Applied
Clinical Psychology (ACPSY)
BARBARA A. BREMER, Graduate Program
Coordinator
Penn State Harrisburg
W-311 Olmsted Building
777 West Harrisburg Pike
Middletown, PA 17057
717-948-6362
bab12@psu.edu
www.hbg.psu.edu
Degree Conferred: M.A.
The Graduate Faculty
John Steven Backels, Ph.D. (Ball State) Affiliate Assistant Professor of Psychology
Michael A. Becker, Ph.D. (SUNY, Albany) Associate Professor of Psychology
Thomas G. Bowers, Ph.D. (Virginia Tech) Associate Professor of Psychology
Barbara A. Bremer, Ph.D. (Bryn Mawr) Associate Professor of Psychology
Heather K. Cecil, Ph.D. (Houston) Associate Professor of Psychology
Richard M. Foxx, Ph.D. (Illinois) Professor of Psychology
Jeffrey Hollier, Ph.D. (Virginia) Assistant Professor of Psychology
Senel Poyrazli, Ph.D. (Houston) Assistant Professor of Counseling Psychology
Kimberly A. Schreck, Ph.D. (Ohio State) Assistant Professor of Psychology
The Master of Arts in Applied Clinical
Psychology program helps students prepare to work as mental health professionals
in a variety of settings and is intended to provide a broad training program
in empirically validated clinical psychology which, when accompanied by an additional
12 credits in advanced graduate studies in psychology and/or counseling, can
provide the academic training necessary for graduates to apply for master's
level licensing as a professional counselor in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The M.A. program requires 48 credits of course work. An optional 12-credit certificate
program is available in the area of clinical health psychology through the School
of Behavioral Sciences and Education for students seeking licensure.
The overall model emphasizes the scientific bases of behavior, including biological,
social, and individual difference factors. The training model is health-oriented
rather than pathology-oriented and emphasizes the development of helping skills,
including both assessment and intervention.
The degree program is intended
for both part-time and full-time students. Admission is possible for the fall
or spring semesters. The deadline for fall admission is May 1 and the deadline
for spring admission is November 1.
Admission Requirements
Students will be admitted on a competitive basis and must submit the following:
- completed application form with
the application fee
- two official transcripts of all
colleges and universities attended
- three professional letters of
recommendation
- a brief (two-page) interest statement
- verbal, quantitative, and analytical
scores on the Graduate Record Examinations
The applicant must have a bachelor's
degree from a regionally accredited academic institution or the equivalent,
must have completed at least 18 credits in psychology, and must have a cumulative
grade-point average of 3.0 or above in the last 60 credits of course work. The
undergraduate work must include a statistics course and a psychology research
methods course with grades of B or higher. A personal interview is required.
International Students
All applicants whose first language
is not English or who have not received a baccalaureate degree from an institution
in which the language of instruction is English must take the Test of English
as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), www.toefl.org. The test must be passed with a
score of 550 (paper-based test) or 213 (computer-based test) or higher.
All students with international
credentials must submit transcripts to Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
(ECE) for a "Course by Course" academic evaluation of transcripts
and degree. An ECE application can be obtained on the Web at www.ece.org.
Transfer Credits
Penn State allows for the approval of up to 10 transfer credits to graduate
programs.
Grade-Point Average
Students must have a 3.00 grade-point
average to graduate from the program.
Financial Aid
There is a limited number of
scholarships and research grants available, as well as graduate assistantships.
Many students work full-time and take classes part-time. In many cases, employers
have a tuition-reimbursement plan paying for partial or full tuition. To find
other options available to you, contact the Financial Aid Office at 717-948-6307.
Degree Requirements
The M.A. in Applied Clinical Psychology requires 48 credits of coursework.
Included in the core courses are 100 hours of clinical practicum, 600 hours
of supervised internship experience, and a master's research paper.
Psychology Core Courses (23 credits)
provide a foundation in professional ethics, individual differences and cultural
diversity, the scientific bases of behavior, and scientific research skills.
These courses are intended to facilitate the development of an awareness of
the context in which clients live and in which interventions must work.
PSYCHOLOGY (PSYC)
500. Ethics and Professional
Practice in Psychology and Counseling (3)
501. Cultural Competency in Psychology (3)
502. Applied Social Psychology (3)
520. Research Methods (4)
521. Statistics (4)
524. Biological Basis of Behavior (3)
530. Research Paper (3)
Clinical Core Courses (25 credits)
provide a general background in clinical diagnosis, assessment, and interventions
with appropriate supervised experience to allow students to develop the clinical
skills appropriate for master's level practitioners.
PSYCHOLOGY (PSYC)
510. Human Growth and Development
(3)
517. Psychopathology (3)
518. Interviewing and Counseling (3)
519. Theories and Models of Psychotherapy (3)
540. Group Interventions (3)
571. Tests and Measurement (3)
595A. Clinical Practicum (1)
595B. Clinical Internship (6)
Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 599 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.
PSYCHOLOGY
(PSYC) course list
The Pennsylvania State University © 2004
The University reserves
the right to change the requirements and regulations listed here and to determine
whether a student has satisfactorily met its requirements for admission or
graduation, and to reject any applicant for any reason the University determines
to be material to the applicant's qualifications to pursue higher education.
Nothing in this material should be considered a guarantee that completion
of a program and graduation from the University will result in employment.
This electronic Graduate Bulletin
is a version of the official bulletin of The Pennsylvania State University.
It is suggested that users refer to this electronic bulletin when seeking the
latest information about the University's academic programs and courses. Printed
versions of the Bulletin are also official copies of the programs, courses,
and policies in effect at the time of printing.
Last Revised by the Department:
Fall Semester 2004
Blue Sheet Item #: 32-07-018
Review Date: 6/15/04
DATE LAST REVIEWED BY PUBLICATIONS:
11/21/06