Students develop a broad knowledge of scientific psychology.
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Students demonstrate competency in the area of clinical psychology through the synthesis and integration of assessment, psychotherapy, and research.

Students demonstrate through a written, comprehensive examination their ability to integrate the areas of clinical psychology.

The goal is for a minimum of 90% of students to pass comprehensive examination in their first attempt. The comprehensive exam is designed to have the students integrate materials and areas to which they have been exposed over their graduate training careers in the Department. The comprehensive examination consists of a Capstone: Psychotherapy Case Study and a Capstone: Assessment Case Study. On the Psychotherapy Case Study, student responses are rated as either poor, fair, good, or excellent on the following categories: Informed Consent; Presenting Problem, Assessment of Presenting Problem; Reasoning for Working Hypothesis; Related Research; Treatment Plan DSM-IV Diagnosis; Treatment Plan Client Strengths; Treatment Plan Client Weaknesses; Treatment Plan Measurable Goals in Collaboration with Client; Treatment Plan Approximate Duration; If Continued Treatment is Recommended-Suggestions for New Therapist; Current Treatment and Client Response. For the Assessment Case Study, student responses are rated as poor, good or excellent on the following categories: Reason for Assessment; Tests Administered; Concerns in Background; Testing Observations Strengths/Weaknesses; WISC-IV Scoring; SISC-IV Client Strengths; WISC-IV Client Weaknesses; WISC-IV Summary; WJ-IIII-ACH Scoring; WJ-III-ACH Strengths; WJ-III-ACH Weaknesses; WJ-III-ACH Summary; Evaluation Summary/Recommendations. Copies of the Evaluation Forms are attached. A minimum score of 80 is required to pass. Scoring and ratings are performed by a committee of faculty each of whom has expertise in a particular area, e.g., psychotherapy, assessment, etc.

Ten students in the MA Clinical program took comprehensive examinations. All (100%) of the students passed on the first attempt.

The criterion was met and we are happy with the results. To ensure that we continue to progress on this objective, we will meet, periodically and frequently, with the second-year MA students, individually and as a group, to stress the importance of preparing for the examination and to give them strategies that will increase their probability of passing on the initial taking of the test.

Students develop effective psychotherapy skills.

Students demonstrate competency in effective psychotherapy skills.

MA Clinical faculty will assess student performance with respect to psychotherapy skills on the comprehensive exams.

On the Comprehensive Examination there is a "Psychotherapy Skills" portion. Criterion is that 100% of the students taking that section of the exam score at least an 80 which is "Acceptable."

Please note an uploaded protocol (Attachment) under the previous goal.

MA Clinical faculty rated each student (100%) having taking the portion of the comprehensive exam at an acceptable level.  A weakness that emerged during the oral examinations was arriving at a reasonable diagnosis given the characteristics presented, particularly in the area of personality disorders.

Again, criterion was met, although we will continue to monitor the courses in which students glean and hone their psychotherapy skills to maintain a high level of performance. As stated in the previous goal, we will meet, periodically and frequently, with the first and second-year students, individually and as a group, to stress the importance of these skills.

Students demonstrate skills to conduct original research and appropriate statistical analyses.

Students will produce original research.

67% of the students will be engaged in an active research program. Typically, the nature of the involvement will be working under the mentorship of a faculty member with a functioning and on-going research program. Students will be encouraged to design and propose their own research projects based upon training given by the mentor.

There were (May 2010) or will be (August 2010) ten graduates in the MA-Clinical Program. Eight students completed or are in the midst of completing their theses. Thus, 8/10 graduates have demonstrated research competence through designing a study, collecting and analyzing data, and preparing the final project. Two of the students chose the Non-Thesis Option. Of those two students, one collected data under the mentorship of an experimental (social psychology) faculty member and both have successfully completed the Advanced Research Methods course offered in the Program.

Criterion was met. There is some concern among the faculty that the bar was set too low and that we should expect a minimum of 80% of our MA Clinical students to be engaged in research. Therefore, for the next academic year we have adopted the higher criterion of 80%.