University of IndianpolisOffice of University Relations (317) 788-32981400 East Hanna Avenue Fax (317) 788-3300Indianapolis, Indiana 46227-3697
For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Cynthia SequinMarch 5, 2001 (317) 788-3583 [email protected]
U of I confers first doctoral psychology degrees
INDIANAPOLIS - The University of Indianapolis will open a new door in its academic growth when it awards seven degrees in the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology. The candidates completed the requirements of the four-year program in December, and will be officially recognized in the May 5 commencement
John McIlvried, Ph.D., Chair of the U of I Psychology Department and Associate Dean of Graduate Psychology, developed the program in 1995.
"I taught at U of I from 1981 to 1985 and then left to be the Chief Psychologist at Central State Psychiatric Hospital, and then returned to U of I in 1993 to coordinate psychology graduate program efforts and teach in the psychology program," Dr. McIlvried said. "We started by developing a master's program in clinical psychology at our campus in Athens, Greece, where we regularly send psychology faculty to teach. In 1994 we began offering the MA degree here in Indianapolis, and later started efforts to establish a PsyD program in clinical psychology here."
A PsyD program differs from a Ph.D. program in that the focus of a PsyD is preparing students for applied professional practice in clinical psychology, whereas a Ph.D. program places a greater emphasis on research training, according to Dr. McIlvried.
Not only did Dr. McIlvried found the program - he did so in less than one year.
"One of the ways U of I is unique is that we can act quickly on something, and this was definitely on the fast track," he said. "We received approval from the North Central Association by the end of 1995, and by the fall of 1996 we had our first class of doctoral students."
Dr. McIlvried and the Psychology Department went a step further by securing accreditation from the Committee on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association for the doctoral program, one of only two PsyD programs in Indiana.
"This accreditation is a tremendous achievement, and a true mark of excellence," Dr. McIlvried said. "Accreditation by the American Psychological Association is an acknowledgement of the high quality and hard work of the psychology faculty in our department."
Candidates accepted into the program spend the first three years on studies at the campus for a total of 108 credit hours. The final year of the program is a full-time clinical internship involving students being placed around the United States. They must also complete a clinical dissertation with an oral defense, a minimum of 1,200 hours of clinical practicum, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or greater, pass a competency examination and meet the department's professional competency standards.
"The internship is highly competitive, with placements in community mental health centers, counseling centers, government agencies, hospitals, clinics, education and the military. An indicator of the quality of our program is how successful we have been in placing students in internships," Dr. McIlvried said.
PsyD candidate Kelly Ramos, who is the senior student affairs associate at U of I, said the program met her needs because of the focus on applied psychology. She had previously earned a master's degree in clinical psychology in 1997 from U of I.
"I checked into several programs and I liked this one because of the personal attention given to each student," she said. "The professors really help you internalize the skills and values needed to be a professional psychologist." She currently works in the U of I counseling center and also works with children and adolescents at the Medical Psychology Association and Community Hospital North. She will apply for an internship this fall to complete her doctorate. Her long-term goal is to counsel students and teach undergraduate courses on the foundation skills of counseling.
"The PsyD program has already helped me to attain some of my goals in the field of psychology," she said. "U of I also gave me one of my greatest opportunities when I met my husband, Dr. Dan Miller, here."
Students completing their degree requirements in December who will be graduating from the PsyD program this May are: Andrew Heck, Sheila Timms Kozler, Pam Christy, Paula Gardner, John Tilley, Amy Steinbruegge, and DeAnn Harvey.
"This program is all about the U of I 'Education for Service' credo," Dr. McIlvried said. "We train professionals to go out and help others."
For more information on the U of I PsyD program, visit the Web site at: http://psych.uindy.edu/
RSS