M.S. Clinical Psychopharmacology

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Program Overview

The TCSPP Master of Science in Clinical Psychopharmacology is a 10 term (20 month) to 24 term (48 month) program, depending on the track selected designed to educate clinical psychology practitioners and leaders who wish to expand their knowledge base in psychopharmacology and medical conditions that are relevant to mental health care. Participants will learn how to increase their competency in psychological and physical assessment, diagnosis, and intervention relative to working with persons who are prescribed psychotropic medications, and engage in case-based learning that will enhance their collaborative practice skills.

The program uses online teaching methods and applied case-based learning to train psychologists to integrate medical approaches into their client care. The Coursework Only track consists of 31 credit hour didactic courses, and includes a research project. The Coursework Only track will take 10 terms (20 months) to complete.

The Illinois Prescriptive Authority Preparation Track is 67 credit hours and consists of all the courses from the Coursework Only Track, with the addition of 18 clinical rotation courses and a Clinical Competency Examination. Depending on the hours for clinical rotations the students will enter into part-time or full-time rotations. Students in the Illinois Prescriptive Authority Preparation Track completing clinical rotations Part-time (a minimum of 20 hours per week) will take an additional 14 terms (28 months) beyond the Coursework Only Track. Students in the Illinois Prescriptive Authority Preparation Track completing clinical rotations Full-time (approximately 40 hours per week) will take an additional 7 terms (14 months) beyond the coursework only track.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful of this program students will be able to:

Professional Practice

• Be able to perform a reliable, valid and clinically sound assessment, formulate a clinical diagnosis and generate treatment options individualized to the specific characteristics and therapeutic goals of the patient.
• Accepts and evaluates feedback and supervision from both medical and mental health professionals non- defensively and actively seeks to modify his/her behavior appropriately.

Diversity

• Collaborate with people differing from the student in terms of age, gender, race, ethnicity, cultural background, religious difference, sexual orientation, or differing ability. The student will be able to listen to and learn from the perspectives of others who differ from him/herself.
• Apply the knowledge on identity related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, religious belief, and ability, to promote more accurate and individualized clinical psychopharmacology assessment and treatment interventions.

Professional Behavior

• Able to perform a competent clinical assessment, formulate a diagnosis and generate treatment options that delineate ethical practices.
• Able to show ethical professional behavior according to a code of ethics.
• Able to show collaborative and team-oriented professional relationships with other medical and mental health professionals.

Scholarship

• Apply the theories of clinical psychopharmacology to assessment, diagnosis and treatment management.
• Able to use descriptive statistics and statistical procedures common to clinical psychopharmacology such as meta-analysis in a clinical research project.
• Evaluate and apply research findings to clinical psychopharmacological practice.

Admission Requirements

*The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is not currently accepting applications for the online M.S. Clinical Psychopharmacology program from individuals who live in these states: Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, and Washington.

Application to The Chicago School of Professional Psychology’s Master of Science in Clinical Psychopharmacology program is open to any person who has completed or has been admitted to a doctoral degree program in clinical psychology from a regionally accredited institution, and meets other entrance requirements.

• Completed application
• $50 application fee
• Applicants must submit official transcripts from all schools where a degree was earned. It is recommended that transcripts are submitted from all schools where credit was received to enhance their applications.
• Applicants who have not yet completed a doctoral degree program in clinical psychology or who have been admitted to a doctoral degree program in clinical psychology must submit a transcript of any coursework completed. If no courses have yet been completed, applicants must submit an official letter of admission.

For the Illinois Prescriptive Authority Preparation Track, applicants must also be licensed or eligible for licensure as a Clinical Psychologist in the State of Illinois.

Applicant Notification

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology reviews applications on a rolling basis. Once review begins, complete applications will be considered by the Admission Committee and applicants will be notified regarding the admission decision. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology does not share information or provide any feedback regarding admission decisions.

If a student is offered admission and in order to secure a place in the incoming class, a non-refundable tuition deposit of $250 will be required by the deposit deadline indicated in the offer of admission. The non-refundable deposit will be applied in full toward the student’s tuition upon enrollment.

Policies

The following policies are located under Academic Policies and Procedures : Academic Calendar, Admissions Requirements, Attendance, Satisfactory Academic Progress, Service Learning, and Transfer Credit/Course Waiver. Click the link above for detailed information.

Licensure for Prescriptive Authority

The M.S. Clinical Psychopharmacology program is aligned with the didactic curriculum of the 2009 American Psychological Association (APA) Recommended Postdoctoral Education and Training Program in Psychopharmacology, but is not an APA-designated program. A slowly growing number of states are extending prescriptive authority to licensed clinical psychologists that have received additional education and training in psychopharmacology. States may choose to model their educational requirements for prescriptive authority on the APA recommended curriculum.

At this time there are three states where prescriptive authority is available for licensed psychologists: Louisiana, Illinois, and New Mexico.

• Both the Coursework Only Track and the Illinois Prescriptive Authority Preparation Track of the M.S. Clinical Psychopharmacology program align with the degree and curriculum requirements for eligibility for licensure as a medical psychologist in Louisiana.
• The Illinois Prescriptive Authority Preparation Track of the M.S. Clinical Psychopharmacology program aligns with the degree and clinical rotation requirements for eligibility for licensure as a prescribing psychologist in Illinois. In order to fully meet the coursework requirements for licensure, students who have not completed the following courses in prior graduate coursework must complete the courses in addition to program coursework requirements:
  • Advanced Physical Assessment (1 credit hour)
  • Research Methods (2 credit hours)
• Neither track of the M.S. Clinical Psychopharmacology program meets requirements for prescriptive authority in New Mexico.

In addition to educational requirements in Louisiana and Illinois, candidates must possess an unrestricted license to practice psychology in the state and complete an application process which includes a fee, background check, and passage of a national exam in psychopharmacology.