Program Mission
The Clinical Psychology program at Augsburg is dedicated to the values of responsibility, relationship, and rigor. Responsibility is grounded in self-reflection, integrity, and respect. Relationship is realized through cultural humility, empathy, and intentional collaboration with the communities in which we learn, work, and serve. Rigor is exemplified by active scientific inquiry and scholarship, effective written and oral communication, clinical excellence, and thoughtful study and practice of psychological theory and technique. Through these values, we cultivate a vocation that benefits society, promotes well-being, and advances justice. We commit to advocacy for those most marginalized in service of a more equitable future.
Program design
- 5-6 year sequence: foundational coursework, practicum, and internship. 7-year program time limit.
- We promote timely completion through: regular monitoring of progress (advising, Annual Reviews); remediation if indicated to address competency concerns while staying on track; dissertation modules promote steady advancement through project
- Sequential learning: mastery of fundamental knowledge before advanced integration.
- Pre-practicum: Focus on ethics, psychopathology, diversity, assessment, and diagnosis.
- Practicum progression builds on scientific and therapeutic integration.
- Summative evaluations (Annual Reviews, Supervisor Evaluations) verify readiness for internship.
additional program requirements
Clinical Competency Evaluation (CCE) Requirements
The Clinical Competency Examination (CCE) is a series of competency-based tasks required for PsyD students in which students demonstrate to the faculty a mastery of major clinical assessment and therapy skills. The purpose of this evaluation is to monitor the student’s growth and development of clinical competence in accordance with the standards of the profession and to ensure student acquisition of appropriate skill levels for subsequent internship training and clinical practice.
Dissertation Requirements
The Clinical Psychology program requires each PsyD student to develop a Dissertation as requirement for graduation. The Dissertation is intended to be a scholarly work that provides students an opportunity to deepen their knowledge and thought about a particular clinical area; to demonstrate the ability to analyze methodological issues; and to produce an original piece of scholarly work in the field of clinical psychology. Assisting the student in this process is a committee of faculty members who will review the material and make recommendations and suggestions.
Graduation Requirements
Students who are admitted into the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology degree program will be responsible for completing the program requirements that are in effect at the time of their admission. The school retains the right to modify these requirements in accordance with the demands of the profession of psychology. To be eligible for graduation, students must meet the following requirements.
- The satisfactory completion of 98 semester credit hours. The total credit hours must include:
- 69 credit hours of core courses
- 2 credit hours of Professionalization Group
- 12 credit hours (two years) of practicum and practicum seminar groups
- A minimum of 9 credit hours of general electives
- 6 credit hours of Dissertation
- Successful completion of all sections of the Clinical Competency Evaluation (CCE)
- Successful completion of a 2,000-hour internship, in not less than 12 and not more than 24 months
- GPA of at least 3.00 (B average)
- Completion of these requirements within seven years of matriculation into the program
- A completed Petition to Graduate approved by program administration and submitted to Augsburg’s registrar.
- The Clinical Research Project is approved by all committee members as final, and submitted and accepted into IDUN.
All courses other than electives are considered core courses. Students are required to retake a core course if they receive a grade below “B-.” and a course cannot be used as a prerequisite for another course if the student received a grade below B-. The course must be retaken no later than the end of the next calendar year with an earned grade of “B-” or better.
The date of graduation listed on your transcript will be the university’s set conferral date following either (1) completion of internship, or (2) completion of the Dissertation, whichever is later.