PsyD Clinical Psychology
As one of the first PsyD programs in the nation, the Graduate School of Professional Psychology has offered a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) since 1976. The mission of the PsyD program is to train doctoral-level practitioner/scholars who have foundational interpersonal and scientific skills, a functional mastery of psychological assessment and intervention, and can apply this knowledge and skill in a range of settings.
We aim to train psychologists who contribute to the common good through their interpersonal awareness and skill. Students graduate from GSPP as psychologists with a solid grounding in psychology's scientific, ethical and professional foundations, with skills in assessment and intervention that can be applied to many contexts and communities.
Specialty and Focus Area Coursework and Practicum
We offer training in a variety of specialty and focus areas including Military Psychology, Child and Adolescent Psychology, Health Psychology, Advanced Assessment, Forensic Psychology, and Substance Use. We also offer training opportunities across theoretical orientations (relational, psychodynamic, humanistic, ACT, CBT, DBT, and others) and across modalities (e.g., individual, group, family, couple, play therapies).
Foundations of Diversity
Our required multicultural sequence ensures students are prepared to work with diverse populations.
Clinical Experience from Day One
Clinical practice begins in the first quarter of the program at DU's community-based Professional Psychology Clinic (PPC). Additional external practicum opportunities are available through our partnerships at 130 different sites.
Exemplary Breadth
We offer extensive hands-on and experiential opportunities to complement our students' broad base of knowledge along with their analytical and research skills.
Career Preparation
We connect our students with internships, mentorships and professional development opportunities to help ensure professional success.
Program Overview
The PsyD Program at GSPP is committed to providing broad-based training that provides students the basis for general practice, with an adequate foundation to pursue specialty training. As such, we cover the following broad and general areas of psychological study through our 135-credit program. The curriculum includes required and elective coursework in the following areas:
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Theoretical & Scientific Bases
We provide a course theory sequence that addresses both the history and scientific foundation of each area of psychology.
- History and Systems of Psychology
- Social Bases of Behavior
- Cognitive & Affective Bases of Behavior
- Physiological Psychology
- Developmental Bases of Behavior
- Relational Psychotherapy Theory & Practice
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Research Methodology & Data Analysis
The research and data analysis area begins with two statistics courses that review the fundamentals of descriptive and inferential statistics for evaluating clinically relevant questions. Coursework also provides foundations for research methods and program evaluation. Students also take a course to help develop their doctoral paper.
- Statistics for the Clinician I & II
- Research Methods
- Program Evaluation Techniques
- Doctoral Paper
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Assessment
The assessment course sequence begins with establishing an understanding of theory that lays the foundation for assessment. The psychometrics course provides foundation in psychological assessment, test construction, reliability, validity, interpretation of test results, and ethical considerations in measurement. Throughout the program, students gain the skills necessary to administer, score, interpret and integrate results from cognitive and personality measures into insightful, helpful and even therapeutic effects.
- Psychometrics
- Cognitive & Academic Assessment
- Personality and Psychopathology Assessment
- Projective Testing
- Clinical Neuropsychology
- Advanced Assessment Electives include: Therapeutic Assessment, Advanced Personality Assessment, and Advanced Rorschach
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Ethical Issues in Psychology
The Ethical Issues in Psychology course offers in-depth consideration of ethical standards applicable to the science and practice of psychology. Ethical issues are also covered in each of our professional seminar courses.
- Ethical Issues in Psychology
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Individual & Cultural Diversity
Individual and cultural diversity are addressed throughout the curriculum, as well as in our multicultural course sequence.
- Foundations of Multicultural Psychology
- Culturally Responsive Psychology
- Special Topics in Psychotherapy: Diverse Populations
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Diagnosis & Psychopathology
Most of the intervention electives address issues of diagnosis and psychopathology. We also offer a specific diagnosis class.
- Psychopathology Diagnosis & Classification
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Supervision & Consultation
Students are expected to address issues of supervision and consultation in advanced seminars, and the foundations for consultation theory are addressed in the Systems Models class. Advanced students can also elect to do a supervision practicum.
- Supervision
- Business Issues in Psychology
- Supervision Practicum
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Effective Therapeutic Interventions
Students can take clinical courses that build on the scientific foundations presented in the required courses, and allow students to explore intervention techniques and means of tracking and assessing their effectiveness. These courses are taught from a variety of theoretical perspectives and focus on several different clinical populations and problems.
- Clinical Foundations
- Overview of Theoretical Orientations
- Trauma-Informed Practice
- Relational Psychotherapy & Practice
- Electives - Special Topics in Psychotherapy: Various modalities, Various orientations & Diverse Populations
Course of Study
Clinical Competency Exam
This exam is generally taken in the second year to ensure students demonstrate minimum standards for clinical skill and scholarship. It is comprised of three sections: clinical vignettes, clinical case conceptualization and clinical intervention strategies.
Doctoral Paper
The doctoral paper requires students to make an original contribution to psychological scholarship. They may choose to do a qualitative or quantitative research project or select another form of scholarship such as developing a case study or treatment protocol.
Course Descriptions
Check out the most recent Graduate Bulletin for a full list of course descriptions.
Clinical Training
Professional Psychology Clinic (PPC)
Students become staff members of the PPC and work with clients in the clinic each year prior to their internship. PPC client cases are supervised by faculty members, seminar co-leaders and individual community professionals.
Explore ClinicsCommunity Practicums
In the years prior to their internship, students serve in practicums for a minimum of eight hours per week. Sites may include mental health centers, schools, hospitals, rehabilitation center, and residential treatment homes.
Learn MoreDoctoral Internship
During their clinical internship, a vital part of our program, students gain valuable experience interning at sites around the U.S. and Canada and are able to pursue placements in a variety of settings. Our program has a 100% match rate to accredited sites.
Past PlacementsAlumni Spotlight
Dr. Pia Khandekar
Pia Khandekar, PsyD is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in San Diego, California with the Department of Defense. She is currently the supervising psychologist and Clinical Program Director for the inpatient unit at Naval Medical Center San Diego. During the past 4 years, Dr. Khandekar has developed and implemented a comprehensive, interdisciplinary program focusing on crisis prevention planning and evidence-based interventions for depression/anxiety, trauma, substance use, and serious mental illness. She is a core faculty member for the Navy psychology internship program, supervising interns on the emergency psychiatry and inpatient mental health rotations. She also serves as teaching faculty for the psychiatry residency program, facilitating the PGY-1 and 2 Cognitive Behavioral and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy courses. She was awarded Faculty of the Year for the psychology internship program 2018, and received an Associate Master Clinician designation from the command in August 2019. She also maintains an outpatient panel, working with service members from Navy/Marine Aviation and Naval Special Warfare.
Dr. Khandekar graduated in 2011 from the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology, and completed her internship and postdoctoral training at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital. Dr. Khandekar began working with active duty personnel when she took a position as a clinician working with military families in Germany at U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart. Upon returning to the states in 2015, Dr. Khandekar was employed as a psychologist with Naval Air Station North Island, providing therapy to the naval aviation community and consultation to squadrons on human factors and performance.
Our Internship Consortium
At the Graduate School of Professional Psychology, our innovative Internship Consortium is a nationally recognized program and serves as a model for other similar programs around the country.
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Learn About Our Alumni Network
At the Graduate School of Professional Psychology, our alumni base becomes your community for life.
