In addition to satisfying course work, practica, and other program requirements, students must also pass three qualifying examinations. Qualifying examinations are important capstone tasks integrated throughout the doctoral curriculum that provide students with the opportunity to integrate course material and practical training, reflect upon their educational and training experiences, and apply their learning to clinical and social issues. In addition, they enable faculty to evaluate students' progress toward expected learning outcomes for the doctoral program.
The Community Service Capstone Paper requires students to integrate experiences acquired during their Community Service Practicum (a requirement of the doctoral program) with theories and research covered in first year classes including Social Psychology and Individual Differences, Community Psychology and Mental Health, Introduction to Adlerian Psychology and Psychopathology, and Professional Development, Issues and Ethics. This integrative paper requires students to conduct a critical review of relevant empirical and theoretical literature on a psychological issue related to a community problem encountered at their practicum site as approved by their faculty advisor. The goal of this capstone paper is to assess the ability of students to integrate course material and material derived from their literature review to the analysis of a community problem and the development of methods of intervening to alleviate that problem. Students are expected to register for this requirement upon completion of one year full-time matriculation or the completion of 51 credit hours, whichever comes first. The Community Service Practicum must also be completed prior to engaging in the capstone paper. Further information on this capstone paper is provided in the Community Service Capstone Paper Handbook.
The next two qualifying examinations are clinical-competency based and patterned after the type of examination used at the post-doctoral level to earn board certification. In both examinations, students are required to synthesize and integrate clinical data from a range of sources to develop a clinical formulation and treatment plan, using theories and methods acquired in the classroom and at practica. The first of these examinations, the Doctoral Clinical Qualifying Examination-Assessment Competency, consists of a comprehensive psychological report on an individual case integrating assessment material, social history, diagnosis, and treatment plan; a paper integrating research with a pertinent clinical issue posed by the case; a formulation of the case based on Adlerian theory and methods; and a discussion of the impact of social issues on a pertinent clinical issue. Deadlines for submission of this examination and other details pertinent to preparation and submission of required materials are described in the Doctoral Clinical Qualifying Examination Handbook. Students submit the required written material for the examination to the Examination Coordinator who then assigns it to a Core Faculty member for review. Following faculty review of the submitted materials, students present the case orally to the faculty member who examines students on relevant issues to assess the student on the competency areas pertinent to the examination. Students must register for and complete the Clinical Qualifying Examination- Assessment Competency during the spring term of their diagnostic practicum year.
The second clinical competency examination is the Doctoral Clinical Qualifying Examination—Intervention Competency. Its format and intent is similar to the previous examination with the focus being on a sample of a therapeutic intervention conducted with a client. The student is required to submit a written case formulation and treatment plan along with an audio taped/videotaped therapy session; a paper integrating research with a pertinent clinical issue posed by the case; a formulation of the case based on Adlerian theory and methods; and a discussion of the impact of social issues on a pertinent clinical issue. Deadlines for submission of this examination and other details pertinent to preparation and submission of required materials are described in the Doctoral Clinical Qualifying Examination Handbook. Students must again submit required material to the Examination Coordinator who then assigns it to a Core Faculty member for review. Following faculty review of the submitted materials, students present the case orally to the faculty member who examines students on relevant issues to assess the student on the competency areas pertinent to the examination. The prerequisites to take this examination include the successful completion of the assessment practicum and Doctoral Clinical Qualifying Examination - Assessment Competency. Students must register for and complete the Doctoral Clinical Qualifying Examination-Intervention Competency during the Spring semester of their therapy practicum year. Students must successfully pass this examination in order to receive approval to submit application materials to internship sites from the Director of Training and Community Service.
The Doctoral Qualifying Exams are capstone experiences that allow faculty to evaluate students' readiness for internship and ability to proceed in the program. In order to receive a "Fail" grade on these exams, students must demonstrate significant problems in several areas measured. Students who fail any of the Doctoral Qualifying Exams the first time will be referred to their advisors to address areas of deficit and resubmit a new exam. Students who fail a Doctoral Qualifying Exam for the second time will be referred to the Student Comprehensive Evaluation Committee.
Fees paid for examinations that are not taken by a student or failed by a student are not refunded. Students who must retake a Qualifying Examination must register again for the exam.
