Doctorate of Psychology, Clinical Forensic Psychology

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Doctorate of Psychology, Clinical Forensic Psychology

Admission Requirements 2

General Admission Requirements 2

Applicant Notification 2

Policies 3

Transfer of Credit 3

Waiver of Courses 3

Residency Requirement 3

Satisfactory Progress 3

Graduation Requirements 3

The Program 4

Philosophy 4

Ethical and Professional Behavior 4

Program Objectives 4

Clinical Forensic Psychology Program Competencies 4

Writing Assessment and Requirements 5

Forensic Competency Examinations (FCE) 6

The Doctorate in Clinical Forensic Psychology Curriculum 9

California Licensure Track Requirements 9

Clinical Forensics Course Descriptions Do not know course numbers or other changes 10

Full Time Traditional Fall Start Schedule 14

Full Time Spring Start Schedule 14

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Doctorate of Psychology, Clinical Forensic Psychology

The rapidly growing field of Clinical Forensic Psychology focuses on the application of the science and profession of psychology to questions and issues relating to law, the legal system and clinical psychology. The Chicago School-Los Angles offers a doctorate of psychology degree with a track in California Clinical Licensure. The California Clinical Licensure track is aimed so that students will gain a mastery of forensic psychology, enabling them to bring psychology into the legal and public policy arenas in an ethical, academically informed, and research-based manner and be able to acquire California State Licensure.

Admission Requirements

General Admission Requirements

Application to The Chicago School’s Clinical Forensic Psychology program is open to any person who has earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and who meets other entrance requirements. Applicants will be judged on their overall ability to do graduate work. Factors that are considered in admission are GPA from undergraduate and any graduate schools, successful work history after completion of the baccalaureate degree, the essay, and letters of recommendation from academic professors or supervisors from professional or volunteer experiences. Generally, an undergraduate GPA of a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale is required for admission. Please see the application for detailed instructions and information regarding application requirements, application deadlines, and letters of recommendation.

Standardized Testing

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) required. Scores should be sent directly to the school (GRE School Code: 1119) for consideration. Application Fees

Degree applications must be submitted with a $50 (USD) application fee to be considered.

TOEFL or IELTS, International Credentials, and International Students

TOEFL or IELTS: If English is not your primary language, you must submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores with your application (TOEFL School Code: 7161). International students who received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited United States institution are exempt from this requirement. The minimum scores are: TOEFL - 550 paper based, 79 internet based; IELTS - 6.5.

International credentials: Applicants with international credentials must obtain and submit an official “course-by-course” evaluation through an evaluation agency such as World Education Services (www.wes.org) or Educational Credential Evaluators Inc (www.ece.org). In addition to the agency evaluation, all official graduate and undergraduate transcripts must be submitted.

International students: International students must submit a completed application by the general consideration deadline. In addition, once accepted, international students must submit the International Student Information form, a copy of their passport, and financial documentation showing sufficient funding for at least one year of study and all living expenses. This documentation must be submitted at least two months prior to the start of the semester in order to allow sufficient time for the school to issue an I-20 for the student to obtain an F-1 visa, if needed. An I-20 visa will not be issued without this documentation.

Applicant Notification

The Chicago School reviews applications on a rolling basis. Once review begins, complete applications will be considered by the Admission Committee and students will be notified regarding the admission decision. The Chicago School does not share information or provide any feedback regarding admission decisions.

If a student is offered admission, in order to secure a place in the incoming class, an intent to enroll form and a non-refundable tuition deposit* of $500 will be required by the deposit deadline indicated in the offer of admission. The non-refundable deposit will be applied in full toward the student’s tuition upon enrollment.

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Policies

Transfer of Credit

Prior graduate course work, if within the area of study, may be eligible for transfer or waiver of credit. Students accepted to the degree granting tracks may petition by submitting a Petition for Transfer/Waiver of Credit** and all required documentation. The decision to accept transfer credit is solely that of the school, and the school reserves the right to require satisfactory performance on an examination before awarding a transfer of credit. Satisfactory completion of a competency examination is required before transfer of credit is awarded when the course in question has been taken more than five years prior to admission. No credit will be transferred for course work that is more than 10 years old. Transfer of credits is subject to the following conditions:

 Transferred course credit is restricted to graduate-level courses from a regionally accredited graduate degree granting institution.  Transfer of credit is awarded only for required courses.

 Transfer of credit is not granted for clinical practica or internship.

 Transfer of credit is granted only for courses in which the grade obtained was a B or higher. Pass/Fail grades are not eligible.  Each hour of credit accepted for transfer will be assessed a fee of $75 per credit hour.

 A maximum of 21 semester hours of credit may be transferred.

**The Petition for Transfer of Credit form is available on the school website under “Current Student>Student & Academic Services Forms.” Please submit all required documentation with each petition. Any credit approved for transfer will not be added to the student’s academic record until after the second week of their first semester.

Waiver of Courses

Any domestic or international student with previous graduate course work who has already received the maximum transfer credit may request a waiver of additional course work. However, waiver of courses does not reduce the total number of hours of course work to be completed at The Chicago School; it permits students to substitute course work as approved by the department chair. An international student who has completed an undergraduate course(s) that, in the judgment of the department chair, is equivalent to a required course at The Chicago School, may apply for the course to be waived. Waiver will not apply to undergraduate courses offered by U.S. educational institutions. Students may seek a waiver for a total of 12 credit hours. Those seeking both a waiver and transfer of credit hours may not exceed a total of 12 credit hours. No credit may be given for coursework that is more than 10 years old.

Residency Requirement

It is expected that students will fulfill all degree requirements through courses offered at The Chicago School. Under unusual circumstances, and subject to the approval of the department chair, a student may be permitted to complete certain course requirements at another institution.

Satisfactory Progress

Matriculated students must be continuously enrolled in the department until graduation; the department requires

attendance during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Each student must take a minimum of five semester hours of course work in the fall and spring semesters and three semester hours in the summer semester unless the student has fewer than the required number of hours of course work remaining or is on an approved Leave of Absence. Satisfactory progress semester hours do not include waiver or transfer credit hours. A student must maintain satisfactory academic progress by complying with the following requirements:

Credit Hours per Year and Program Length:

The maximum duration of the Doctorate in Clinical Forensic Psychology program is 10 years. Students must be enrolled for a minimum of 11 semester hours during fall and spring semester and five credits during summer term to be classified as full time in terms of financial aid.

Graduation Requirements

Students must complete the online Petition for Program Completion in order to have their degree conferred, diploma issued, and for eligibility to participate, if desired, in the commencement ceremony. By the end of the third week of the semester/term in which a student expects to meet the program requirements for the Master of Arts degree, he or she is required to submit a Petition for Program Completion to the Office of Academic Records. To participate in the annual commencement ceremony (held in the summer), students must submit their petition by week six of the 16-week spring semester. Students must be in good standing in their program for the doctoral degree to be awarded.

Students must complete all of their degree requirements before the degree can be conferred. This includes course work, and any clinical training (practicum/internship), thesis/dissertation, and/or applied research project required by your program of study. After all final grades are posted for the student’s final semester; a degree audit will be conducted to verify degree completion. The degree is then conferred, posted to the transcript, and a diploma is issued.

Detailed information on commencement, graduation and the Petition for Program Completion online form can be found on The Chicago School website under: Current Student> Student and Academic Services Forms>Petition for Program Completion.

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The Program

Philosophy

The program model reflects the educational goals and competencies adopted by the National Invitational Conference on Education and Training in Law and Psychology: the Villanova Conference. The curriculum exposes students to the theoretical principles, scientific research, and clinical practice skills that enable students to assume professional responsibilities in a variety of forensic settings. The program endeavors to be flexible in order to adapt course content to reflect developments in the field and to emphasize critical thinking, sensitivity to ethical principles, the role of personal values, and cultural diversity.

Ethical and Professional Behavior

Students are expected to adhere to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) “Ethical Principles of Psychologists,” the American Counseling Association’s (ACA) “Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice,” as well as the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists (American

Psychology- Law Society/Division 41 APA). In addition, students who choose to seek employment in the field of psychology shall not work beyond their level of competence and shall not use titles governed by licensure statutes unless licensed by the State. Further, a student may not establish psychotherapy with any faculty member of The Chicago School under any circumstances. Any preexisting therapeutic relationship with a faculty member should be resolved prior to enrollment in the school.

Program Objectives

The program has three primary objectives:

1. To prepare doctoral-level specialists to be able to apply psychological constructs to the legal and public policy arenas in an ethical, academically informed, and research-based manner

2. To provide doctoral-level specialists with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and practical experiences to function across a wide range of forensic settings

3. To prepare doctoral-level specialists to work with diverse, multicultural populations and communities

Clinical Forensic Psychology Program Competencies

In accord with The Chicago School’s plan for assessing student learning and in concert with institutional academic goals of Scholarship, Diversity, Professional Behavior and Ethics, and Professional Practice, the Psy.D. in Clinical Forensic Psychology program has articulated the following key competencies:

Scholarship

Research and Evaluation: The ability to consume, critique, and produce scholarly work (e.g., traditional research, teaching, lecturing, program

evaluation, and advocacy for social and legal policy decisions.)

Diversity

Diversity: The ability to appreciate, understand, and work with individual and group differences across racial, ethnic, gender, age, disability,

social class, sexual orientation, and religious boundaries.

Professional Behavior and Ethics

Ethics: The ability to comprehend and to apply ethical principles and professional standards to all aspects of one’s professional practice and

endeavors.

Professional Practice

Relationship: The ability to develop and maintain appropriate, productive working alliances with clients and with other professionals and

co-workers.

Assessment: The ability to collect and to integrate relevant information from multiple sources in order to facilitate individual or group description,

categorization, conceptualization, and prediction.

Intervention: The ability to utilize theoretical constructs and techniques in the implementation of intervention strategies to meet the needs of

diverse populations.

Forensic Proficiency: The ability to utilize one’s knowledge of the forensic literature and specialty guidelines to effectively and ethically deliver

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Writing Assessment and Requirements

Believing that academic preparedness is a key to success in graduate school, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology requires new students to complete its innovative program, Foundations for Scholarship and Practice. This program, offered by the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), is designed to turbo-charge students’ graduate experience by offering the skills they need to achieve their dreams. “Foundations” is an integral part of the first semester’s curriculum and all students are required to complete the program successfully and in a timely manner. Foundations for Scholarship and Practice consist of three elements:

1. Writing Assessment Process – Each student writes an essay in response to a question and submits it to CAE for scoring. Based on the

student’s performance, the school may waive the Academic Writing Course requirement (#2, below). Essay submission by the given date is considered successful completion of this element of “Foundations.”

2. Academic Writing Course – This course is taken before or during the first semester at The Chicago School. A final grade of “pass” is

considered successful completion of this element.

3. Academic Focus – An online, tutorial-driven orientation to graduate academics. A final grade of “pass” is considered successful completion of

this element.

Clinical Licensure Concentration (Offered in California Only)

This track is intended for students who wish to provide professional psychological counseling and mental health services in areas that state law typically require licensure as a doctoral-level mental health professional (e.g., individual/group counseling, psychological evaluations and

assessments). Through this track, students complete the academic course work and clinical training necessary to take the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology and the California Supplemental Examination. Due to the degree being offered in California, California Licensure is the focus for this concentration; however the program does prepare applicants to apply to sit for licensure in many other states in the United States. The California Licensure Track is a 106-credit-hour degree program that includes practicum and internship experience of at least 3400 hours (1400 practicum and 2000 in internship), during which the student will be supervised by doctoral-level licensed psychologist.

Practicum

The practicum is an integral component of clinical training. It provides a closely supervised clinical experience in which students use the knowledge obtained in the classroom to understand their clients and to develop skills in assessment, psychotherapy, and other discipline related areas. As such, the practicum serves to integrate the theoretical and practical aspects of the education of the professional psychologist. It allows students to become familiar with professional collaboration and consultation in a clinical setting. All students are required to take six semester hours each of Assessment and Therapy practicum. The first semester practicum sequence is primarily devoted to training in psychological assessment. The second two-semester sequence is primarily devoted to training in psychotherapy. Both practicums require individual and group supervision offered by the practicum site, as well as small group seminars offered by the school. The director of placement and training awards grades for all practicum based on the evaluation of the site supervisor, the student’s performance in practicum seminars, the completion of the required practicum hours, and the submission of all forms to the Office of Placement and Training. As noted earlier, complete adherence to ethical standards of the field is required of all students, especially those on practicum. Should a student show unprofessional or unethical behavior, or signs that he or she lacks suitability for the profession, he or she may be dismissed from a training practicum. Dismissal from a practicum is considered extremely serious and will result in automatic referral to the Training and Community Engagement Committee and may result in dismissal from The Chicago School.

Permission to Apply to Practicum

Students must express their intent to apply for each practicum. Department faculty, during student review meetings, will review each student's progress in the Clinical Forensic PsyD. Department, determining which students have met the necessary requirements to apply to practicum. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above, and in all other ways be a student in good standing at The Chicago School to be granted approval to first apply for, then to accept, a practicum position. Students will be initially reviewed in spring for permission to apply for practicum. Students approved to apply to Assessment and Therapy practicum will be reviewed in summer (following the completion of the final prerequisites) for final permission to proceed to practicum.

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Forensic Competency Examinations (FCE)

Students who complete practicum are required to pass the FCE (one in assessment and one in psychotherapy), which is completed during the spring term of the student’s practicum seminar, in order to fulfill program requirements for Doctorate Degree in Clinical Forensic Psychology. The paper will be reviewed and evaluated by the student's practicum group instructor on a “High Pass,” “Pass,” “Pass with Revisions”or“Fail” basis. Students who fail to successfully complete revisions or received a failing evaluation will be required to write a second paper on a different case study or program project. The second paper will be reviewed and evaluated by the student's practicum instructor on a pass/fail basis. If the student’s second paper receives a failing evaluation, it will be reviewed by two independent faculty members on a pass/fail basis. A final failing evaluation will result in disciplinary action that may include dismissal from the school.

The objective of the FCE is for the student to demonstrate the ability to apply psychological theory, empirical literature, assessment, and intervention to a case formulation, program proposal, or program project. In addition, the aim of the FCE is for the student to demonstrate an understanding of professional practice (e.g., ethical behavior), clinical dynamics (e.g., client/therapist relationship), broader systems (e.g., family, school, community, court, political, other treatment professionals/programs), and areas of diversity and difference (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, socioeconomic status) as contextual variables.

There are two parts to the FCE:

1. A comprehensive 10-15 page report of a case study or program project in accordance with APA-style guidelines. A signed consent form must be attached to the paper (for case study only). Students whose practicum site does not provide a consent form are required to have their clients sign The Chicago School’s consent form.

2. An oral examination of the comprehensive report that is presented in the practicum seminar.

If the student elects to do a case study, he/she should select a client from his/her practicum/internship to present. The client can be an individual, family, or group that has been the focus of interventions conducted by the student under supervision at the practicum/internship site. The case chosen to fulfill the FCE requirement must not have been presented to fulfill any other academic requirement (e.g., in-class/practicum/internship presentation).

For the program project, students implement an experiential/program development initiative informed by his/her practicum/internship training experience and supported by the forensic psychology literature. The project should be an original work product not previously used or presented to meet any other course specific requirement. Students are permitted to submit a proposed project if his/her practicum/internship training site does not approve its implementation.

Students are encouraged to discuss their case selection or program project idea with their practicum/internship seminar instructor. The format for the case presentation and the proposal/project paper is distributed at the practicum/internship seminar.

For the oral examination, students are required to present their case or project. The presentation is approximately 50 minutes in length. Students should be prepared to field questions from the instructor and their classmates. If the student fails this component, he/she is asked to complete a second oral examination with his/her seminar instructor and another faculty member.

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Dissertation

The dissertation is an essential aspect of a student’s academic experience and clinical forensic education. The dissertation provides opportunity to formally evaluate the student's ability to contribute to the field by applying theory and research to areas of clinical forensic psychology, thinking critically and creatively about professional psychology, and demonstrating self-direction and professional/scholarly writing. The dissertation should clearly and concisely demonstrate the student's command of the body of knowledge in a chosen area, as well as ability to critically evaluate and synthesize this knowledge. The student's Dissertation Committee is responsible for assessing the student's abilities and critical thinking, determining the professional standards the dissertation must meet, and giving final approval to the dissertation. Once students begin the dissertation process, they then have three years to complete the doctoral dissertation. In rare circumstances, however, students may petition the department chair before the end of the three years for an extension to complete the dissertation. The department chair's decision regarding the request for an extension is final. Students, in collaboration with the dissertation chair, must submit a formal request for extension and a detailed plan including all goals for completion during the extension period. If an extension is granted, the extended date is firm; no additional extensions will be granted and the extension plan will be considered violated if all goals and requirements detailed in the original extension request are not successfully completed. If the dissertation is not completed by the dissertation due date, students are subject to dismissal from the school.

Students meeting the course requirements are required to begin their dissertation during the fall of second year in the department in a seven-semester-hour course called Dissertation I-VII. Once the dissertation has begun, students are expected to continue working on it every semester until its completion. Students who receive a grade of “NC” in Dissertation will be required to retake Dissertation the following fall semester. Since dissertation completion is required before a student is allowed to proceed to internship, this in effect delays a student's completion of the program for an additional year. On rare occasions, a student begins the dissertation process, passes the Dissertation, but abandons their dissertation work due to hardship or difficulty. Such students may be required to begin the dissertation process over again. Such students start with a new Dissertation course, and must follow all policies and requirements in place at that time for students beginning the dissertation process. Credits earned in the original Dissertation class are not counted toward graduation requirements.

The cost of copy/editing is built in to the Dissertation Maintenance courses. As a result, you do not need to register for a copy/editing course. The far majority of students will complete copyediting by the end of Internship, and thus receive formal conferral of their degree in the semester after internship is completed.

Grades of "Incomplete" can only be awarded for Dissertation courses after extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control occur that significantly delay the delayed that student’s progress. Grades of "Incomplete" are not given in cases where students did not reach course objectives and goals as a result of their own skill level or behavior. Grades of "Incomplete" must be resolved within the time requirements established by the department and the Office of Academic Records or the "Incomplete" will automatically convert to a non-negotiable grade of “F,” "No Credit" or “No Pass”. On rare occasions, a student may decide to defer application for Internship. This does not provide students with an additional year to complete the Doctoral Dissertation. As noted earlier, once started in Dissertation, the dissertation must be completed within a three-year time period. Postponing internship then does not extend or alter in any way the dissertation due date. Semesters that occur while a student is on a department approved “Leave of Absence” do not count in the three year completion period. However, a student is not allowed to work with their dissertation chair while on a “Leave of Absence.”

Internship

All students are required to complete an Internship following the completion of all course work, practicum, and dissertation requirements. On internship, students integrate academic knowledge with clinical skills and demonstrate the effective and ethical use of these skills in clinical practice. Through intensive supervised training, students gain direct experience in applying their knowledge with a clinical population. The internship experience consists of a minimum of 2,000 hours of training over a 12-24 month (full or part time, respectively) period. Appropriate sites for internship training include programs that are approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) and programs that are members of the Association of Psychology Pre-doctoral and Post-doctoral Internship Centers (APPIC) or The California Psychology Internship Council (CAPIC). The internship is a vital component of the educational department and is never waived or transferred. Students are required to register for Internship during each semester they are on internship. Registration for Internship automatically assigns full-time student status.

The director of placement and training awards “Pass/Fail” grades for Internship based on the evaluation of the student's performance by their site supervisor as well as other documentation required by the Office of Placement and Training. Dismissal from an internship is considered extremely serious and will result in immediate referral to the appropriate committee (i.e., Student Affairs or Training and Community Engagement Committee), and may result in dismissal from the school. Further details regarding this area are found in the Guide to Clinical Internships distributed to all intern applicants. In addition to being required for the graduate degree, the internship is also required for licensure. As a result, there are certain requirements associated with approved internships, such as length and amount of clinical training as well as supervision, which are beyond the control of the school. These requirements may change over time, such as when state licensing laws change. To assure the student's readiness for the internship and to secure a reasonable potential for licensure for the student, the department may alter its expectations for students on internship on a case-by-case basis. As an example, the department may require additional course work or learning experiences prior to leaving for internship, or may require additional training beyond the minimum expected by an internship site supervisor.

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Permission to Apply for Internship

Students must be granted permission to apply to internship by the department faculty before they are allowed to do so. Each fall, faculty reviews all students that have requested to apply to internship and forward written feedback to students regarding their eligibility to apply.

Permission to apply for internship is based on the following:

 Satisfactory completion of at least 76 credit hours, including transfer credits  Satisfactory completion of two semesters of practicum

 Satisfactory completion of both FCE components

 Submission of an approved plan to complete all required course credit hours prior to Internship

 Attainment of the required level of dissertation completion ( i.e 85% dissertation draft approved by chair)

 Fulfillment of the residency requirement or submission of a plan to the department chair that is deemed satisfactory for completion of the residency requirement

 Cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher

 Once a student has accepted an internship, he or she is not permitted to incur any grades of incomplete

Permission to Rank Order Internships

Before being permitted to rank order Internships in the national match process, or accept an internship offer outside of the match process, a student must at minimum be at the required level of completion of his/her dissertation and be deemed as making satisfactory progress toward the completion of his/her dissertation. Students who have not met the required level of dissertation completion by the rank order submittal date will not be permitted to rank order internships or accept an internship offer. Upon meeting the dissertation completion requirement, students who were restricted from rank ordering (or accepting) internships may request permission from the director of placement and training to reenter the internship search process. To rank order internships, students are required to have turned in a 100 percent complete draft of their dissertation to their chair by the stated due date. A 100 percent complete text dissertation includes a draft of all components of the dissertation. To progress to internship, students must have successfully defended their dissertation, have incorporated all required committee revisions, and been granted permission to proceed to copy editing.

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The Doctorate in Clinical Forensic Psychology Curriculum

California Licensure Track Requirements

The campus-based Clinical Forensic Psychology Psy.D. is a 106-credit program that includes three years of intensive course work, one year of required practicum focused on clinical assessment, one year of required practicum focused on clinical therapy, a dissertation, and a year of clinical internship. **Students for whom Internship II is not complete by the end of the spring semester in year two must register for Internship III increasing the total credit hours for completion by one.

Course List

Required Courses Additional Core Courses

Course Title Credit Hours Course Title Credit Hours PF 610 Intro to Forensic Psychology 2 Southern California Core

PF 612 Life Span: Infancy to Old Age 3 PF 765 Child Forensic Assmnt & Interviewing 2

PF 613 Psychopathology 3 PF 763 2

PF 617 Clinical and Diagnostic Interviewing 2 PF 778 Family/Partner Violence Human Sexuality & Sexual Deviance 2 PF 622 Mental Health Law 2 Electives 8 PF 635 Group Processes of Therapy 3 Southern California – Program Total 106 PF 636 Family systems & Family Tx 3

PF 647 Diversity in Forensic Psychology 3

PF 702 Professional Development Group 1 Concentration Courses

PF 705 History and Systems of Psychology 2 Course Title Credit Hours PF 707 Professional Ethics and Standards 3 Southern California – Adult Concentration

PF 710 Intellectual & Achievement Assmnt 3 PF 618 Violence and Risk Assessment 2 PF 711 Personality Assessment 3 PF 633 Evaluating & Treating the Sex Offender 2 PF 713 Advanced Assessment 3 PF 750 Theories of Criminology 2 PF 715 Projective Methods of Assessment 2 PF755 Law and Social Psychology 2 PF 717 Forensic Assessment 2

PF 720 Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behav. 3 PF 721 Social Bases of Behavior 3 PF 722 Biological Bases of Behavior 3 PF 723 Psychopharmacology 2 PF 730 Intro to Theories of Tx & Intervention 3 PF 732 Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy 3 PF 746 Statistics I 2 PF 747 Statistics II 3

PF771 Research Methods 3 PF 773 Assessment Practicum I 3

PF 774 Assessment Practicum II 3 PF 775* Assmnt Practicum III (if necessary) 1 PF 777 Therapy Practicum I 3 PF 778 Therapy Practicum II 3 PF 779* Therapy Practicum III (if necessary) 1 PF 781 Dissertation I 1 PF 782 Dissertation II 1 PF 783 Dissertation III 1 PF 784 Dissertation IV 1 PF 785 Dissertation V 1 PF 786 Dissertation VI 1 PF 787 Dissertation VII 1 PF 795 Internship I 1 PF 796 Internship II 1 PF 797 Internship III 1 PF 755 Seminar in Professional Practice 1 PF 756 Trauma, Crisis, and Interventions 2 PF 625 Substance Abuse Evaluation & Treatment 2

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Clinical Forensics Course Descriptions

PF 610 Introduction to Forensic Psychology

This course introduces students to the field of forensic psychology, its history, and its impact in today’s world. The focus is on the relationship between law and psychology, the mental health system, mental illness and criminal conduct. A brief introduction to the legal system is also included. This course must be taken during the first semester of enrollment. (2 credits)

PF 612 Life Span (Infancy to Old Age)

This course examines the developmental process across the lifespan from infancy through advanced age, focusing on the perceptual, cognitive and social-emotional factors. Through the examination of theoretical frameworks and empirical research, students become familiar with the

developmental psychology literature. The exploration of individual and cultural differences also receives considerable emphasis as these variations create the diversity in humankind across the lifespan. In addition, the course explores the applicability of developmental psychology literature to individuals within the forensic setting. (3 credits)

PF 613 Psychopathology

This course provides an in-depth survey and understanding of the range of mental disorders. The overall objective of the course is to enable students to appropriately diagnose psychopathology for purposes of efficacious treatment and the facilitation of clear clinical dialogue and agreement with fellow professionals. The course emphasizes research as it pertains to empirically-based treatments for a variety of mental health disorders. Additionally, issues of culture and gender as it relates to mental health diagnoses are discussed. Diagnostic criteria are drawn primarily from the DSM-IV-TR with some contribution from other sources considered as appropriate. (3 credits)

PF 617 Clinical and Diagnostic Interviewing

This course addresses theoretical and practical issues related to clinical forensic interviewing and diagnosing that includes information gathering, effective listening, rapport building, and the assessment of mental status. In addition, the impact of culture and diversity on interviewing and diagnosing are explored. (3 credits)

PF618 Violence and Risk Assessment

This course provides students with the fundamental aspects of conducting violence and risk assessment evaluations and the manner in which opinions are communicated. Students gain an understanding of empirically-based risk factors and assessment tools used to conduct violence and risk evaluations, as well as management strategies employed to ameliorate risk/risk conditions. Practical exercises drawn from actual cases are used to illustrate key concepts. (1 credits)

PF 622 Mental Health Law

This course exposes students to mental health law as it relates to civil and criminal practice. Key concepts include the relationship between psychopathology and crime, the insanity defense and other issues of criminal responsibility, competency-related issues, involuntary hospitalization, and the clinician as expert witness. Case studies and court reports are used to illustrate the key concepts of this course. (2 credits)

PF 635 Group Processes of Therapy

This course introduces the key concepts of the theory and practice of group counseling with particular emphasis on group therapy in forensic settings. Various theoretical approaches are discussed along with issues such as group development, group process, group leadership, and the use of group counseling with diverse client populations. (3 credits)

PF 636 Family Systems and Family Treatment

This course introduces students to treatment within the major models of family therapy. Primary theorists, assumptions, and techniques of each family systems model are discussed and students have the opportunity to learn through video and experiential examples of various theoretical approaches. This course focuses attention on working with multi-stressed and diverse families. (3 credits)

PF 647 Diversity in Forensic Psychology

This course explores issues of race, ethnicity, class, ableness, gender, and sexual orientation. Students develop a greater sensitivity to working with diverse populations in clinical and forensic settings and learn how to utilize intervention strategies based on individual differences, characteristics, needs, and strengths. (2 credits)

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PF 705 History and Systems of Psychology

This course explores the historical and theoretical foundations of professional psychology. Particular attention will be placed on the history of mental health and psychological healing practices in a cross-cultural context, as well as modern developments of the science and profession of psychology. The philosophy of science and epistemological foundations of clinical work will also be covered, allowing the student to understand theories of therapy in a broader perspective. (2 credits)

PF 707 Professional Ethics & Standards

Prerequisites: PF 702. Professional, ethical, and legal issues related to the practice of forensic psychology and the psychologist as clinician, consultant, educator, and researcher are critically examined in this course. Issues considered include privacy, privilege, confidentiality and its limitations, informed consent, patients’ rights, malpractice, client-therapist relationships, collegial relationships, and other regulations influencing the practice of psychology. (3 credits)

PF 710 Intellectual Assessment

This course introduces students to models of intellectual and cognitive assessment through exposure to major psychological test commonly used in clinical and forensic practice. Experience with administration, scoring and interpretation and specific emphasis is placed on report writing using the WISC-IV, WAIS-III, WRAT-IV and WIAT II. Through an applied lab portion of this course, students will demonstrate their knowledge and skills in administering, scoring, and interpreting these instruments. (3 credits)

PF 711 Personality Assessment

This course introduces models of objective and projective personality assessment and addresses variation in measurement of personality based upon conceptualization of the construct. Emphasis is placed on the administration, scoring, and interpretation of the major personality instruments, including the Millon, PAI, MMPI-2/A, Rorschach (Exner system and content analysis), the Thematic Apperception Test, and other projective techniques (i.e., Incomplete Sentence Blank, Projective Drawings). In the lab portion of this course, students will demonstrate their knowledge and skills in administering, scoring, and interpreting these instruments. (3 credits)

PF 712 Advanced Assessment

The primary objective of this course is the development of skills essential to the

interpretation of test findings. Emphasis is placed upon the integration of test material into a comprehensive understanding of the client. Students will continue to develop their skills in report writing, differential diagnosis, and formulation of effective therapeutic recommendations in the context of forensic mental health. (3 credits)

PF 713 Projective Methods of Assessment

This course addresses the development of skills pertaining to the interpretation of test findings, integration of multiple sources of data, and report writing. Students will continue to develop their skills in assessment, differential diagnosis, and the formulation of opinions and recommendations in the context of forensic mental health. Students will participate in a mock trial experience in which they will provide expert witness testimony. (2 credits)

PF 714 Forensic Assessment

This course introduces students to basic concepts of forensic mental health assessment. Emphasis is placed on the administration, scoring, and interpretation of the major forensic assessment instruments, including the Hare PCL-R, ECST-R, MacCAT-CA, MAYSI-2, VIP, PSI, TSI. (2 credits)

PF 720 Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior

This course introduces theoretical formulations and principles of perception, motivation, and affective processes involved in psychological functioning and adaptation. The role of cognition and affective processes in the human creation of meaning and its use in clinical contexts is also explored. (3 credits)

PF 721 Social Bases of Behavior

Theoretical frameworks and empirical findings of social psychology are examined within the context of individual and group behavior. Focus will be given to social behavior as it pertains to conformity, persuasion, attitude formation, social perceptions, and prosocial behavior. (3 credits)

PF 722 Biological Bases of Behavior

This course introduces students to the structure and functions of the central nervous system, the autonomic nervous system, and the endocrine system. Areas covered include sensory and perceptual processes, physiological regulation of the sleep and waking cycles, motivation, and affect. The etiology and major focus of psychopathology will be considered from a biological perspective. (3 credits)

PF 723 Psychopharmacology

Prerequisite: PF 722. Various classes of psychopharmacological agents are systematically considered. Methods of intervention in psychobiological conditions are reviewed with an emphasis on the use of psychotropic medications to manage and treat psychological disorders. (2 credits)

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PF 730 Introduction to Theories of Treatment & Intervention

This course provides a conceptual overview of the major theories, principles, and techniques of psychotherapy and psychological interventions, including (but not limited to) cognitive-behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy, and humanistic-existential therapy. Emphasis will be given to techniques associated with each theory as well as factors that facilitate and/or undermine the therapeutic process (e.g., therapy-client relationship, cross-cultural dyads, transference, and countertransference. (3 credits)

PF 732 Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

This course addresses the basic assumptions of cognitive-behavioral theory, reviews the major theorists, and introduces the student to issues of treatment planning, case conceptualization, evaluation of treatment efficacy, therapeutic technique, and intervention through that theoretical lens. The course emphasizes acquisition of a range of cognitive behavioral assessment and intervention techniques and intervention skills. (3 credits)

PF 746 Statistics I

This course provides a review of the use of confidence intervals in reporting data, Z scores and the standard probability curve, null hypothesis significance testing (i.e., t-tests, ANOVA, and chi-square), effect size measurement, and meta-analysis. Students analyze data using the SPSS statistics program. Students will be expected to analyze data both by hand and using SPSS. The course is designed to provide students with a practical understanding of how to apply statistical design and analysis to their own research problems and to enable students to better understand published data from journal articles. (2 credits)

PF 747 Statistics II

Building on the fundamentals of data analysis learned in Statistics I, this course covers advanced topics such as multivariate procedures, psychometric analysis, factor analysis, discriminant analysis, trend analysis in ANOVA, and structural equation modeling. As with Statistics I, students will continue to analyze data by hand and using SPSS. Emphasis is placed on finding the right procedure for the right research problem. Students will also be expected to report the results of their analyses in standard APA format. (3 credits)

PF750 Theories of Criminology

This course provides an overview of theories regarding crime and criminal justice. Socio-cultural, personality, and environmental factors underlying criminal behavior are examined, including white collar crime, violent crime, organized crime, and sexual violence. (2 credits)

PF755 Law and Social Psychology

This course focuses on the social aspects of behavior with regard to the legal system. Classic social psychological research and theories are examined to provide a background for legal issues such as eyewitness accuracy, false confession, false memories, and aggression. Criminological research is examined to provide a background for understanding inequities in the legal system with regard to race and class. (2 credits)

PF756 Trauma, Crisis, & Interventions

This course involves the exploration of theoretical frameworks related to trauma and an overview of different approaches, techniques, and interventions to address associated psychological and behavioral disturbances in both adults and children. Topics include traumatic events commonly seen with forensic populations, such as victimization, abuse and neglect, exposure to violence, interpersonal violence, and transitioning from a correctional setting. (2 credits)

PF633 Evaluating and Treating the Sex Offender

This course examines the forensic and therapeutic assessment and treatment of juvenile and adult sex offenders. Students learn about the prevalence of sexual offenses, the psychopathology and theories of sexual deviance, and legislative efforts to manage sex offenders. The various treatment interventions employed with this unique population are explored. (2 credits)

PF 765 Child Forensic Assessment & Interviewing

This course focuses on theoretical frameworks related to clinical forensic evaluation and interviewing techniques for children using a developmental model. Data gathering, active listening, and rapport building are addressed. Additionally, appropriate methodology, specialized measures, and diagnosing are examined. Consideration is given to language, culture, and environment. (2 credits)

PF 763 Family/Partner Violence

This course emphasizes the dynamics of domestic violence in intimate relationships. Assessment, treatment, and prevention strategies for both the victim and perpetrator of domestic violence are examined. Ethical and legal concerns related to reporting of domestic violence are made explicit. (2 credits)

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PF 778 Human Sexuality and Sexual Deviance

This course provided foundational knowledge concerning biophysical and psychological aspects of human sexual functioning. Issues related to sexual diseases, sexual variance, and sexual dysfunction are explored. Students receive an overview of basic sex therapy techniques. Ethical and legal issues involved in sex therapy are discussed. (2 credits)

PF 775 Seminar in Professional Practice

This seminar addresses issues related to the emerging role of professional psychologists in diverse forensic settings. Areas addressed include independent forensic practice and marketing methods, techniques and issues in forensic consultation, academic teaching, techniques of supervision, administrative concerns and documentation. (2 credits)

PF 625 Substance Abuse Evaluation and Treatment

Prerequisites: PF 613 and PF 617. This course examines substance use and abuse, with a focus on symptom formation, diagnosis, and socio-cultural factors. Various theoretical approaches to the etiology and treatment of substance abuse, as well as the resultant psychological and physiological effects of drugs are discussed. (3 credits)

PF717 Assessment Practicum I / PF718 Assessment Practicum II / PF719 Assessment Practicum III*

The assessment practicum is a practical, professional experience in psychological assessment related activities. Students engage in a wide range of professional clinical experiences that include tasks that a clinical forensic psychologist is expected to perform such as diagnostic interviewing and the administration of multiple assessment methods and techniques. The training experience requires a minimum of 700 hours over a minimum of nine months of on-site supervised training, including at least one hour of individual supervision per week by a licensed clinical psychologist. All students enrolled in PF717 and PF718 must attend a two-hour weekly seminar. This course sequence provides a small group consultation forum in which students examine relevant clinical and professional development issues that arise as the result of participation in an assessment practicum. Students present material from their practicum cases to gain mastery in the integration of theory and practice. Case conceptualizations consider rapport development, broader system issues (e.g., family, school, community, court, political, and other treatment professionals/programs), and areas of diversity and difference (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomic status) as contextual variables. Presentations and discussions are designed to prepare students to successfully complete their Forensic Assessment Competency Examination (FACE). (PF717/PF718 – 3 credits each, PF719 – 1 credit)

*Assessment Practicum III is required for all students for whom Assessment Practicum II extends beyond the completion of the semester.

PF777 Therapy Practicum I / PF778 Therapy Practicum II / PF779 Therapy Practicum III*

The therapy practicum is a practical, professional experience in psychotherapy related activities. Students engage in a wide range of professional clinical experiences that include tasks that a clinical forensic psychologist is expected to perform such as psychotherapy, psychological interventions, and other mental health services. The training experience requires a minimum of 700 hours over a minimum of nine months of on-site supervised training, including at least one hour of individual supervision per week by a licensed clinical psychologist.

All students enrolled in PF777 and PF778 must attend a two-hour weekly seminar. This course sequence provides a small group consultation forum in which students examine relevant clinical and professional development issues that arise as the result of participation in therapy practicum. Students present material from their practicum cases to gain mastery in the integration of theory and practice. Case conceptualizations consider client/therapist relationship, broader system issues (e.g., family, school, community, court, political, and other treatment professionals/programs), and areas of diversity and difference (e.g., race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, disability, and socioeconomic status) as contextual variables. Presentations and discussions are designed to prepare students to successfully complete their Forensic Therapy Competency Examination (FTCE). (PF777/PF778 – 3 credits each, PF779 – 1 credit)

*Therapy Practicum III is required for all students for whom Therapy Practicum II extends beyond the completion of the semester.

PF781 Dissertation I / PF782 Dissertation II / PF783 Dissertation III / PF784 Dissertation IV / PF785 Dissertation V / PF786 Dissertation VI / PF787 Dissertation VII / PF788 Dissertation VIII (if necessary)

All students enrolled in Dissertation I-VII must attend a one-hour weekly seminar. These seminars are designed to enable the student to work closely with a faculty member to steadily progress toward the completion of their dissertation. Each course is designed with a related task that must be completed for course credit. (PF781/PF782/PF783/PF784/PF785/PF786/PF787/PF788 – 1 credit each)

PF795 Internship I / PF796 Internship II / PF797 Internship III

Students must register for internship during each semester while on internship. A total of 3 full-time semesters of Internship are required for graduation. (3 credits) (PF795/PF796/PF797 – 1 credit each)

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Full Time Traditional Fall Start Schedule

_{Appendix A}

Full Time Spring Start Schedule

_{Appendix B}

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Clinical Forensic Psychology Psy.D. Full Time Traditional Fall Start

(106 credits) Southern California Schedule Year 1

Fall Spring Summer

PF 702 Professional Dev Group 1 PF 781 Dissertation I 1 PF 782 Dissertation II 1 PF 710 Intellectual Assessment 3 PF 711 Personality Assessment 3 PF 713 Proj. Mthds of Assmnt 2 PF 617 Diag & Clin Interviewing 2 PF 610 Intro to Forensics 2 PF 612 Life Span: Inf to Old Age 3 PF 613 Psychopathology 3 PF 712 Advanced Assessment 3 PF 647 Diversity in Frnsic Psy. 3 PF 746 Statistics I 2 PF 707 Prof. & Ethical Stds 3

PF 771 Research Methods 3 PF 747 Statistics II 3

Total Fall Credits 14 Total Spring Credits 15 Total Summer Credits 9

Total Year 1 Credits 38

Year 2

PF 717 Assmnt Practicum I 3 PF 718 Assessment Practicum II 3 PF 705 History & Systems of Psy 2 PF 722 Bio Bases of Beh. 3 PF 720 Cog. Affective Bases of Beh 3 PF 635 Group Process of Therapy 3 PF 783 Dissertation III 1 PF 730 Intro to Theories, Tx & Int 3 PF 785 Dissertation V 1 PF 622 Mental Heath Law 2 PF 732 Cognitive Behavioral Tx 3

PF 714 Forensics Assmnt 2 PF 784 Dissertation IV 1 PF 778 Human Sexuality & Sexual 2 PF 723 Psychopharmacology 2

Dev.

Year 3

PF 777 Therapy Practicum I 3 PF 778 Therapy Practicum II 3 PF 625 Substance Abuse Eval & Tx 2 PF 786 Dissertation VI 1 PF 787 Dissertation VII 1 PF 763 Family/Partner Violence 2 PF 636 Family Systems and Tx 3 PF 721 Social Bases of Behavior 3 PF 755 Law and Social Psychology 2 PF 765 Child Frnsic Assmnt & Int 2 PF 633 Eval & Treating SexOffndr 2

PF 750 Theories of Criminology 2 PF 775 Seminar in Prof Practice 1 PF 756 Trauma, Crisis & Interven 2 PF 618 Violence & Risk Assmnt 2

Year 4

Internship I 1 Internship II 1 Internship III 1

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Clinical Forensic Psychology Psy.D. Full Time Spring Start

PF 702 Professional Dev Group 1 PF 715 Projective Mthds of Assmnt 2 PF 610 Intro to Forensics 2 PF 612 Life Span: Infancy-Old Age 3 PF 707 Prof & Ethical Standards 3

Year 2

PF 710 Intellectual Assessment 3 PF 781 Dissertation I 1 PF 782 Dissertation II 1 PF 617 Diag & Clin Interviewing 2 PF 711 Personality Assessment 3 PF 647 Diversity in Forensic Psy 3 PF 613 Psychopathology 3 PF 747 Statistics II 3

PF 771 Research Methods 3 PF 713 Advanced Assessment 3 PF 746 Statistics I 2 PF 720 Cog Affctve Bases of Beh 3

Year 3

PF 773 Assessment Practicum I 3 PF 774 Assessment Practicum II 3 PF 705 History & Systems of Psy 2 PF 722 Biological Bases of Beh 3 PF 730 Intro to Theories, Tx & Int 3 PF 635 Group Process of Therapy 3 PF 783 Dissertation III 1 PF 732 Cognitive Behavioral Tx 3 PF 785 Dissertation V 1 PF 622 Mental Heath Law 2 PF 784 Dissertation IV 1

PF 717 Forensics Assessment 2 PF 723 Psychopharmacology 2 PF 778 Human Sexuality & Sexual 2

Deviance

Year 4

PF 777 Therapy Practicum I 3 PF 778 Therapy Practicum II 3 PF 625 SA Evaluation & Tx 2 PF 786 Dissertation VI 1 PF 787 Dissertation VII 1 PF 763 Family/Partner Violence 2 PF 636 Family Systems & Tx 3 PF 721 Social Bases of Behavior 3 PF 755 Law & Social Psychology 2 PF 765 Child Frnsic Assmnt & Int 2 PF 633 Eval & Treatng SexOffndr 2

PF 750 Theories of Criminology 2 PF 775 Seminar in Prof Practice 1 PF 756 Trauma, Crisis & Interven 2 PF 618 Violence & Risk Assmnt 2

Year 5

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Clinical Forensic Psychology Psy.D. Full Time Clinical Transfer Student

PF 702 Prof Development Group 1 PF 610 Intro to Forensics 2 PF 713 Projective Methods of Assmnt 2 PF 710 Intellectual Assessment 3 PF 707 Prof & Ethical Standards 3 PF 612 Life Span: Infancy to Old Age 3 PF 617 Diag & Clin Interviewing 2

PF 613 Psychopathology 3 PF 720 Cog Affctv Bases of Beh 3

PF 647 Diversity in Forensic Psy 3

Year 2

PF 771 Research Methods 3 PF 781 Dissertation I 1 PF 782 Dissertation II 1 PF 622 Mental Heath Law 2 PF 711 Personality Assessment 3

Statistics I 2 PF 712 Advanced Assessment 3 Statistics II 3

Year 3

PF 717 Assessment Practicum 3 PF 718 Assmnt Practicum II 3 PF 705 History and Systems of Psy 2 PF 722 Biological Bases of Beh 3 PF 730 Intro to Theor, Tx & Int 3 PF 635 Group Process of Therapy 3 PF 783 Dissertation III 1 PF 732 Cognitive Behavioral Tx 3 PF 785 Dissertation V 1 PF 714 Forensics Assessment 2 PF 784 Dissertation IV 1

PF 778 Human Sexuality & Sexual 2 PF 723 Psychopharmacology 2 Deviance

Total Fall Credits 11 Total Spring Credits 12 Total Summer Credits 6

Year 4

PF 777 Therapy Practicum I 3 PF 778 Therapy Practicum II 3 PF 625 Substance Abuse Eval & Tx 2 PF 786 Dissertation VI 1 PF 787 Dissertation VII 1 PF 763 Family/Partner Violence 2 PF 636 Family Systems & Tx 3 PF 721 Social Bases of Behavior 3 PF 755 Law and Social Psychology 2 PF 765 Child Frnsic Assmnt & Int 2 PF 633 Eval & Treatng SexOffndr 2

PF 750 Theories of Criminology 2 PF 775 Seminar in Prof Practice 1 PF 756 Trauma, Crisis, & Intervnt 2 PF 618 Violence & Risk Assmnt 2

Year 5