Psychology M.A. - Clinical Psychology
Degree: Master of Arts
https://www.towson.edu/cla/departments/psychology/grad/psychology/clinical/
Program Director: Dr. Matthew Mychailyszyn
Phone: 410-704-3221
Email: mmychailyszyn@towson.edu
The clinical psychology concentration of the Master of Arts in Psychology is ideally suited to meet the needs of individuals who want to provide clinical services at the masters' level as a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC), want to work as master’s-level psychometricians or behavioral specialists, want to work as research or clinical staff on applied research studies, or are considering pursuing doctoral training in clinical psychology.
The program curriculum provides comprehensive and hands-on training in assessment, diagnosis, state-of-the-art and evidence-based treatments, as well as research methods and statistics. Courses in psychotherapy and behavior change prepare students to do intake interviews and case conceptualizations and to provide evidence-based individual therapy. Advanced seminars in legal, ethical, and professional issues in psychology, personality and intellectual assessment are offered regularly and prepare students for the required nine-month field placement.
Opportunities are available for students to work on research projects under the direct supervision of a faculty member. In addition to completing a research thesis, students may also have the opportunity, depending on the faculty member, to assist in developing research conference presentations and manuscripts for publication.
A unique feature of the clinical psychology concentration is a required halftime, nine-month internship. Students may elect to complete a clinical or research internship depending upon their personal and professional goals. Students on clinical internships provide supervised psychological services to clients in an off-campus mental health setting. Students on research internships will assist an experienced scientist in conducting clinical trials research.
Clinical psychology students are encouraged to attend full time so as to complete all program requirements within four terms. Students may, however, attend part time for some or all of their degree work.
Admission Requirements
Application deadlines and a full listing of materials required for admission can be found on the website.
Prerequisites for Admission
Students must have taken the following prerequisites (all of which must be completed with a “B” or better in all prerequisites, except general psychology): **
- General Psychology (3)
- Psychopathology or Abnormal Psychology (3)
- Behavioral Statistics (3) or Research Methods (3)
- Personality, social, cognitive or developmental psychology (3)
** NOTE: These courses cannot be used to meet the formal elective requirements for the degree as defined below.
Degree Requirements
Students may choose between the Researcher and Practitioner options. Students pursuing either option must complete 48 units of required and elective coursework including a research project (see below for details) and a two-term, 500-hour field placement. Students may need to take summer courses to meet the program requirements.
Researcher vs. Practitioner Options
Students in both options must complete the 36 units of required coursework. Additional requirements for each of the options are noted below.
Researcher Option
Students electing to pursue the Researcher option will work with a faculty member to complete an empirical thesis. Students must take a total of 6 units of thesis credits; students may either take PSYC 897 for 6 units in one term or PSYC 898 for 3 units over two terms. Students must also take 6 units of elective credit.
NOTE: Students must remain continuously enrolled in a Thesis course until all thesis requirements have been completed and must be enrolled in thesis credits during the term in which they plan to graduate. Students who have taken all 6 units of thesis credit and who have not completed the thesis requirements must take PSYC 899 (Thesis Continuum) for 1-unit during each subsequent term until the thesis requirements are complete.
Practitioner Option
Students electing to pursue the Practitioner option will work with the program director and internship coordinator to complete a capstone clinical presentation integrating theory, evidence based research, and clinical intervention techniques that they have learned and used with one client during their clinical internship year. These presentations will be open to students and faculty within the program and will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis by the program director and internship coordinator. Students will have one opportunity to re-do their presentation if it was not acceptable the first time. In addition, students in the practitioner option will be required to take PSYC 730, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy. Students must also take 9 units of elective credit.
Electives
Elective course work is chosen by the student from within or outside the field of psychology. These courses are expected to complement the program of study and require prior written consent of the program director.
Field Placement Requirement
The practicum and internship carry with them a residency requirement of two terms. The student must be available for a 16-hour per week placement in a clinical or research setting. All students must obtain the grade of “B” or better in Practicum in Clinical Psychology (PSYC 697) and Internship in Clinical Psychology (PSYC 797). Students earning a grade lower than “B” in either course may repeat the entire sequence no more than one time. Failure to earn a “B” or higher in both courses will result in dismissal from the program.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| PSYC 612 | DIAGNOSTIC INTERVIEWING AND ASSESSMENT | 3 |
| PSYC 624 | MULTICULTURAL ISSUES IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
| PSYC 631 | ADVANCED ADULT PSYCHOPATHOLOGY | 3 |
| PSYC 632 | ADVANCED CHILD PSYCHOPATHOLOGY | 3 |
| PSYC 665 | PSYCHOTHERAPY AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE I | 3 |
| PSYC 666 | PSYCHOTHERAPY AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE II | 3 |
| PSYC 687 | ADVANCED EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN I | 3 |
| PSYC 688 | ADVANCED EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN II | 3 |
| PSYC 697 | PRACTICUM IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY *Students pursuing LCPC Licensure may take one additional unit of PSYC 697 during the Winter Term (see below for more details) | 3 |
| PSYC 755 | COGNITIVE THERAPY I | 3 |
| PSYC 790 | ETHICAL, LEGAL AND PROFESSIONAL ISSUES IN PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
| PSYC 797 | INTERNSHIP IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
| Researcher/Practitioner Options | ||
| Select one of the following options: | 12 | |
| Researcher Option (Student may choose to take 897 in one term or 898 over two terms for a total of 6 units.) | ||
| PSYCHOLOGY THESIS | ||
or PSYC 898 | PSYCHOLOGY THESIS | |
Electives (6 units) | ||
| Practitioner Option | ||
| ADVANCED CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOTHERAPY | ||
Electives (9 units) | ||
| Total Units | 48 | |
* NOTE: Students may choose to take an optional 1 unit of PSYC 697 (Practicum in Psychology) over the Winter term. This option is available so that the hours accrued at the field placement during the Winter term can be counted toward the total hours required for LCPC licensure (i.e., hours may only be counted toward the total hours required for licensure IF the students is enrolled in a practicum or internship course).