Clinical Psychology
The Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program in clinical psychology has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1979, and has a strong foundation in the practitioner-scholar model of training. We value the dynamic, active interplay between clinical work and scholarship. Since its inception, the program has provided four key training experiences: academic coursework, in-house clinical work, community-based clinical work and departmental mentorship. We aim to train future psychologists who have interpersonal and scientific skills, a mastery of assessment and intervention and the ability to apply these skills in a wide range of settings with a variety of populations. We work to produce graduates capable of contributing to the sustainable common good, in alignment with the University's mission and goals.
Starting in the first quarter, students begin clinical practice in our community-based mental health center. Students are also required to be in a community field placement: supervised professional experiences in places like mental health centers, schools, college counseling centers, the justice system, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, private practices and residential treatment homes throughout the Denver metropolitan area. Each student is expected to choose a specialty area in which to increase their depth of knowledge and skills, including forensic psychology, Latino psychology, military psychology and health psychology. The program has its own consortium as a choice for pre-doctoral internship.
Graduates can be found working independently and collaboratively in VA hospitals, community health centers, federal prisons, university-based counseling centers and hospitals, the U.S. armed forces and in private practice. Some graduates have also returned to the program to work as clinical supervisors, adjunct professors and core faculty.
The Graduate School of Professional Psychology has offered a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) since 1976. It was one of the first PsyD programs in the nation and has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1979. 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.
Specialties
We offer a variety specialties including Latinx psychology, military psychology, oncology psychology, infant and early childhood mental health, and substance use disorder psychology.
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 psychological center. Additional fieldwork opportunities take advantage of our 130 different practicum sites.
Exemplary Breadth
We offer extensive clinical training to complement our students' deep, 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.
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