2018-2019 Catalog 
    
    Oct 31, 2024  
2018-2019 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Psychology, PsyD


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Undergraduate & Graduate Programs

Visit the Doctor of Psychology in Psychology (PSYD) Homepage

Demonstrating a commitment to improving access to behavioral health services and leadership in health professions education, the School of Nursing and Health Professions at the University of San Francisco offers a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program in Psychology. The innovative program:

  • Emphasizes the integration of mental, emotional and physical health in applied settings
  • Focuses on cultural competence in meeting the needs of underserved populations

As a general concept, behavioral health refers to a field of scientific study, academic education, and clinical health care practice that focuses on the integration of psychosocial, behavioral, and biomedical knowledge relevant to health and illness.

Mission of the Program


The Clinical Psychology PsyD Program is a program that prepares doctoral students to serve in a variety of community heath settings as professional psychologists. Graduates are proficient in the empirical and theoretical underpinnings of integrated, behavioral health interventions while sensitive to contextual, cultural, spiritual, and socioeconomic environments of the individuals and communities. Advancing the Mission of the University of San Francisco, the primary focus is to address disparities in the delivery of physical and mental health services to the underserved and marginalized.

Program Goals


The Clinical Psychology PsyD Program will prepare professional psychologist under a pracitioner-scholar model in theoretical and scientific foundations; and to apply evidence-based interventions across a variety of contexts, problems and populations.

Graduates of the PsyD in Clinical Psychology will:


  • Develop a focus in integrated behavioral health that will allow them to work effectively with individuals and organizations across boundaries of economic, physical, psychological, sociocultural, and spiritual issues.
  • Be prepared using multidisciplinary approaches through a variety of modalities including consultation, psycho-education, advocacy, and direct clinical care.
  • Gain an understanding and sensitivity to providing behavioral health services to those who have been traditionally disadvantaged due to socioeconomic, race/ethnicity, gender, religion, or disability status or sexual orientation and others who are underserved in current health care systems.

Program Learning Outcomes


Graduates of the PsyD in Clinical Psychology will acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and skills to function in diverse settings to provide culturally competent, contextually sensitive, integrated behavioral health consultation to individuals and health professionals.

Graduates will:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the historical and contemporary social and psychological theories of human development and behavior;
  2. Integrate behavioral health knowledge, strategies, and skills that allow them to work effectively with individuals and organizations across boundaries of economic, physical, psychological, sociocultural, and spiritual issues.
  3. Effectively utilize qualitative and quantitative empirical approaches to the understanding and evaluation of human behavior and psychological interventions;
  4. Demonstrate proficiency in practice- and evidence-based approaches to psychological assessment, consultation, intervention, prevention and advocacy;
  5. Demonstrate competence in providing evidence-based behavioral health interventions for diverse individuals, groups, and families experiencing a variety of physical, psychosocial, and mental health problems;
  6. Develop skills that will allow them to engage in and promote community-based interventions that advance the health and well-being of groups and individuals.
  7. Learn to work in a variety of settings serving the underserved, whether in medical centers, community agencies or clinics, or as independent contractors or practitioners offering multiple modalities of behavioral health interventions.

Major Requirements (98 units)


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Undergraduate & Graduate Programs