Doctor of Philosophy Clinical Psychology (PhD)
Christina M. Rodriguez, PhD, Graduate Program Director
The Department of Psychology has participated in the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology for over 43 years. This unified PhD program is offered jointly by Old Dominion University and Norfolk State University, and it is nationally accredited by the American Psychological Association. Students are engaged in research activities and clinical work throughout their training. The Program follows a scientist-practitioner training model. NOTE: This joint program is no longer accepting applications and is scheduled to close by 2031 when the last accepted students complete the program.
Admission
This program is no longer accepting applications. Please see the PhD in Psychology with a Concentration in Clinical Psychology page.
Curriculum Requirements
The Clinical Psychology PhD program of the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology (VCPCP) provides students with a high level of professional training consistent with the standards required for accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA). To attain the degree, a minimum of five years of post-baccalaureate training is required, including four years full-time in residence (excluding the pre-doctoral internship and doctoral dissertation). An oral and written comprehensive examination, empirical doctoral dissertation, multiple years of clinical practicum training, and a full-time one year APA-approved pre-doctoral clinical internship are also required for the degree. The APA pre-doctoral internships are offered outside the Consortium. Additional details about the VCPCP program can be found in its Program Handbook which is available on the Consortium's website (www.odu.edu/vcpcp).
Two pathways toward degree completion are possible:
PATH A: For students entering the program with a master's degree, students are required to complete a minimum of 116 credit hours as noted below. Students entering the program who have already completed an empirical master's thesis in a graduate program prior to admission may have it evaluated to meet the program's requirement for a Foundational Research Project (FRP). Students with a master's degree but without an empirical master's thesis will be required to complete an FRP or, alternatively, may elect to pursue a master's thesis (see Path B below). The following curricular requirements will be followed for students in Path A:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Path A Curriculum Requirements | ||
| Core Courses | ||
| CPSY 632 | Intellectual Assessment | 3 |
| CPSY 651 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| CPSY 661 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| CPSY 664 | Clinical Assessment: Personality and Individual Differences | 3 |
| CPSY 700 | Clinical and Ethical Practice | 3 |
| CPSY 713 | Research Methods in Psychology | 3 |
| CPSY 720 | Multicultural Issues in Clinical Psychology | 3 |
| CPSY 725 | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | 3 |
| CPSY 727 | Analysis of Variance and Experimental Design | 4 |
| CPSY 728 | Regression and Correlation Design | 4 |
| CPSY 749 | Social and Affective Bases of Behavior | 3 |
| CPSY 801 | Empirically-Supported Therapies | 3 |
| CPSY 826 | Biological and Cognitive Aspects of Behavior | 3 |
| Total Credits for Core Courses | 41 | |
| Clinical Practicum | 33 | |
| Clinical Practicum | ||
or CPSY 896 | Advanced Clinical Practicum | |
| Research | 18 | |
| Research in Clinical Psychology | ||
| Clinical Dissertation | 12 | |
| Clinical Dissertation | ||
| Internship | 12 | |
| Internship in Clinical Psychology | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 116 | |
PATH B: For students entering the program without a master's degree from a graduate program, students are required to complete a minimum of 116 credit hours. Students who are not interested in completing a master's thesis would complete a Foundational Research Project (FRP) and notify the program within their first semester their intention to follow Path A.
Otherwise, students entering the program without a master's degree earned from a graduate program may first attain a master's degree in Old Dominion University (36 credits) followed by completing the requirements for the doctoral degree (80 credits). The following curricular requirements will be followed for students in Path B:
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Path B Curriculum Requirements | ||
| Master's Degree in Psychology | 36 | |
| See curriculum for M.S. in Psychology for more information. | ||
| Clinical Psychology students will be advised by their research mentor or DCT regarding the appropriate courses to take to prepare them for the PhD in Clinical Psycholgy. | ||
| The Graduate Program Director for the M.S. in Psychology program will work with Clinical Psychology students regarding curriculum choices for the master's program. | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PhD in Clinical Psychology | ||
| Section A-Required Foundational Core (9 credits)* | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| Developmental Psychology | ||
| Psychopathology | ||
| Multicultural Issues in Clinical Psychology | ||
| Social and Affective Bases of Behavior | ||
| Biological and Cognitive Aspects of Behavior | ||
(*whichever two courses not selected for master's Section B contribute here) | ||
| Section B-Required Clinical Courses (54 credits) | ||
| Required Clinical Courses | 6 | |
| Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | ||
| Empirically-Supported Therapies | ||
| Clinical Practicum | 33 | |
| Clinical Practicum | ||
or CPSY 896 | Advanced Clinical Practicum | |
| Internship in Clinical Psychology | 12 | |
| Internship in Clinical Psychology | ||
| Section C-Required Research Courses (20 credits) | ||
| Research in Clinical Psychology | 8 | |
| Research in Clinical Psychology | ||
| Clinical Dissertation | 12 | |
| Clinical Dissertation | ||
| Total Credit Hours | 80 | |
Additional Requirements
Student Evaluation
Students are regularly evaluated in academic course work, research activities, clinical work, and professional behavior. A formal evaluation of student’s progress is conducted at least annually. Each student is also evaluated through a written and oral comprehensive examination.
Dissertation Award
The David Leigh Pancoast Award is given to the student in the Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology with the outstanding doctoral dissertation.