School of Professional Psychology

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) Degree

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Why Choose Clinical Psychology?

The Doctor of Psychology degree is designed for individuals who have been educated for the professional practice of psychology. It is the degree awarded by most doctoral programs nationwide that emphasize training for practice.

Successful completion of the Psy.D. degree in the School of Professional Psychology meets educational requirements for the Psychology license/certification in Ohio as regulated by the Ohio Board of Psychology.

Licensure and certification requirements vary from state to state, and we have not determined if this program meets requirements outside of Ohio. If you are planning to pursue professional licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please contact the appropriate licensing entity (https://www.asppb.net/) in that state to seek information and guidance regarding that state’s licensure or certification requirements.

Clinical Psychology and the Practitioner Model of Training

We were among the first doctoral programs in the country to develop a practitioner model program and grant the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree. We were founded in 1978, accepted our first students in 1979, and have been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association since graduating from our charter class in 1982.

As a practitioner model program, we focus on training students for professional practice. Our educational and training goals are summarized in our Mission Statement. We are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation (CoA) of the American Psychological Association (APA).

For questions regarding accreditation, contact the APA at:

Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
(202) 336-5979
apaaccred@apa.org

A Focus on Generalist Training

Our educational philosophy explicitly emphasizes generalist training at the doctoral level. Accordingly, we have designed our coursework, clinical practica, and other educational experiences to give you broad exposure to theoretical models, clinical skills, and professional roles. We believe generalist education and training at the doctoral level best prepares students to meet the current and future challenges posed by changes in health care delivery while capitalizing on practice opportunities in the rapidly changing world of professional practice.

Within our generalist model of training, you will find opportunities to pursue interests and achieve added depth in selected areas of practice. Students may elect to pursue added depth in the following emphasis areas: child; health, rehabilitation, and neuropsychology; or forensic psychology.

Diversity and the Educational and Social Context

We devote ourselves to ensuring diversity throughout the program. Consistent with our mission, our focus is to recruit and retain a diverse community that is welcoming and inclusive.

Careers

Preparation for Careers in Today's World of Practice

The Wright State School of Professional Psychology (SOPP) has the resources, programs, and curricula to meet these needs, including:

Training

Our training in multiprofessional health care provides students opportunities for learning to collaborate with members of other health professions in multiprofessional health care. Many of our clinical placements offer students opportunities to work with staff from other professions. 

Applied Research, Program Development, and Program Evaluation

All practicing psychologists must be skilled "consumers" of applied and clinically relevant research and scholarship. Skilled "consumers" of research must know how to access clinical research databases and to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, and applicability of clinical and applied research and outcome studies. In addition, clinical psychologists are increasingly called upon to design and/or evaluate the efficacy of clinical interventions or treatment programs addressing a range of psychological and health-related issues.

At the School of Professional Psychology program at Wright State, students' need for training in research, program development, and program evaluation is met in a number of ways. The SOPP coursework covers statistics and experimental design, program evaluation, and grant writing. Clinical practicum experiences allow you to design innovative treatment programs or assist with outcome evaluation in existing programs. Many students devote their dissertations to researching and developing innovative treatment programs. Many SOPP faculty are engaged in applied research and scholarship and have developed innovative clinical intervention programs that give students opportunities to collaborate in such research.

Academics and Curriculum

The SOPP's curriculum has been organized around competency areas fundamental to the practice of psychology: research, ethical and legal standards, individual and cultural diversity, professional values, attitudes, and behaviors, communication and interpersonal skills, assessment, intervention, supervision, and consultation, interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills. SOPP students demonstrate mastery of the nine core competencies as they proceed through coursework and their clinical practicum training.

A Competency-Based Curriculum

The curriculum of the SOPP is organized around the profession-wide competency areas of the standards of accreditation from the American Psychological Association: research, ethical and legal standards, individual and cultural diversity, professional values, attitudes, and behaviors, communication and interpersonal skills, assessment, intervention, supervision, and consultation, interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills. 

SOPP students demonstrate mastery of these nine core competencies as they proceed through coursework and clinical practicum training. To be approved for an internship, SOPP students must demonstrate their competence in each of the areas in the Comprehensive Clinical Examination (CCE). 

View the Doctor of Psychology degree information and requirements in the Academic Catalog.  

Sample Curriculum

Admission

We practice a holistic application review process that considers the many unique qualities each applicant presents. In short, we work to assemble a class consistent with the mission of the school.

View the admission requirements and application process.

Resources and Support

Students with Disabilities

Wright State University offers a number of support services and a highly accessible campus for students with disabilities. On the main campus, several buildings are connected via a system of underground tunnels to help all students navigate the campus, particularly in inclement weather. 

University-Based Program

Our university-based doctoral program enables SOPP students to have access to all university facilities and activities. These include the library and student support services. In addition, as part of a university-based program, students may also participate in numerous sports. You can take advantage of the university's physical fitness center, indoor swimming pool, sauna facilities, and a gym equipped with free weights and the latest in cardiovascular fitness machines.

Tuition, Fees, and Financial Support

Wright State University is a state-supported university, therefore, our tuition and fees are modest when compared to those of other similar doctoral and professional programs in psychology. In addition, the SOPP will provide more student support to its students than most programs in the country. In recent years, the SOPP has provided assistance to its students in the form of scholarships of various kinds and stipends from some practicum sites.