Psy.D. Clinical Forensic Psychology

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CHICAGO ● LOS ANGELES AND ORANGE COUNTIES

Doctorate of Psychology, Clinical Forensic Psychology

The rapidly growing field of Forensic Psychology focuses on the application of the science and profession of psychology to questions and issues relating to law and the legal system. The Clinical Forensic Psychology Doctoral Program bases its training on the practitioner-scholar model of education, integrating eight core competencies informed by the educational model of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP). The program is designed so that students will gain a mastery of clinical forensic psychology, enabling them to bring psychology into the legal and public policy arenas in an ethical, academically informed, and research-based manner.

Admission Requirements

General Admission Requirements

Application to The Chicago School’s Clinical Forensic Psychology Doctoral program is open to any person who has earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and who meets other entrance requirements. Applicants will be judged on their overall ability to do graduate work. Factors that are considered in admission are: GPA from undergraduate and any graduate schools, successful work history after completion of the baccalaureate degree, the admission essay, letters of recommendation from academic professors or supervisors from professional or volunteer experiences, and Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores (GRE School Code: 1119). Generally, an undergraduate GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale is required for admission. Please see the application for detailed instructions and information regarding application requirements, application deadlines, and letters of recommendation.

The Clinical Forensic Psychology Doctoral Program requires 18 semester hours of psychology credit including a course in Abnormal Psychology and Statistics that must be completed prior to enrollment with a grade earned of C or better in the course. Where an applicant is missing the required undergraduate coursework or hours, graduate coursework or hours may be substituted, provided that the student earned a grade of C or better in the course. Graduate coursework used to meet prerequisites will be considered for graduate transfer or waiver on a case-by-case basis, however. Based on the evaluation of these materials, selected candidates may be invited to interview for further consideration of their application. Please see the application for detailed instructions and information regarding application requirements, application deadlines, and letters of recommendation. Applications must be submitted with a $50 (US) fee in order to be evaluated.

TOEFL or IELTS, International Credentials, and International Students

TOEFL or IELTS: If English is not your primary language, you must submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores with your application (TOEFL School Code: 7161). International students who received a bachelor’s degree from an accredited United States institution are exempt from this requirement. The minimum scores are: TOEFL - 550 paper based, 79 internet based; IELTS - 6.5.

ELS Educational Services, Inc.: The Chicago School is a cooperative member of ELS Educational Services, Inc. which provides intensive English language programs. Students who have successfully completed ELS course 112 may be considered for admission in lieu of the TOEFL or IELTS.

International credentials: Applicants with international credentials must obtain and submit an official “course-by-course” evaluation through an evaluation agency such as World Education Services (www.wes.org) or Educational Credential Evaluators Inc (www.ece.org). In addition to the agency evaluation, all official graduate and undergraduate transcripts must be submitted.

International students: International students must submit a completed application by the general consideration deadline. In addition, once accepted, international students must submit the International Student Information form, a copy of their passport, and financial documentation showing sufficient funding for at least one year of study and all living expenses. This documentation must be submitted at least two months prior to the start of the semester in order to allow sufficient time for the school to issue an I-20 for the student to obtain an F-1 visa, if needed. An I-20 visa will not be issued without this documentation.

Applicant Notification

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

If a student is offered admission, in order to secure a place in the incoming class, an intent to enroll form and a non-refundable tuition deposit of $500 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

Transfer of Credit

Prior graduate course work, if within the area of study, may be eligible for transfer or waiver of credit. Students accepted to the Clinical Forensic Psychology Doctoral Program may petition for transfer of credit by submitting a Petition for Transfer/Waiver of Credit Form** and all required documentation for each course in which transfer is being sought. Students wishing to petition for transfer of credit must comply with all requirements in the Student Handbook, and submit a completed Petition for Transfer of Credit Form to the Registrar for each course they wish to transfer. The department will prioritize the processing of petitions received before the end of the second week of the summer semester so as to notify students of the outcome well before the start of the fall semester. The decision to accept transfer credit is solely that of the school. The school reserves the right to require satisfactory performance on an examination before awarding a transfer of credit. Satisfactory completion of a competency examination is required before transfer of credit is awarded when the course in question has been taken more than five years prior to admission. No credit will be transferred for course work that is more than 10 years old. Generally, maximum of 12 semester hours of credit for coursework completed prior to matriculation at The Chicago School may be transferred. Additional transfer of credit may be granted at the discretion of the program.

• Transferred course credit is restricted to graduate-level courses from a recognized, regionally-accredited graduate degree granting institution.
• Transfer of credit is not granted for clinical practica or for internship.
• Transfer of credit is granted only for courses in which the grade obtained was a B or higher. Pass/Fail grades are not eligible.
• No credit will be transferred for coursework that is more than 10 years old.
• All coursework being submitted for transfer credit evaluation must have been completed prior to matriculation into The Chicago School.
• For each hour of credit accepted a transfer a fee will be assessed. Please see the tuition and fee page of the TCSPP website.
• Internal transfers do not pay the transfer course fee.

A course that does not meet the specific content requirements of an existing TCSPP elective course may be accepted as transfer credit as an elective if the course supports the required competencies and learning objectives of the program and meets the following conditions:

• The course must meet all other requirements for transfer credit.
• The course must be at the equivalent degree level.
• Approval by the Department Chair for the transfer credit and documentation of this approval is required.

**Please submit all required documentation with each petition. Any credit approved for transfer will not be added to the student’s academic record until after the second week of their first semester.

Waiver of Courses

Any domestic or international student with previous graduate course work who has already received the maximum transfer credit may request a waiver of additional course work. However, waiver of courses do not reduce the total number of hours of course work to be completed at The Chicago School; it permits students to substitute course work as approved by the department chair. An international student who has completed an undergraduate course(s) that, in the judgment of the department chair, is equivalent to a required course at The Chicago School, may apply for the course to be waived. Waiver will not apply to undergraduate courses offered by U.S. educational institutions. Students may seek a waiver for a total of 12 credit hours. Those seeking both a waiver and transfer of credit hours may not exceed a total of 30 credit hours. No credit may be given for coursework that is more than 10 years old.
 

Residency Requirement

It is expected that students will fulfill all degree requirements through courses offered at The Chicago School. Under unusual circumstances, and subject to the approval of the department chair, a student may be permitted to complete certain course requirements at another institution.

Satisfactory Progress

Matriculated students must be continuously enrolled (including summers) in the department until graduation unless granted an approved Leave of Absence. Waiver or transfer credit hours may not be used to meet continuous enrollment requirements. The Clinical Forensic Psychology Doctoral Program offers no part-time option for program completion. Rather, it is a full-time, lock-step program. As such, students must be enrolled in the courses listed in their respective program schedule, which is provided in the Appendix section of this document, unless transfer or waiver credit hours modify said schedule and an approved alternative schedule has been provided or the student is on an approved Leave of Absence.

Additional requirements for are detailed in Academic Policies and Procedures .

Program Length

• The Clinical Forensic Psychology Doctoral Program is four to five years in length
• Students must complete all requirements within seven years.

Credit Hours per Year and Program Length:

The maximum duration of the Doctorate in Clinical Forensic Psychology program is seven years. Students must be enrolled for a minimum of 11 semester hours during fall and spring semester and five credits during summer term to be classified as full time in terms of financial aid.

Graduation Requirements

A doctoral degree can be awarded once the student completes all requirements for the Clinical Forensic Psychology Doctoral Program, including the Dissertation, within the designated program length. However, program duration may not exceed six years. Students who meet the following requirements are eligible for a doctoral degree:

• Satisfactory completion of all department required credit hours
• Cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or higher
• Satisfactory completion of the Clinical Forensic Competency Exam (CFCE) prior to the beginning of internship
• Successful defense of the dissertation and submission of bindable copy
• Satisfactory completion of internship(s)
• Satisfactory completion of six semesters of practica, three of which are focused primarily on clinical assessment and three of which are focused primarily on clinical therapy

Students must complete the online Petition for Degree Completion in order to have their degree conferred, diploma issued, and for eligibility to participate, if desired, in the commencement ceremony. Detailed information and the Petition for Degree Completion form is located on the website.

The Program

Philosophy

The Clinical Forensic Psychology Doctoral Program operates under the practitioner-scholar model and the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP) Core Competency model of training in clinical psychology. These models are predicated on the belief that competent practitioners must have both a broad knowledge of scientific and theoretical principles in the clinical practice of psychology and the ability to apply that knowledge to specific clinical situations. Furthermore, the program reflects the educational goals and competencies adopted by the National Invitational Conference on Education and Training in Law and Psychology: the Villanova Conference. The curriculum exposes students to the theoretical principles, scientific research, and clinical practice skills that enable students to assume professional responsibilities in a variety of forensic settings. In addition, The Chicago School Forensic Center offers service-learning opportunities to educate students to become competent and civically engaged forensic mental health practitioners. The doctoral program endeavors to be flexible in order to adapt course content to reflect developments in the field and to emphasize critical thinking, sensitivity to ethical principles, the role of personal values, and cultural diversity.

Ethical and Professional Behavior

Students are expected to adhere to the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct as well as the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychologists (American Psychology - Law Society/Division 41 APA). Acceptable student conduct is derived in large part from these sources of information.

All students are expected to demonstrate the highest form of academic integrity. This applies to all graduate work, including but not limited to course work, field placement, and scholarship. It is equally important that all students approach professional working relationships, collegial relationships, and client-contact with the highest level of professional integrity and respect.

As mental health practitioners, our primary responsibility is to the public we serve. Therefore, students are expected to be professionally suited for the field of psychology. Professional suitability is defined in part by the school, the field of psychology, and society at large. At any time, should a student show signs that he or she is likely to cause harm to those we serve, swift action will be taken to mitigate said risk of harm. Such action could range from requiring additional education and remediation for the student to disciplinary action. Similarly, should a student demonstrate over time and despite efforts to remediate that he or she is not able to assume the responsibilities of the profession, he or she may be referred to the Student Affairs Committee with a departmental recommendation for dismissal from the school. Likewise, should a student’s ability to engage in professional practice change, for example through conviction of a crime that prevents licensure, the department may determine that completion of the program is not possible and refer the student to the Student Affairs Committee with a departmental recommendation for dismissal from the school.

No student shall obtain part-time or full-time employment that is beyond the scope of their cumulative training in the field of psychology. In accordance with state law, no student may serve under the title of “psychologist,” “forensic psychologist,” “clinical psychologist,” or any closely related title or job function until granted an appropriate license by the state. Students may work as a psychological assistant or psychometrician under the supervision of a professional psychologist who is duly licensed or certified by the appropriate state agency. However, a student shall not perform any function that exceeds his/her level of training. Prior to commencing in any clinical practice, students shall ensure that the appropriate malpractice insurance is in effect.

Students may not establish or continue psychotherapy with any department or affiliate faculty member under any circumstances or with any adjunct faculty member while registered in his/her course or while under his/her supervision. Any preexisting therapeutic relationship with a faculty member should be resolved prior to program matriculation.

Students who fail to comply with ethical and professional behavior guidelines or otherwise fail to demonstrate the appropriate ethics required for practice in the field of professional psychology are subject to department remediation and/or referral to the Student Affairs Committee for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the school.

Independent Practice

Consistent with training department goals and the focus on ethical behavior, it is deemed inappropriate for Clinical Forensic Psychology doctoral students to engage in professional activities that may infringe upon a primary commitment to training, negatively affect the quality of consumer mental health services, or be inconsistent with ethical and legal standards. Students’ participation in outside work activities should be secondary to training and consistent with the ethical and legal standards of the profession. Engaging in independent practice in psychology prior to appropriate licensure is inconsistent with these training objectives and unethical conduct.

The Illinois Clinical Psychology Licensing Act and the California Board of Professional Psychology prohibit independent practice in clinical psychology by non-licensed individuals. Regardless of previous credentials, participation in a psychology training program indicates that the student is committed to developing a professional identity as a psychologist and professional skills within a psychological framework. The development of this identity occurs throughout the course of graduate-level training. It is appropriate for graduate students, whatever their previous experience, to view themselves as psychologists-in-training.

A student may hold a valid license in another profession (e.g., Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, or Marriage and Family Therapist) or may obtain such a license during his/her training at The Chicago School. Such students may practice within the scope of their license. However, the time demands of the practice as well as the resources required should not jeopardize the student’s primary commitment to training in the department. Furthermore, the manner in which the student represents herself or himself to colleagues, clients, and the public (e.g., via marketing materials and reports of service) should not create a belief that the practice is under the auspices of or sanctioned by The Chicago School, that the practice is part of the school’s training, or that the practice is that of a trained and licensed clinical psychologist.

A student who fails to comply with the requirements of this section will be subject to department remediation and/or referral to the Student Affairs Committee for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the school.

Program Outcomes

1. Students will initiate and maintain therapeutic and/or working relationships with peers, clients, supervisors, faculty, and other professionals.

2. Students will administer and interpret multiple sources of assessment data.

3. Students will comprehend, evaluate, and produce scholarly work. 

4. Students will evaluate one’s own personal value system, culture, and biases and engage in cross-cultural interactions in a respectful, sensitive manner.

5. Students will develop and internalize an effective ethical decision-making model and will integrate ethical and professional codes, standards, and regulations into professional practice.

6. Students will develop interventions that demonstrate an understanding of and appreciation for individual and cultural differences.

Writing Assessment and Requirements

Believing that academic preparedness is a key to success in graduate school, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology requires new students to complete its innovative program, Foundations for Scholarship and Practice. This program, offered by the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), reinforces the skills new students need to achieve their career goals. “Foundations” is an integral part of the first semester’s curriculum and all students are required to complete the program successfully and in a timely manner.

Foundations for Scholarship and Practice consist of three elements:

1. Writing Assessment Process – In this component of “Foundations,” each student writes an essay in response to an assigned question and submits it to CAE for scoring. CAE returns the scored essay with constructive feedback. Based on the student’s performance, the school may waive the Academic Writing Course requirement (#2, below). Essay submission by the given date is considered successful completion of this element of “Foundations.”
2. Academic Writing Course – This online course in professional writing is taken before or during the first semester at The Chicago School. A final grade of “pass” is considered successful completion of this element.
3. Academic Focus Program – Academic Focus is an online, tutorial-driven orientation to graduate academics. A final grade of “pass” is considered successful completion of this element.

Learning Assessment

TCS is committed to providing a superior educational experience for all students. Assessment of student learning is an important component of the quality assurance measures TCS employs to monitor and improve the effectiveness of the educational experience for our students. Effective assessment of student learning provides valid feedback on two levels. First, each course contains assessments of the student’s learning which provide formative feedback on the progress each student is making on course learning objectives. Second, the summative assessment of program competencies provides data for the administration to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the total program.

Currently, our formative assessments evaluate student performance on the course learning objectives in each course. The course learning objectives are the specific skills, knowledge, and attitudes that are needed to perform a competence. Aligning course level assessments with course learning objectives provides a structured learning process in which the assessments promote learning.

Our summative assessments are based on the acquisition of program competencies. These competencies are complex bundles of specific skills, knowledge, and attitudes taught in our courses. The summative assessments are conducted at the end of the program of study in the form of professional examinations, capstone courses, practica, internships, or comprehensive examinations. The summative assessments provide information that helps program staff to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the program to deliver the learning it has identified.

Grading and Performance Feedback

Grades are assigned in all courses and students can review course grades online. Course grades assist the school, the student, and the student’s academic advisor to monitor the student’s progress and mastery of material deemed necessary by the department faculty to become proficient and competent psychologists.

Once each semester, the department faculty meets to review student progress at a student review meeting. During the student reviews, the student’s academic advisor summarizes a student’s (advisee) progress in the program to date. Student grades, Student Performance Evaluations (SPE), and practica feedback are a part of the summation and review of the student’s progress. Other department faculty can elaborate on their contact with the student, expressing concerns or articulating areas of strength. The student review also involves determining a student’s readiness to proceed in the program and any conditions that are necessary to support the student’s learning and progression. The student’s advisor forwards a copy of the Student Review Process Plan which provides a student with a current status of their performance in the program.

The Department of Forensic Psychology does not accept grades of “C” or “F” as indicating student mastery of the knowledge, skills, or attitudes associated with any course. A student who receives a grade of “C” or “F” in a core, track, or concentration specific course must repeat and pass that course with a “B-” or better. Grades of “C” and “F” are not counted toward graduation requirements. To replace the “C” or “F” grade, the retaken/replacement course must be offered by The Chicago School. Only in the most unusual of circumstances is a student allowed to replace a grade with a retaken/replacement course offered by another institution. Repeated/retaken courses are not eligible for Financial Aid coverage. When the retaken/replacement course is successfully completed, the second grade will be computed in the cumulative grade point average; the quality points for the first grade (“C” or “F”) will no longer be computed in the student’s GPA. However, the original grade (“C” or “F”) will remain on the student’s transcript.

Students may retake a course only once. Those who are unable to earn a grade of “B-” or better in the retaken course will be referred to the Student Affairs Committee with a departmental recommendation for dismissal from the school. No course in which a student receives a grade of B- or better may be retaken.

Student Academic Development

Professional Development Group and Academic Advisor Assignment

All students are required to enroll in Professional Development Group during their first semester in the program. A student’s Professional Development Group instructor serves as his/her academic advisor throughout their duration in the program. Students wishing to change academic advisors may petition to do so upon completion of their first semester in the program.

Academic Development Plans

An Academic Development Plan (ADP) is initiated and created by the Department in which the student is enrolled when a student demonstrates deficiencies in competencies that interfere with academic performance, training competence, and/or professional behavior.  Academic Development Plans (ADPs) do not constitute disciplinary action, but failure to complete the plan may lead to disciplinary action.

Practicum

The practicum is an integral component of clinical training. It provides a closely supervised clinical experience in which students use the knowledge obtained in the classroom to understand their clients and to develop skills in assessment, psychotherapy, and other discipline related areas. As such, the practicum serves to integrate the theoretical and practical aspects of the education of the professional psychologist. It allows students to become familiar with professional collaboration and consultation in a clinical setting. All students are required to take six semester hours each of Assessment and Therapy practicum. The first three-semester practicum sequence is primarily devoted to training in psychological assessment. The second three-semester sequence is primarily devoted to training in psychotherapy. Both practica require individual and group supervision offered by the practicum site, as well as small group seminars offered by the school. The Office of Applied Professional Practice awards grades for all practicum based on the evaluation of the site supervisor, the student’s performance in practicum seminar, the completion of the required practicum hours, and the submission of all forms to the Office of Applied Professional Practice. As noted earlier, complete adherence to ethical standards of the field is required of all students, especially those on practicum. Should a student show unprofessional or unethical behavior, or signs that he or she lacks suitability for the profession, he or she may be dismissed from a training practicum. Dismissal from a practicum is considered extremely serious and will result in automatic referral to the Student Affairs Committee for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the school.

Clinical Forensic Competency Examinations (CFCE)

Every student is required to pass the Assessment and Therapy Clinical Forensic Competency Examinations (CFCE), respectively. The aim of the Assessment CFCE is to evaluate the student’s knowledge regarding psychological testing and psychometric theory as well as her or his ability to assess the various dimensions of human experience in an ethical, culturally sensitive, and professional manner. The goal of the Therapy CFCE is to examine the student’s ability to apply the theory, research, and practice of a chosen theory of intervention as well as her or his ability to practice that theory competently and in an ethical, culturally sensitive, and professional manner. Ultimately, the CFCEs allow the department to assess the student’s abilities as a future clinical forensic psychologist.

The CFCE consists of a written paper and an oral presentation of a case chosen by a student from her or his practicum caseload. This requirement is completed in the spring term of the Assessment and Therapy Practicum Seminars. The student must successfully pass the CFCE in order to fulfill the Assessment and Therapy Practicum Seminar requirements, respectively. Specific information regarding the format, case selection process and requirements of the CFCEs are detailed in the Assessment and Therapy Practicum Seminar syllabi.

As scheduled by the seminar leader, students formally present their CFCE cases within the spring semester of the Assessment and Therapy Practicum Seminars, respectively. The seminar leaders will provide additional information about specific guidelines and requirements in the course syllabus.

CFCE Grading

The Assessment and Therapy Practicum Seminar leaders evaluate the Assessment and Therapy CFCEs, respectively, based upon the quality of the written paper and oral presentation. Specific grading criteria are provided in the seminar syllabi. The possible CFCE grades are: “High Pass,” “Pass,” “Revision,” and “Fail”:

• “High Pass” designates the student as having clearly exceeded the expectations for performance across all or most all areas
• “Pass” designates the student as having clearly met expected performance levels, although a few areas may be above or slightly below average
• If the written paper and/or oral presentation do not adequately demonstrate expected competencies, but the seminar leader believes revision to demonstrate expected competencies within the time allowed is feasible, the seminar leader may issue a grade of “Revision,” which is a temporary grade that allows the student the opportunity to re-work aspects of the CFCE with the respective seminar leader:
  
  • If a student’s revisions are acceptable to the seminar leader, the temporary “Revision” grade is changed to “Pass” (a grade of “High Pass” cannot replace a grade of “Revision”)
  • If a student’s revisions are unacceptable to the seminar leader, a grade of “Fail” will then be awarded
• If the written paper and/or oral presentation do not adequately demonstrate expected competencies and the seminar leader believes revision to demonstrate expected competencies is not feasible within the time allowed, the seminar leader will issue a grade of “Fail.”
• If a grade of “Revision” is not resolved by the end of the semester in which the CFCE was completed, the CFCE grade automatically becomes a grade of “Fail.” If a grade of “Fail” is issued at any point, the respective CFCE as well as the respective seminar grade automatically become grades of “Fail.”

A CFCE or seminar grade of “Fail” necessitates the development of a plan for further action. This plan may require the student to submit another CFCE case to be reviewed by one or more faculty members, complete another practicum in the respective content area, complete an Advanced Practicum, or be referred to the Student Affairs Committee. Failure of two CFCE case presentations prompts automatic referral to the Student Affairs Committee for disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the school.

Dissertation

The dissertation is an essential aspect of a student’s academic experience and clinical training. The purpose of the dissertation is two-fold: 1) to provide evidence of a student’s mastery of the program’s required research and content competencies; and 2) to provide faculty with a measurement of program effectiveness. The student uses the dissertation to demonstrate mastery of four critical research objectives: 1) professionalism, 2) methodological rigor, 3) conceptual rigor, and 4) contribution to the field of clinical forensic psychology. These objectives form a rubric for dissertation evaluation. The student’s dissertation committee is responsible for assessing the student’s abilities and giving final approval to the dissertation.
 

Internship

All students are required to complete an Internship following the completion of all course work, practicum, and dissertation requirements. On internship, students integrate academic knowledge with clinical skills and demonstrate the effective and ethical use of these skills in clinical practice. Through intensive supervised training, students gain direct experience in applying their knowledge with a clinical or clinical forensic population. The internship experience consists of a minimum of 2,000 hours of training over a 12-24 month period (full or part time, respectively). Appropriate sites for internship training include programs that are approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) and programs that are members of the Association of Psychology Pre-doctoral and Post-doctoral Internship Centers (APPIC) or the California Psychology Internship Council (CAPIC). The internship is a vital component of a student’s doctoral training and is never waived or transferred. Students are required to register for Internship during each semester they are on internship. Registration for Internship automatically assigns full-time student status.