Additional Information

Master’s and doctoral degrees are awarded in March, June, August, and November. Once a student decides upon the semester in which they wishes to be awarded the degree, they will have several deadlines to meet in order to be awarded the degree. These deadlines are established by the College of Arts & Sciences and change slightly from year to year. Students should contact the Assistant Chair for Graduate Studies or the College of Arts & Sciences for the schedule established for a given academic year. The dates will be for the following:

1. Registration:Students must be registered for at least one graduate credit any semester in which they receive service from the university. Having the meeting to defend the thesis or dissertation counts as a service; turning in the final copies of the thesis or dissertation counts as a service; under most circumstances, you must also register for the semester in which you officially graduate. Exceptions to the latter situation are listed in the University Graduate Student Handbook.
2. Last day to apply for graduation and pay fee for conferral of degree: Students can either go to the second floor of Chubb Hall to complete a short form and pay a graduation fee or apply for graduation online.
3. Last day to arrange to take oral examination on dissertation: Students must report the time and place of the dissertation defense to the office of the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
4. Last day to take oral examination on dissertation or thesis.
5. Last day to turn in final copies of dissertation or thesis to the College of Arts and Sciences. Students should see TAD information on the Graduate College webpage for information on how to prepare the final copies and the deadlines for such in any given semester.
6. Date degree candidates must have all required work completed. This date corresponds to the last day of the semester.

A Few Pointers

The thesis or dissertation copies that students give to committee members must be delivered to them at least two weeks in advance of the meeting. As mentioned above, students should start setting up the time and date for the meeting well in advance of the meeting; it takes time to find a time at which that many people can be available. Finally, students should be forewarned that it may be difficult to schedule a meeting in the summer. Most faculty are not on contract in the summer and so are not obliged to be available for thesis and dissertation meetings. Some faculty members will make themselves available even though they are not on contract. If a student thinks they will need a summer meeting, they is advised to find out as far in advance as they can whether committee members will be available.

Students in the doctoral program in clinical psychology typically receive the M.S. degree as a step toward the Ph.D. Most commonly that degree is awarded at the end of fall semester of their third year. The university has set a limit of six years for completing the master’s degree. The six years begin in the semester in which the student enters the program, and the student must graduate by the final semester of the sixth year.

The university has set a limit of seven years for completing a Ph.D. degree. The seven years begin in the semester in which the student enters the program, and the student must graduate by the final semester of the seventh year. The time periods for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees run concurrently.

Students entering the program with a master’s degree have the same time for completing the Ph.D. as those entering with a bachelor’s degree. The university automatically assigns students entering with master’s degrees 34 credit hours when they enter the program.

The doctoral degree cannot be conferred until the student completes all of the requirements of our program, including the required APA-accredited internship. This applies to all graduation times (May, August, and November). For students whose internships end after July 1, but who wish to graduate in August, all requirements of the program, including the required APA-accredited internship, must be on schedule to be completed prior to the dates for completion of requirements as posted by the Registrar. If a student has all requirements except for internship completed, and the internship will be completed prior to the final Registrar date for completion of requirements for an August graduation, the student can apply for summer graduation, and the Graduate Chair can provide a clearance for graduation, pending official notification that the internship has been completed. Students need to communicate clearly with their internship site to make sure official notification is sent to the Graduate Chair immediately upon official completion of the internship, so that the graduation clearance can proceed and the student can graduate in August.

In the circumstance that a student is not able to complete the doctoral program within the seven-year limit, they may request a one-time one semester extension from the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences (see the Academic Policies section of the Graduate Catalog). Students should note that they are not guaranteed of obtaining an extension if they request one.

Students who require an extension beyond the one-semester extensions must obtain approval for readmission from the Clinical Section (see the Academic Policies section of the Graduate Catalog). To receive an extension or readmission, students must appeal to the section in writing with a rationale for requesting an extension or readmission. Approval by the section requires a positive vote by two-thirds of the clinical faculty. Criteria for readmission are listed in the Graduate Catalog. As part of the readmission and extension, the section may require the student to complete additional coursework, retake comprehensive examinations, update the dissertation, or fulfill degree requirements that have been added.

Rarely, student demand for courses exceeds available space. In an attempt to deal with such situations, the Clinical Section has developed policies for oversubscribed courses.

When clinical courses are oversubscribed, the section (through the Director of Clinical Training) will determine who will enroll in the courses on the basis of criteria that make sense for that particular course. The general basis will be that students who need the course the most will receive enrollment preference. Typically students who are more senior in their programs (i.e., closer to internship) will have priority. Priority given on the basis of seniority may be limited to students who are completing the program in a timely manner and who remain on schedule.

When seniority conflicts with needs for specific training in an elective area of study, however, students who are in the major area of study for which the course is required (i.e., child or health or neuropsychology) may be given priority over students not pursuing the 58 Revised: summer 2024 additional elective training. For repeatable courses (e.g., practicum), priority will be given to more senior students unless they have outstanding PRs for previous offerings of that course.

When feasible, faculty will try to meet demand by adding another section during that semester, but the reality usually will be that such additions to the schedule will occur during a subsequent semester. On occasion, there may there may be nothing that the section can do until the next time the course is regularly scheduled.

Functions

The Judicial Committee acts as an appeals or mediation board upon request by a student or faculty member after normal channels of appeal or negotiation within the Department of Psychology have been used. The functions of the Judicial Committee are (a) to hear requests for reconsideration of decisions made by committees, sections, faculty members, and departmental administrators and to hear grievances on other matters of dispute or concern within the department; (b) to mediate, as may be needed; and (c) to make recommendations for action or for policy change or policy development to pertinent persons, committees, sections, or groups.

Membership

The Judicial Committee has five members, two elected by the Clinical Section, two elected by the Experimental Section, and the Chair of the Judicial Committee, who is appointed by the department chair. The elected members serve two-year, staggered terms. The department chair and the two assistant chairs are ineligible to serve on the Judicial Committee.

Procedures

To initiate an appeal, a person shall present a request for appeal in writing to the Chair of the Judicial Committee, stating in detail the nature of the request or grievance together with his or her reasons for initiating the appeal. The Chair of the Judicial Committee will make arrangements to convene the Judicial Committee to conduct the hearing. The appellant may have a supporting person (faculty mentor/adviser, other student, colleague, university ombudsman, etc.) present at the hearing.

Matters relating to evidence, documentation, witnesses, consultants, records, and reports will be the responsibility of the Judicial Committee. The Chair of the Judicial Committee shall vote only in cases of tied votes among elected members. A summary report of the findings and recommendations of the Judicial Committee will be given to the appellant and to the department chair, as well as to the pertinent persons, committees, or groups.

2000-01

• Internship committee changed to the Internship and Training Committee with increased responsibility for practica and traineeship placements.
• History and Systems requirement modified so that the alternative test was eliminated. All students are now required to complete the course.
• A brief description of potential costs associated with the internship was added.
• Changes in the section regarding the 260 hour limit to include current policy.

2001-02

• Changes to the time limit section to match the graduate catalog.
• Child clinical internship requirement wording changed (year child rotation on internship required)

2002-03

• Extra detail regarding the comps process
• Deletion of references to stipend increase when MS degree awarded
• Addition of required prospectus at the end of the first year
• Changes and updates in the Health Track requirements
• Addition of clinical program requirements checksheet

2003-04

• Change PSY789 to 2 CR (total of six quarters, or 12CR, needed to graduate)
• Students register for Advanced Clinical Practicum (PSY889) while on traineeship
• Cultural Diversity (PSY788) added as a required course
• Revision of student evaluations (i.e., ratings provided in each of five categories)

2004-05

• Research requirement reduced from 4 to 2 courses (or equivalent)
• "Specialization" terminology replaced with "Track"
• Curriculum revision (deletion of PSY650; PSY750A/B mandatory in year 1)
• Addition of PSY626 as a required course
• Revisions to comprehensives grading procedure
• Curriculum revision regarding courses that no longer satisfy our breadth requirement. Deletion of PSY 728, PSY 748A, PSY 884, PSY 762A, PSY 762B, PSY 763A, PSY 764A, PSY 764B)

2005-06

• Revisions to comprehensive exam grading procedures
• Curriculum revision (addition of 641A (Psychoeducational Assessment), mandatory in year 1; addition of 894 (Advanced Clinical Seminar), mandatory in year 2
• Specification that dissertation proposals must be defended in order for the students to apply for internship
• Addition of a brief section at the very beginning of the manual, titled, Use of this Manual
• Changes to clinical admissions procedures

2006-07

• Curriculum revision (addition of PSY 692 (Research Seminar)) for all first and second year students, each academic quarter.
• Required practicum hours changed from 2 quarter hours for 6 quarters to 3 quarter hours for 6 quarters (i.e., 18 hours now required, instead of 12)
• Change to evaluation procedure, such that, ratings in categories 1 through 5 will determine the overall evaluation letter rating that students receives
• The last section pertaining to the 260 hour limit was deleted
• Addition (under financial aid) of a statement about the maximum limit for receiving funding

2007-08

• Addition of a section on Program Mission and Objectives
• The elimination of PSY 641A as a program requirement; movement of Personality (PSY 633) to Fall quarter (first year) and Personality Assessment I to Winter Quarter (first year).
• Revision of the information required for APPIC
• Revision of thesis and dissertation format information

2008-09

• Addition of PSY 894Y (Advanced Seminar in Clinical Supervision) as a requirement for all students
• Addition of a required applied supervisory experience (i.e., PSY 894Z, serving as a GA for an assessment course, or co-supervising a group supervision with faculty supervisor, or other experience approved by the DCT).
• Revision of thesis and dissertation format information

2009-10

• Revision of thesis and proposal deadlines and consequences for missing the deadlines (pgs. 39-40 clinical manual)
• Elimination of PSY 680 (Health Psychology) as a biological breadth requirement; elimination of PSY 707 (Psycholinguistics) and PSY 708 (Judgment) as cognitive and affective aspects of behavior course requirements; and elimination of PSY 736 (Advanced Social Psychology) and PSY 761 (Survey of Industrial and Organizational Psychology) as social aspects of behavior course requirements

2010-11

• Added information about students required to document clinical hours with Time2Track program
• Revised deadline for students applying for internship to submit materials to the committee
• Eliminated PSY 623 as a course requirement and moved PSY 626 to the spring quarter (from the winter quarter)
• Revised grading for comps such that a third grader is required if there is a 3 point discrepancy between raters
• Added that students need to obtain 24 direct contact hours to obtain credit for an individual practicum (PSY 789)

2011-12

• Added information about Program Sanctioned Training Experiences
• Added a section that outlines important deadlines
• Added information to the section on "Continuation in the Doctoral Program" outlining students' responsibility to inform the Director of Clinical Training when they have completed their theses so that the continuation vote can take place.
• Removed statement about requiring 24 direct contact hours to obtain credit for an individual practicum (PSY 789)

2012-13

• Added information on degree conferral and participation in the graduation ceremony
• Corrected various typographical errors and cleaned up some formatting

2013-14

• Added language about needing to consider faculty workload/staffing in terms for section committees
• Added language for procedures to receive approval to apply for internship to the yearly evaluation section
• Added language about procedures for waiving courses, getting theses approved, and having approval of outside clinical hours obtained from prior graduate work for students entering with a master's degree
• Added language about the master's degree and thesis requirements
• Added requirement to have master's clinical hours approved by their prior supervisors
• Added details on time limits for program requirements
• Added details about student members on various committees
• Made changes to training sequence based on section approved changes to course sequences
• Updated student funding section based on current departmental policies
• Added Conscience Clause language per recommendations from APA

2014-15

• Added language about Tenure-Track faculty participating in Clinic Section meetings and on student votes
• Added language about changes to traineeship procedures
• Clarified that M.A. students cannot waive practica but may be able to start traineeship early
• Updated information about GAships and teaching opportunities/experiences
• Clarified that missing any deadline results in automatic type II evaluation letter
• Added English fluency requirements
• Updated thesis/dissertation committee language

2015-16

• Removed track language and added details about all specialty training consistent with discussion in section
• Updated all training information to new Standards of Accreditation
• Added information about Background Checks, which was approved by section
• Updated internship and comprehensive exam information based on feedback from respective committees
• Removed the course checklist, as the Advising Center now offers graduate students an Excel macro to track completion of the program
• Added in section-approved information regarding practicum at capacity
• Added in information about tracking research hours that count towards clinical hours
• Removed information about being able to walk in May commencement when completing internship in August, as the university no longer allows this

2016-17

• GRC passed new bylaws; used their descriptions of the student rep positions to update manual
• added comments about upcoming changes to comprehensive exams (manual needed to be finalized before final changes were made)
• added clinic advisory committee
• added 7926 teaching practicum
• added resource for international students
• added that students and supervisors need to follow the Clinic Policies and Procedures Manual when working in clinic
• added changes to traineeship procedures as per the traineeship sites
• added text about members of thesis/and dissertation committees needing to physically attend meetings (university policy)

2017-18

• updated admissions procedures based on minor changes voted in by section
• updated comps based on new procedures voted in by section
• added in waiving of History and Systems if completed at the undergraduate level
• added requirement regarding yearly research dissemination to additional requirements of the program
• added appropriate use of student titles
• updated traineeship procedures based on how traineeships wish to run this procedure in the future

2018-2019

• Added another reminder that handbook policies/procedures and program requirements may change and students should stay informed
• Added that the Internship and Training Committee will also review traineeship application materials
• Added new references on proper ways to do reviews and MAs for comps
• Added more guidance on page limits to comps
• Updated the internship approval section to reflect changes to annual student evals
• Added requirement that certain courses be completed at certain times
• Updated student evaluation section to reflect the new timeline and procedures
• Added in remediation procedures and remediation plan template

2019-2020

• Updated the forward
• Updated Internship and Traineeship Committee information
• Updated course requirements
• Updated Comprehensive Exam section (per changes requested by students)
• Updated Integrated Report section of Assessment hours
• Updated Traineeship appointment section
• Added in the STDY 9000 registration requirement for internship

2020-2021

• Updated DCT duties/responsibilities
• Removed third stats requirement per section vote after student request
• Updated comps procedures based on student feedback and committee feedback
• Updated course requirement for traineeship registration to Fieldwork
• Updated reference to thesis/dissertation forms
• Added new traineeship travel information based on new procedure section voted in
• Added in new shadowing for first years procedure as voted on in section
• Updated research and travel funding based on CAS and department budget changes

2021-2022

• Reorganized and clarified sections based on student use feedback
• Updated SPEAK test information to VET test per university changes
• Removed clinical health as elective major area of study after section discussion
• Updated course numbers for Advanced Practicum and Fieldwork based on new policy adopted to support faculty workload for practicum supervision at CAS
• Added new rules voted in by faculty for comps revision deadline

2022-2023

• Removed GRE requirement from admissions process
• Created and added a telesupervision policy
• Clarified that they will need to continue practicum in the clinic at least during summer between 2nd and 3rd year
• Added in the Time2Track resources and support
• Updated PRISMA guidelines link for comprehensive exams
• Removed clinical neuropsychology as elective major area of study

2023-2024

• Updated dissertation committee structure as per departmental changes