Model of Training and Core Values

The Practitioner - Scholar Training Model

The Graduate School of Professional Psychology seeks to guide students in their professional development using core values developed by the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology, and a model curriculum developed by the Council for Counseling Psychology Training Programs. 

These values emphasize:

• intellectual curiosity and flexibility
• scientific skepticism
• open-mindedness
• psychological health
• belief in the capacity for change
• appreciation of individual and cultural diversity
• interest, courage and compassion in providing human services, especially in under served populations
• personal integrity and honesty
• capacity of developing interpersonal skills including empathy, respect for others, and personal relatedness
• self-awareness

Counseling psychology students learn and refine these characteristics during their graduate studies. Students may develop or refine these characteristics in a variety of ways, including personal growth experiences, therapy or involvement in support groups. In the training and education process, student self-disclosure of personal information may be part of course work, advising, supervision and consultation. The integration of theory, self-awareness and research is critical to success as a counselor, therapist or psychologist.

Master of Arts (M.A.) and Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degrees in Counseling Psychology

We are committed to an educational process that addresses the diverse needs of students through a variety of learning strategies that create a supportive and challenging environment within the university.

The Practitioner - Scholar Model

The graduate programs focus on training students in counseling psychology by teaching applied skills within the framework of ethical practice. The M.A., developed in the mid-1970s, and the Psy.D., initiated in 1990, provide practitioner-oriented education for professionals serving in mental health fields.