Psy.D. - University of La Verne

About the Program

The Psy.D. Program in Clinical-Community Psychology received Accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA) effective April 28, 2003. Next visit set in five years.

Program Chair: Dr. Raymond Scott, Ph.D
Department Chair: Glenn Gamst, Ph.D.

Is the Doctoral Program at University of La Verne Right For You?

Doctoral programs vary substantially in content, focus, and in what graduates can expect upon earning their degrees. One of the most important issues facing aspiring future psychologists is deciding on a program for their graduate training. The Psy.D. program in Clinical-Community Psychology at University of La Verne is an ideal one for some people, and absolutely the wrong choice for others. If our program is the right one for you, we would enjoy hearing from you, reviewing your application, and possibly welcoming you to our program. If another approach would be better suited to your needs, interests, and abilities, however, we instead encourage you to seek out those programs. This page is designed to assist potential applicants evaluate what they desire in a doctoral training program, and to guide them in applying to programs for which they are best suited.

While there are multiple graduate training options, many of which train students in therapy skills, there are three primary avenues students visiting our website are likely to be considering, all of which prepare students for licensure as a psychologist:

Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology
Psy.D. in Clinical-Community Psychology
(the option offered at University of La Verne)

Which degree option is right for you?

Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology: Ph.D. programs train students to be psychologists trained in therapy skills, but focus on students who anticipate their professional careers being heavily involved in research and/or university teaching. Going back 25-30 years, nearly all students training to become licensed psychologists received a Ph.D. It was the degree most often selected by students, and one that provided a wide range of skills. Graduates took state licensure exams, and developed careers in private practice, with community agencies, employed by research institutions, and in academia. A quarter century ago, the Ph.D. was the all-purpose degree for students wanting a career as a psychologist. Over the past few decades, however, the professional psychology movement has taken hold, and in the process, Ph.D. programs have become the avenue of choice for careers heavily steeped in research. Psychologists who graduate with a Ph.D. are still trained in therapy skills, and are often engaged in professional activities in which they regularly perform psychological evaluations and mental health treatment. To a large extent, however, newly trained psychologists with Ph.D. degrees are expected to become researchers and/or academicians first, and to conduct psychological evaluations and or therapy second. Ph.D. programs typically take a minimum of five (5) years, and include approximately 150 semester hours of study. Most programs are relatively small, with a range of 4-15 students admitted annually. A few programs, however, admit much larger numbers.

Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology: Psy.D. programs have become much more popular over the past few decades, and most new psychologists have been trained using this model. Psy.D. programs vary in their emphasis on research, but all have a primary focus on training professional psychologists who will be competent to conduct psychological evaluations and treatment in a variety of settings. Psychologists trained with a Psy.D. can expect to work in clinics, hospitals, community mental health agencies, prisons, private practice and a wide range of settings where the focus is on evaluating and treating patients with mental health concerns. Training typically involves exposure to a large number of psychological disorders and conditions, and programs are often taught by faculty who themselves have part-time practices in which they provide assessment and/or treatment. Training can be focused in the case of programs with particular emphases, or broad-based in those programs geared toward developing more generally prepared psychologists. Students in Psy.D. programs are often placed at multiple practicum sites during their years in graduate school, and the emphasis is typically on obtaining a wide array of clinical experiences prior to applying for a formal internship during their final year of doctoral training. Psy.D. programs that include a doctoral dissertation also develop some research skills, but many offer a "doctoral project" option geared toward students who do not anticipate being professionally involved in research activities. Psy.D. programs are most often light on statistics and research design, and heavy on clinical practice. Psy.D. programs typically take a minimum of 4-5 years, and include at least 120 semester hours of study. Programs vary in the number of students admitted each year from around 10 to more than 100.

Psy.D. in Clinical-Community Psychology: Clinical-Community Psy.D. programs train practitioners who are oriented toward understanding and working with a combination of individuals and their multiple environments. The Clinical-Community model focuses on the interaction of people with their families, institutions, and communities. Clinical-Community psychologists recognize the symbiotic impact people and their environments have on each other and the need to understand and work with both halves of this equation when designing programs and providing mental health services.

This model is best understood by thinking of clinical psychologists as providing intervention services, and community psychologists as focusing on prevention. Clinical psychologists primarily utilize a medical model of identifying and treating illnesses, while community psychologists take more of a public health perspective, seeking ways of intervening in systems to keep problems from developing, or to minimize their impact. Clinical psychologists thus operate more from a curative model, whereas community psychologists are more interested in prevention.

Students training to become clinical-community psychologists combine these perspectives. Training includes a wide range of courses and clinical practicum experiences, but with a continual focus on understanding personal and societal issues often at the root of mental health problems. A clinical psychologist would work with a depressed person, whereas a community psychologist would attempt to identify community needs and develop programs to minimize the incidence of depression. A clinical psychologist would work with a victim of domestic violence, whereas a community psychologist would seek to develop programs within the community to educate people, and to combat domestic violence. A clinical-community psychologist would evaluate the need for programs within a community, seek to develop meaningful opportunities, and then work clinically with patients, victims, their loved ones, and their communities.

Research and clinical training for clinical-community psychologists: The descriptions above of typical Ph.D. and Psy.D. programs for training clinical psychologists discussed the relative importance of research training for students in each program. Ph.D. graduates are often engaged in research in a large portion of their professional activities, whereas Psy.D. graduates are involved almost entirely in providing clinical services. The Psy.D. in clinical-community psychology offers a combination of these perspectives, with graduates being trained to evaluate (research) community needs, and to provide a wide range of clinical services once those needs are established.

Employment opportunities for clinical-community psychologists: Clinical-community psychologists would seek employment in community and non-profit agencies, hospitals, clinics, government facilities, and in private practice. They might also work with foundations and grant programs as they establish community needs and develop and evaluate programs to satisfy those needs. Clinical-community psychologists require research skills to examine community needs, evaluate the efficacy of programs, and assist with seeking and justifying funding for new and on-going operations. They also require high quality clinical skills so they can develop and participate in interventions for individuals and groups requiring clinical treatment. While clinical-community psychologists will probably establish their professional identities primarily in providing clinical services, they are of substantially greater value to communities and agencies due to their conceptual abilities, focus on community-based and societal issues that cause mental health difficulties, and research skills.

Clinical psychologists examine issues such as depression, anxiety, adjustment difficulties, psychopathology, personality disorders, and a host of other clinical concerns. Community psychologists explore areas such as pre-school and after school programs, homelessness, substance abuse, gang violence and perceptions of safety, HIV, families, poverty and wealth, aging, family life, prison mental health, sexuality, and multi-culturalism. Clinical-community psychologists understand these community-based issues, and develop programs to enhance quality of life. They explore, develop, and advocate for programs and needs, while working with individuals and groups affected clinically by the world around them.

The Psy.D. Clinical-Community Psychology Program at University of La Verne is relatively small, with 18-20 students expected to enter each fall. The program takes five years to complete, and includes 120 semester hours of study. Most 120-unit programs advertise a minimum of four years to completion, whereas our program is designed to be completed in five years. We believe that five years is realistic, and we expect the large majority of our students to graduate within 5 or 5 1/2 years of beginning the program. Our program operates on a cohort model, meaning that students entered the program take most of their courses with the same group of 18-20 students. The program emphasizes cooperation rather than competition between cohort members. Grades are awarded, and not everyone receives an 'A' in every class, but students are encouraged to work and to study with each other.

Further Information: The clinical-community program at University of La Verne welcomes inquiries and applications from interested potential students. Application forms are available for download on this website, or by mail from the program. If you would like more information, please feel free to contact the Program Chair, Dr. Raymond Scott, at rscott@ulv.edu, or by phone at (909) 593-3511, ext. 4181. You can also click on the appropriate links within this website, and information and an application will be sent to you.