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PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY

Professors L.J. Ingraham (Director)

Associate Professors C. Marmarosh, R. Ruth

Adjunct Professors Y.E. Alechina, L. Gump, P. Gedo, J. Viola

Professorial Lecturers M. Barnes, R. Fritsch, J. Gorin, E. Klossen, R. Warrier

Doctor of Psychology in the field of clinical psychology-Prerequisite: a bachelor's degree with relevant background and experience in psychology or its equivalent. Students who lack adequate preparation will be expected to complete prerequisite undergraduate courses during the first year of the program; credit for such courses does not apply to the degree.

Required: the general requirements stated under Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. The three-year program includes the core curriculum (PsyD 8201- 2, 8204, 8205, 8206, 8207, 8209, 8220- 21, 8225- 26, 8227); courses chosen from the areas of adult and child psychotherapy or psychological assessment; satisfactory completion of the General Examination; and the completion of the practicum seminar (PsyD 8203) for each fall and spring semester as well as two practica during the summers.

In addition, successful completion of an externship-a year-long, part-time supervised clinical assignment-is required in two years of the program. A failed externship may, in exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the program director, be repeated. If the student fails a second time, no further opportunity will be provided, and the student's degree candidacy is terminated.

A one-year, full-time internship at an institution approved by the program faculty is required for completion of the degree program. If the student fails the internship, no further opportunity will be provided, and the student's degree candidacy is terminated.

The Doctor of Psychology program is offered on a full-time basis only.

Note: PsyD courses are limited to students enrolled in the Professional Psychology program except by permission of the director. See the Department of Psychology for the degree program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy in the field of clinical psychology. For information on the new M.A. program in forensic psychology, see programs.columbian.gwu.edu/psyd.

8201-02 Psychological Assessment (3-3)
  Cognitive and projective testing, focusing on core batteries used in intellectual and personality assessment. Laboratory fee.
8203 Practicum in Clinical Psychology (1)
  A continuing practicum, repeated in each semester and summer of the program's three years. In year one, focused on psychological assessment; in upper years, on psychological intervention related to the student's choice of area.
8204 Biological Basis of Clinical Psychology (3)
  The structure and function of the nervous system and its application to understanding psychopathology. Development of the nervous system in interaction with learning and experience as a central basis of human growth and disability.
8205 Psychodynamic Psychopathology (3)
  The developmental psychodynamic basis for understanding psychopathology, with comparisons to relevant biological and social explanatory factors.
8206 Cognitive Basis of Clinical Psychology (3)
  The theoretical and experimental basis of learning, memory, and cognition. Cognitive growth, maturation, and learning. Cognitive processes in relation to the understanding of psychopathology.
8207 Group and Organizational Dynamics (3)
  Social aspects of adaptive and maladaptive dynamic patterns; group structure and the individual; shared unconscious ideas in wish and defense; small, large, and intergroup (community) dynamics and intervention.
8209 Statistics and Research Design (3)
  The role of measurement, design, and statistics in clinical psychological research; basic descriptive and inferential statistics; analysis of variance and multivariate designs; case study designs; clinical field research.
8210 Professional Issues (3)
  The legal and ethical issues in the conduct of professional psychology, including confidentiality, ethical competence, privilege, expert testimony, malpractice, and the insanity defense. Business and ethical issues concerning private practice, licensing, certification, forensics, and insurance reimbursement.
8215 Adolescence (3)
  The unique characteristics of the adolescence phase-normal development, psychopathology, and treatment approaches. Treatment of the severely disturbed adolescent.
8220-21 Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (3-3)
  Clinical theories, research, techniques, therapeutic action, and ethics. PsyD 8220: ego supportive psychotherapy; psychodynamic formulations; object relational and self-psychological perspectives. PsyD 8221: Exploratory psychotherapy; process and outcome; issues of race, class, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.
8222 Behavioral-Cognitive Therapies (3)
  Theoretical and clinical approaches to understanding and modifying behavior, affect, and thought from behavioral and cognitive perspectives. History and development of these perspectives; current work on psychotherapy integration across varying therapeutic approaches.
8225-26 Ego Psychology/Object Relations Theory (3-3)
  Consideration of several major contemporary schools of psychodynamic mental functioning-ego psychology, self psychology, object relations theory, and relational perspectives. Formulation skills are built through the two semesters.
8227 History and Systems of Clinical Psychology (3)
  A review of the historical development of clinical psychology-its roots in mainstream psychology and psychiatry and its modern technical and theoretical systems.
8231 Short-Term Psychotherapy (3)
  A study of brief psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy interventions. Focus on clinical vignettes.
8232 Character Pathology: Theory and Technique (3)
  Recent contributions to the understanding of character pathology and its implications for treatment.
8240 Group Psychotherapy (3)
  Theory and technique in group psychotherapy; history of group therapy and group analysis; current controversies in the field.
8246 Community Intervention (3)
  Consultation theory and practice related to social service, health, educational, and other not-for-profit organizations. Managing change and action plans.
8250 Neuropsychological Assessment (3)
  Theory and practice of neuropsychological assessment. History and development of the field. Major batteries, individualized approaches, and specialized tests.
8251 Advanced Psychodynamic Assessment (3)
  Recent trends in projective testing; Lerner and Lerner, Schafer, Allison and Blatt, Kwawer, Sugarman, Exner.
8252 Child and Adolescent Assessment (3)
  Case seminar with clinical presentations, focused on the core clinical battery. Problems of differential diagnosis between neuropsychological hypotheses and conflict-based hypotheses.
8255 Forensic Assessment (3)
  Overview of the professional standards and ethics guidelines for forensic evaluations. The psychological assessment of criminal cases, the role of the psychologist in expert testimony, and concepts and principles of law encountered in the forensic evaluation process. The role of theory and research in the criminal evaluation process.
8260 Child Development (3)
  Cognitive and emotional factors in the development of normal and abnormal personality dynamics in children and adolescents: experiential and maturational aspects, learning disabilities, the development of conflict and compromise formations; the relevance of child development to adult psychodynamics and psychotherapy.
8262 Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy (3)
  Case seminar on child and adolescent treatment. Biological and psychological treatments; intensive vs. short term; conceptualizations of play therapy; differences from adult techniques.
8264 Child and Adolescent Psychopathology (3)
  Theory and research on child and adolescent psychopathology. The development of diagnostic categories and their relevance to psychodynamic viewpoints.
8265 Family Therapy (3)
  Survey of classical and modern theories of family structure and therapy. History and development of the field. Major schools and current controversies.
8266 Clinical Intervention in Schools (3)
  Theory and practice of clinical psychological interventions in schools. Testing, observation, consultation.
8267 Advanced Child Psychotherapy (3)
  Technical approaches to selected clinical problems and populations. Trauma, physical and sexual abuse, problems in learning and attention, gender identity disorder, behavior problems, adoption, and divorce. Coordination of developmental and therapeutic processes, and collateral work with parents.
8270 Current Topics in Clinical Psychology (arr.)
  May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs.
8271 Independent Study (arr.)
8280 Issues in Gender Development (3)
  Studies of similarities and differences in male and female gender development and sexual object choice. Recent theoretical and clinical contributions. Readings in Freud, Fast, Mayer, Stoller, Tyson and Tyson, Kleeman, Chassaguet-Smirgel, Kaplan, and Friedman.
 

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© 2012 University Bulletin
The George Washington University All rights reserved.

Information in this bulletin is generally accurate as of fall 2011. The University reserves the right to change courses, programs, fees, and the academic calendar, or to make other changes deemed necessary or desirable, giving advance notice of change when possible.