Welcome to the Clinical program's webpage, where you'll find information on Auburn’s training opportunities in clinical psychology. These opportunities include specialized curriculum, research training resources and clinical practica. Additionally, you will find information on internship outcomes, full disclosure data, and program faculty.
About the Program
Auburn's scientist-practitioner program in clinical psychology first received accreditation status from the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1981. Our last accreditation visit was held in 2019, and we were awarded the maximum accreditation period of 10 years (until 2029). Questions related to the program's accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 336-5979
E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org
Website
Students in our doctoral clinical program receive didactic and experiential training in scientific research, clinical practice (clinical assessment and intervention), and teaching. All students complete a core set of broad and general as well as clinical coursework and have opportunities to work with a broad range of clients. The theoretical orientations of the clinical faculty range across a variety of perspectives with an emphasis on cognitive-behavioral views. For this reason, the program exposes students to a range of supervision experiences so that the students will be prepared to choose a theoretical orientation that will be most useful in their future careers.
Additional information on the clinical program can be found in the program handbook.
Research Training
Throughout their training, students participate in research in order to develop a firm understanding of the research methods used to study the critical problems that face clinical psychologists. Faculty research labs engage in research that spans a variety of areas important in understanding brain functioning and behavior across both laboratory and applied settings.
Graduate students work closely with faculty members to advance their own research interests. Students also have the opportunity to participate in grant writing, publish research, and present at professional conferences.
Clinical Practice
Graduate students take courses that are oriented to introducing them to the conceptual foundations of psychology and to psychopathology, assessment, and treatment. Thus, the graduate program in clinical psychology at Auburn University stresses the importance of a strong empirical basis for applied clinical work. Students also participate in a number of campus and community-based practicum positions to gain clinical training. In this way, the program maintains a commitment to the scientist- practitioner model for graduate education in clinical psychology.
Teaching
The teaching of psychology is a key aspect of the program’s doctoral training. Graduate students have opportunities to serve as graduate teaching assistants for faculty-led courses or as instructors of record for their own courses.
Program Goals
Informed by the above training philosophy and model, the program is designed to have all students obtain the following competencies :
I. Research
Demonstrate the substantially independent ability to formulate research or other scholarly activities (e.g., critical literature reviews, dissertation, efficacy studies, clinical case studies, theoretical papers, program evaluation projects, program development projects) that are of sufficient quality and rigor to have the potential to contribute to the scientific, psychological, or professional knowledge base.
Conduct research or other scholarly activities.
Critically evaluate and disseminate research or other scholarly activity via professional publication and presentation at the local (including the host institution), regional, or national level.
II. Ethical and legal standards
Be knowledgeable of and act in accordance with the current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.
Be knowledgeable of and act in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels.
Be knowledgeable of and act in accordance with relevant professional standards and guidelines.
Recognize ethical dilemmas as they arise, and apply ethical decision-making processes in order to resolve the dilemmas.
Conduct self in an ethical manner in all professional activities.
III. Individual and cultural diversity
Demonstrate an understanding of how your own personal/cultural history, attitudes, and biases may affect how you understand and interact with people different from yourself.
Demonstrate knowledge of the current theoretical and empirical knowledge base as it relates to addressing diversity in all professional activities including research, training, supervision/consultation, and service.
Demonstrate the ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles (e.g., research, services, and other professional activities). This includes the ability to apply a framework for working effectively with areas of individual and cultural diversity not previously encountered over the course of you career. Also included is the ability to work effectively with individuals whose group membership, demographic characteristics, or worldviews create conflict with your own.
Demonstrate the requisite knowledge base, ability to articulate an approach to working effectively with diverse individuals and groups, and apply this approach effectively in their professional work.
IV. Professional values and attitudes
Behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology, including integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others.
Engage in self-reflection regarding one’s personal and professional functioning; engage in activities to maintain and improve performance, well-being, and professional effectiveness.
Actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision.
Respond professionally in increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence as you progress across levels of training.
V. Communication and interpersonal skills
Develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals, including colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervisees, and those receiving professional services.
Produce and comprehend oral, nonverbal, and written communications that are informative and well-integrated; demonstrate a thorough grasp of professional language and concepts.
Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to manage difficult communication well.
VI. Assessment
Demonstrate current knowledge of diagnostic classification systems, functional and dysfunctional behaviors, including consideration of client strengths and psychopathology.
Demonstrate understanding of human behavior within its context (e.g., family, social, societal and cultural).
Demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge of functional and dysfunctional behaviors including context to the assessment and/or diagnostic process.
Select and apply assessment methods that draw from the best available empirical literature and that reflect the science of measurement and psychometrics; collect relevant data using multiple sources and methods appropriate to the identified goals and questions of the assessment as well as relevant diversity characteristics of the service recipient.
Interpret assessment results, following current research and professional standards and guidelines, to inform case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations, while guarding against decision making biases, distinguishing the aspects of assessment that are subjective from those that are objective.
Communicate orally and in written documents the findings and implications of the assessment in an accurate and effective manner sensitive to a range of audiences.
VII. Intervention
Establish and maintain effective relationships with the recipients of psychological services.
Develop evidence-based intervention plans specific to the service delivery goals.
Implement interventions informed by the current scientific literature, assessment findings, diversity characteristics, and contextual variables.
Demonstrate the ability to apply the relevant research literature to clinical decision making.
Modify and adapt evidence-based approaches effectively when a clear evidence-base is lacking.
Evaluate intervention effectiveness, and adapt intervention goals and methods consistent with ongoing evaluation.
VIII. Supervision
Demonstrate knowledge of supervision models and practices.
Application of knowledge of supervision in direct of simulated practice with psychology trainees, or other health professionals.
IX. Consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills
Demonstrate knowledge and respect for the roles and perspectives of other professions.
Demonstrates knowledge of consultation models and practices.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Tracy Witte, Director of Clinical Training
tkw0005@auburn.edu
"Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution and employer, holding that every person has worth as an individual and is entitled to dignity and respect. It is the policy of Auburn University to provide educational and employment opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, or veteran status."
Auburn University Office of the Provost
The Department of Psychological Sciences doctoral clinical program at Auburn University adheres strictly to this university policy. Furthermore, our clinical program is deeply committed to fostering a learning environment that supports cultural and individual differences and diversity.