Coursework: Clinical PhD Program, San Diego

Schedule for Classes

Classes are held both during the day and evenings Monday through Friday. They typically meet once a week for 3-hours. The program operates on a semester system, with 16-week semesters starting in September, January, and a shortened summer semester starting in June.

Competency Exams

Students must also pass five competency examinations prior to being advanced to PhD candidacy. These are offered three times throughout the year and are usually completed by the third year. 

• Developmental Psychology
• Methodology (Statistics, Design, and Measurement)
• Biological Bases of Behavior
• Theories of Personality
• Social Bases of Behavior

Personal Development

Over a minimum of 2 semesters, students are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours towards their personal growth experience. This can be fulfilled through participation in individual or group psychotherapy with a licensed therapist (i.e., MD, PhD, or PsyD), attendance at APA or MCEP credit workshops or conferences, authoring or co-authoring a publication (up to 10 hours), or completing multicultural competency experiences at another institution. Approval of these options is procured through the Clinical PhD program office.  

Coursework 

Based on one’s academic and professional background and differing needs or full-time or extended programs, the exact sequencing of the coursework and professional training experiences may vary.  Also, summer courses are routinely offered for all year levels.  It is expected that the least amount of time possible to complete the PhD program from graduate level entry will be five years.  In addition, the program sequencing and requirements differ somewhat in the Health and Family Child Track.  Students must pass competency and writing proficiency examinations as partial fulfillment of the requirements for admission to doctoral candidacy. A master's degree is available upon written request after the second year of the program and after all required courses in the first and second years (and a total of at least 60 units) have been completed. A minimum of 150 units is required for the PhD degree. Curriculum requirements are subject to change and vary to some extent with the Health and Family Tracks.

Each student will be required to complete the following components of the clinical PhD program:

First Year

• PSY 6140 Developmental Psychology (3 units) or
• PSY 6101  Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior (3 units)
• PSY 6524 Theories of Personality Pathology and Psychotherapy: Psychoanalytic (3 units)
• PSY 6525 Theories of Personality Pathology and Psychotherapy: Behavioral & Cogntive-Behavioral (3 units)
• PSY 6520 Introduction to Psychotherapy (2 units)
• PSY 6521 Introduction to Psychotherapy Practicum (1 unit)
• PSY 6523 Psychopathology (3 units)
• PSY 6129 Multicultural Competency Development (3 units)
• PSY 6501 Intellectual Assessment (3 units)
• PSY 6502 Practicum in Intelligence testing (1 unit)
• PSY 6021, 6022 Advanced Statistics I & II (3 units, 3 units)
• PSY 6034 Research Practicum (3 units)
• PSY6003 PhD Program Meeting (0 units, 0 units)

Second Year

• PSY 6105 Biological Aspects of Behavior (2 units)
• PSY 6112 Social Bases of Behavior (3 units)
• PSY 6503, 6504 Foundations of Assessment: Personality I (Objective) & II (Projective/Performance)  (3 units, 3 units)
• PSY 6513 Personality Assessment II: Practicum (1 unit)
• PSY 7550 Practicum I in Professional Psychology (5 units, 5 units)
• PSY 7551 Practicum in Consultation/Ethics (1.5 units, 1.5 units)
• PSY 6023 Principles of Research Design (3 units)
• PSY 7010 Foundations of Measurement (3 units)
• PSY 8990 PhD Doctoral Dissertation Research/Design/Seminar (1 unit)

Advanced Training, Years 3 through 5, Dissertation and Internship.

After the second year, students take upper level courses, and focus on their dissertation research and internship clinical training.  There are two plans, the recommended Plan A with a full-time APA internship and Plan B, which incorporates two, half-time local internships at a local agency, coordinate by the Professional Training Office.  These year-level plans are listed below.

18 Units of Elective Requirements to be Completed in Years 3 through 5:

All students, following either Plan A or B are required to complete:

• 6 Units of Therapy Electives.  Eligible courses include PSY 7501, PSY 7503, PSY 7602, or PSY 7604.);
•  12 Units of General or Emphasis Area Electives. Any course offered by San Diego Alliant doctoral clinical programs that qualify.  Doctoral courses from other departments or campuses can be submitted for pre-approval to meet this requirement.  Most students take these units in courses offered with emphasis areas and tracks; and
• 3 units of an Advanced Cultural Psychology Course.

Third Year – Plan A
(Full-time Internship in 5th Year)

• PSY 8551 Clinical Consultation Group/First Year (1.5 units, 1.5 units)
• PSY 9581 First Half-Time Internship (6 units, 6 units)
• PSY 8990 PhD Doctoral Dissertation Research/Design/Seminar (5 units, 5 units)
• Fourth Year – Plan A
• PSY 8990 PhD Doctoral Dissertation Research/Design/Seminar (5 units, 5 units)
• PSY 7156 Psychopharmacology (2 units)
• PSY 7565 Advanced Ethics and Professional Issues (2 units)
• PSY 8514 Supervision Practicum (2 units; Required of all students entering in the Fall 2003 or later)

Fifth Year – Plan A

• PSY 8990 PhD Doctoral Dissertation Research/Design/Seminar (5 units, 5 units)
• PSY 9585 Full-Time Internship (7.5 units, 7.5 units)

Third Year – Plan B
(Half-time Internships in 4th and 5th Years)

• PSY 7161 Cultural Psychology – Delivery of Psychological Services (3 units)
• PSY 8990 PhD Doctoral Dissertation Research/Design/Seminar (5 units, 5 units)

Fourth Year – Plan B

• PSY 7565 Advanced Ethics and Professional Issues (2 units)
• PSY 8990 PhD Doctoral Dissertation Research/Design/Seminar (5 units, 5 units)
• PSY 9581 First Half-Time Internship (6 units, 6 units)
• PSY 8551 Clinical Consultation Group/First Year (1.5 units, 1.5 units)
• PSY 8514 Supervision practicum (2 units; Required of all students entering in the Fall 2003 or later)

Fifth Year – Plan B

• PSY 8552 Clinical Consultation Group/Second Year (1.5 units, 1.5 units)
• PSY 8990 PhD Doctoral Dissertation Research/Design/Seminar (5 units. 5 units)