | ||
Autism Spectrum Disorders | ||
| Assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder | ||
| Characteristics of Low Incidence Disorders | ||
| Social Skills Instruction & Behavioral Programming for Students with Disabilities | ||
| OR | ||
Educational Leadership | ||
Select three of the following | ||
| Fundamentals of School Administration | ||
| Seminar in Administration of Special Education | ||
| Special Education Law and Finance | ||
| Introduction to School Leadership | ||
| Strategic Planning in Education | ||
| Legal Issues for Professional Educators | ||
| Instructional Leadership | ||
| Total Hours | 51 | |