Completing the Program Partially Online: Advanced Standing Online Option for the Clinical PsyD Program in Fresno/Sacramento

The Advanced Standing Online Clinical Psychology PsyD Option offers a new method of completing requirements for the Clinical PsyD Program in Fresno/Sacramento. The option to complete the program partially online combines quality online teaching with face to face instruction in clinical skill development.

This partially online option is designed to retain CSPP’s high quality academic standards and recognize the experience and training of mental health professionals who hold a master’s degree prior to matriculation. 

Convenience for Working Clinicians Seeking to Advance their Careers

The program provides a doctoral opportunity to master's level clinicians  who are either licensed or certified in their field (e.g., LMFT, LCSW, and School Psychologist) and whose access to face-to-face doctoral training is limited by resource or geographical issues. One year of course work is transferred based upon previous graduate work and documented supervised clinical experience. The remaining three years of the Clinical PsyD program are structured with 30 units of online and 30 units of on-ground requirements in Fresno or Sacramento, and a full time internship in the final year. 

Online Year: Online Courses 

Having met the requirement of 30 units of transfer credit at admission, students become part of a learning community, which meets face to face four times during the academic year for purposes of orientation, community building, technology training and course initiation. An additional 30 units of core theoretical courses are offered in a web-based format online (e.g. History and Systems, Social Foundations, etc.). During this year, students attend online courses year round. 

Traditional Year: On-ground Courses in Fresno or Sacramento

The next thirty units are offered in traditional face-to-face format at the Fresno or Sacramento campus. This second year is comprised of courses that are less amenable to web-based learning and evaluation (e.g., Psychological Assessment and Psychotherapy courses). Students take these courses with all other Clinical PsyD students at the Fresno or Sacramento campuses. 

Internship Year

The final year of the program consists of placement in a full-time internship program. 

Accreditation

This option for completing the Clinical PsyD program partially online is currently approved by WASC and has been developed to meet APA accreditation criteria for distance learning, but is not yet accredited. APA’s accreditation policies require that students be enrolled in all year levels of the program option prior to application for accreditation so application for APA accreditation is scheduled to occur during the 2007-08 academic year.

Frequently Asked Questions

How will the program save me time and money?

Tuition and fees will be reduced by approximately $24,000 for the Clinical PsyD program, based on the 30 units of credit granted for demonstration of supervised clinical experience and transfer units from previous master’s degree coursework. Students may decide to continue to work full time during the online year, since the online courses allow students to complete the course requirements during evening hours or on the weekend.

How can I be assured of high quality instruction?

All instructors teaching in the Clinical PsyD program’s online option are core faculty members at the Fresno/Sacramento or San Francisco campuses. These are innovative and seasoned instructors with a desire to move into the newest technologies available. They were chosen for their content expertise and dedication to student learning. They also have full time commitments to CSPP and are dedicated to working as a team for the success of this program.

Will I get to know my instructors and other students?

Online instruction is not a “sit at home by yourself and learn in isolation” endeavor. It is a highly interactive medium, where students are required to communicate weekly with the instructor and other students, sharing ideas and expertise about the week’s topic. Faculty use discussion boards rather than chat rooms so students’ thoughts can be posted at any time and will remain available for others to respond to during the entire course. In addition, students will attend three meetings on the Fresno campus during the first year of instruction, meeting professors and fellow students, sharing social time and reviewing course requirements.

Do I have to move to Fresno or Sacramento or can I take the face to face courses at another CSPP/Alliant campus?

This option for completing the Clinical PsyD program partically online is only offered at the Fresno/Sacramento campus. Students may not take the courses at another campus.

Is this option accredited?

The program is approved by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). This approval grants students the right to sit for licensure in almost every state. Since this option will not be eligible for accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA) until students are attending all years of instruction, the accreditation process is scheduled for the 2008-09 academic year. While there are no guarantees, the associate program director has successfully completed three APA accreditation processes, one including distance learning strategies.

Can I do my internship in another country?

The Clinical Psychology PsyD program requires students to complete the internship requirement at an APA- CAPIC- or APPIC-approved internship site. Currently, these approved internships are offered only in the US and Canada.

Can I select an emphasis area?

Yes. Students selecting the option for completing the program partially online may select an emphasis area. Emphasis area coursework is in addition to the minimum course requirements and would, therefore, add units (time and tuition) to the program option.

How do I apply?

Submit an application to the Clinical Psychology PsyD program and select the online option in the Enrollment Information section of Form A. Please also review the special instructions for the online option.