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 an oral 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.

Sixteen of sixteen (100%) students in the MA Clinical program who took comprehensive exams passed them on the first attempt.

Criterion was met. The strategy we adopted this year was to integrate the comprehensive examination with a capstone practicum course. This way the students were constantly aware of our expectations and kept up to date about the expectations concerning performance on the comprehensive examination.

Students develop effective psychotherapy and assessment 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 assessment section of this document.

MA Clinical faculty rated each student (100%) having taken the portion of the comprehensive exam under the title "Psychotherapy Skills" at an acceptable level.  The most prevalent weakness identified was poor diagnosis skills especially associated with the axes system.

Criterion was met. We will, though, as a department faculty continue to assess the courses in which student hone their psychotherapy skills to strive for ever higher levels of performance. We will also meet with the students to stress the importance of these skills and with the supervisors to guarantee that these skills are being developed in each student.

Additionally, the department chair will be in contact with instructors of the Psychopathology course to stress diagnostic criteria and diagnosis using the DSM axes system.