Graduate Catalog 2023-2024

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:

  1. Minimum GRE scores of 142 Verbal, 142 Quantitative, and 4.0 Analytic Writing1 
  2. 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
  3. Three letters of recommendation from professionals attesting to the applicant’s potential for success in the program
  4. Personal statement describing professional interests, expectations for the degree, and career goals
  5. Resume or curriculum vita
  6. Psychology Department application
  7. 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:

  1. Minimum GRE scores of 142 Verbal, 142 Quantitative, and 4.0 Analytic Writing1 
  2. 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
  3. Three letters of recommendation from professionals attesting to the applicant’s potential for success in the program
  4. Personal statement describing professional interests, expectations for the degree, and career goals
  5. Resume or curriculum vita
  6. Psychology Department application form
  7. 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:

  1. Minimum GRE scores of 142 Verbal, 142 Quantitative, and 4.0 Analytic Writing.1 
  2. 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.
  3. Three letters of recommendation from professionals attesting to the applicant’s potential for success in the program
  4. Personal statement describing professional interests, expectations for the degree, and career goals.
  5. Resume or curriculum vita.
  6. Psychology Department application
  7. 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 School Admission

Please refer to the admission section of this catalog for Graduate School admission requirements.

Program Requirements (48, 51, or 96 hours)

Clinical Psychology (BA/BS to PsyD) Concentration (96 hours)

Required Courses
EDFN 500Research Methods3
EDFN 501Educational Statistics3
PSY 511Psychology of Learning3
PSY 520Individual Differences and Human Diversity3
PSY 541Professional Issues and Ethics in Psychology3
PSY 560Assessment of Individual Intellectual Functioning:Theories and Issues3
PSY 562Practicum in Psychological Assessment3
PSY 640Psychopathology3
PSY 641Theories of Psychotherapy3
PSY 646Social Psychology for Applied Practice3
PSY 651Clinical Neuropsychology for Applied Psychologist3
PSY 660Assessment of Personality and Socio-Emotional Functioning3
PSY 662Practicum in Psychology3
PSY 592Psychology Internship3
PSY 590Readings 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 515How Adults Change3
or CNS 557 Human and Family Development in Counseling
EDFN 740Intermediate Statistics and Design3
or EDFN 744 Seminar in Advanced Research Methods
PSY 561Advanced Assessment in Educational Settings3
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 CNS 654
or SWRK 623 Social Work Clinical Assessment and Intervention
PSY 642Clinical Interviewing and Psychotherapy3
PSY 701History and Systems of Applied Psychology3
PSY 741Family Systems in Therapy3
or CNS 588 Family Systems Counseling
PSY 751Clinical Psychopharmacology3
PSY 777Foundations of Supervision3
PSY 791Advanced Psychology Practice3
PSY 799Dissertation in Psychology6
PSY 801The Profession of Clinical Psychology3
PSY 862Advanced Psychotherapy Interventions3
PSY 877Advanced Clinical Supervision3
PSY 895Pre-Doctoral Internship6
Total Hours96

Clinical Concentration (MA to PsyD) (48 hours)

Required Courses
ADED 515How Adults Change3
or CNS 557 Human and Family Development in Counseling
EDFN 740Intermediate Statistics and Design3
or EDFN 744 Seminar in Advanced Research Methods
PSY 561Advanced Assessment in Educational Settings3
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 CNS 654
or SWRK 623 Social Work Clinical Assessment and Intervention
PSY 642Clinical Interviewing and Psychotherapy3
PSY 701History and Systems of Applied Psychology3
PSY 741Family Systems in Therapy3
or CNS 588 Family Systems Counseling
PSY 751Clinical Psychopharmacology3
PSY 777Foundations of Supervision3
PSY 791Advanced Psychology Practice3
PSY 799Dissertation in Psychology6
PSY 801The Profession of Clinical Psychology3
PSY 862Advanced Psychotherapy Interventions3
PSY 877Advanced Clinical Supervision3
PSY 895Pre-Doctoral Internship6
Total Hours48

School Psychology Concentration (51 hours)

Required Courses
ADED 515How Adults Change3
or CNS 557 Human and Family Development in Counseling
EDFN 740Intermediate Statistics and Design3
or EDFN 744 Seminar in Advanced Research Methods
PSY 520Individual Differences and Human Diversity3
PSY 640Psychopathology3
PSY 701History and Systems of Applied Psychology3
PSY 741Family Systems in Therapy3
or CNS 588 Family Systems Counseling
PSY 751Clinical Psychopharmacology3
PSY 777Foundations of Supervision3
PSY 785Doctoral Seminar in School Psychology3
PSY 791Advanced Psychology Practice3
or PSY 792 Advanced Practicum in School Interventions
PSY 799Dissertation in Psychology6
PSY 895Pre-Doctoral Internship6
Specialization
Select a specialization option9
Therapies and Interventions with Children
Play Therapy
Advanced Play Therapy
Expressive Arts Techniques in Counseling
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 Hours51