Students in the Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program complete courses that satisfy APA broad and general knowledge requirements, general departmental core requirements, Master's and doctoral level research, and clinical program core requirements. Students may be encouraged to pursue additional coursework depending on their personal career goals and educational needs. When options within an area are available, courses should be selected in consultation with the major professor and program director. An empirical study is required for both the thesis and dissertation. Students must also successfully pass the General Doctoral Examination and complete an APA-approved clinical psychology internship program. Curricular requirements are subject to change but students retain the option of graduating under the curriculum that was in place at the time they initiated the program.
Courses
- PSYC 7110: Ethics and Problems in Scientific and Professional Psychology (1)
- PSYC 8310: Introduction to Clinical Ethics & Methods (3)
- PSYC 8300: Developmental Psychopathology (3)
- PSYC 8330: Cognitive Behavior Therapy(3)
- PSYC 8360: Assessment of Cognitive Abilities & Achievement (3)
- PSYC 8370: Foundations of Psychological Assessment (3)
- COUN 7330: Counseling Diverse Populations (3) OR PSYC 8970: Special Topics/Diversity in Clinical Psychology (3)
- PSYC 8910: Clinical Practicum (18; 3 semesters at 6 credits each)
- PSYC 7250: Clinical Research Methods & Ethics (3)
- PSYC 7270: Experimental Design in Psychology (4)
- PSYC 7280: Experimental Design in Psychology II (4)
- PSYC 7990: Research & Thesis (4)
- PSYC 8990: Research & Dissertation (10)
- PSYC 7100: History of Ideas in Psychology (3)
- PSYC 7150: Biological Psychology (3)
- PSYC 7160: Human Development (3) OR COUN 7310: Counseling Applications of Lifespan Development (3)
- PSYC 7180: Social Psychology (3)
- PSYC 7140: Learning & Conditioning (3) OR PSYC 7190: Cognitive Psychology (3)
In addition to above, students are required to complete two elective courses (> 6 credits), approved by their committee and DCT.
Examples of past courses
- PSYC 8970: Structural Equation Modeling for Applied Researchers
- PSYC 8970: Advanced Writing in Clinical Psychology
- PSYC 8970: Psychological Trauma
Course Sequence and Program Milestones Timeline
Clinical Sample Course Sequence
A figural time line of the major program milestones is provided here.
Exemption from Required Courses
Students may request exemption from specific required courses based upon the completion of similar graduate level work at Auburn or elsewhere. Approval of substitutions/exemptions is secured via an "Exemption from Departmental or Program Requirement" form signed by your major professor, program director, the teacher who most recently taught the course from which you seek exemption, and the department Chair. Students seeking this exemption must provide an official transcript showing completion of the course(s) upon which they are basing their exemption request and must demonstrate mastery of the required subject matter in a manner to be determined by the relevant faculty members.
Master's Degree
We do not offer a terminal Master's degree in Clinical Psychology. However, students in the doctoral program do complete and earn M.S. degree as part of the doctoral program. The Graduate School requires 30 hours of graduate level coursework for the Master's degree. Please consult the program's plan of study worksheet for specific courses required for this degree. The thesis must be an empirical study.
Exemption from the Master's Thesis
Students who enter the program with a Master's Degree and Master's Thesis from another program may request exemption from the thesis requirement. Students seeking such exemption should discuss it with the program director during their first semester in the program and should secure approval as soon as possible (but no later than the end of their second semester) via an "Exemption from Departmental or Program Requirement" form signed by their major professor, program director, and the Department Chair. Students seeking this exemption must provide an official transcript demonstrating that they earned the Master's degree and secured official approval of the thesis upon which they are basing their exemption request. The suitability of the thesis as a basis of exemption from our thesis requirement will be assessed in a manner to be determined by the relevant faculty members.
General Doctoral Examination
Each student must successfully pass the General Doctoral Examination. The exam consists of two parts: 1) Written Exam (either a Major Area Paper or Preliminary Examination), and 2) Oral defense of the written examination. Requirements are explained in greater detail on the graduate student administrative website.
Residency Requirement
The program requires of each student a minimum of three full-time academic years of graduate study and completion of an internship prior to awarding the degree. At least two of the three academic training years must be at Auburn University , and at least one year of which must be in full-time residence at the university.
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