My first semester as a doctoral student in clinical psychology was both rewarding and challenging. The first year of my program is known to be the most academically rigorous, with a demanding course load of six classes in both the fall and spring semesters. Simultaneously, students are assigned their first practicum placement, which provides hands-on experience working as therapists in a clinical setting. In this post, I will describe what kind of coursework you can expect from the first semester in a clinical psychology doctoral program.
The clinical PhD and PsyD curriculum is generally structured to equip students for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), which is taken before becoming a licensed clinical psychologist. In my first semester, I took courses that addressed several key domains relevant to this exam. For instance, in my Ethics course, we studied the APA Ethics Code, a comprehensive framework that outlines the standards and guidelines for ethical practice in psychology. Another course, Intercultural, concentrated on building skills for effective assessment and intervention with diverse populations. This course was particularly introspective, prompting extensive self-reflection and in-depth discussions on how to approach treatment for individuals from varied backgrounds.
Psychopathology is a course on mastering the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The DSM is a reference book and comprehensive guide that mental health professionals use to diagnose and categorize mental illnesses. The class sparked many lively and thought-provoking discussions about our perspectives on mental health, including the controversies surrounding the extent to which certain behaviors are pathologized. Clinical Interviewing was one of my favorite courses, where we learned the foundational skills essential for establishing and maintaining therapeutic relationships with clients in psychotherapy. We were introduced to the core therapy techniques and had the opportunity to practice these skills with our classmates.
In my Family Psychology class, we delved into various techniques used in family systems therapy. The course allowed us to explore our families of origin, examining how they function and our roles within those systems. Surprisingly, my favorite class turned out to be Assessment. In this course, we studied a range of tests that psychologists use to measure intelligence, academic achievement, personality, and psychopathology. We spent the semester learning about the development of these tests and practicing how to administer them. It was entertaining and illuminating to administer IQ tests and personality inventories to several of my friends and see how they scored. Assessment is one of the most lucrative career paths for psychologists, as it involves using these tests to diagnose conditions like learning disabilities or autism.
You might be thinking that this sounds like a lot of work, and it is. However, being in a doctoral program is quite different from undergrad. For one, there aren’t many assignments throughout the semester. Instead, these courses require extensive reading, and you are expected to come to class prepared for in-depth discussions on what you have read that week. I found most of the readings were incredibly interesting and valuable for my development as a mental health professional. The most common assignments are papers, and having a strong understanding of APA Style is crucial for success. I am particularly grateful I learned APA Style at UA Little Rock, as it has saved me considerable time writing papers for my current program. The first year of a psychology doctoral program is demanding and sometimes stressful, but if you’re passionate about psychology, it can be fulfilling and a whole lot of fun.
