2008–2009 - Florida Institute of Technology

The program is designed with the view that the essence of professional
psychology involves process and content. The process is the
problem-solving approach and the content involves the knowledge
of basic principles and professional skills. Both process and
knowledge are in a continuous state of change but this state of
change does not negate their significance. Because the model
emphasizes the quality and quantity of professional skills, the
practicum and internship experiences are of special importance
in our program.
Program Goals and Objectives
The overarching goal of the Psy.D. program is to prepare qualified
students for postdoctoral entry into the field of clinical
psychology.
To accomplish this, the program has three sub-goals with corresponding
specific objectives, including 1) the preparation
of graduates with strong and continually developing clinical
competencies, with an objective of the development of clinical
competencies in relationship, assessment, intervention, research
and evaluation, supervision, consultation, and administration;
2) the preparation of graduates whose clinical competencies are
informed by, and in turn inform, the scientific and theoretical
knowledge base of the discipline of psychology, with an objective
of the development of knowledge bases in biological bases of
behavior, cognitive/affective bases of behavior, social and cultural
bases of behavior, individual differences, history and systems
of psychology; and 3) the preparation of graduates who will
respect and value cultural and individual differences and whose
work will be guided by the highest of ethical and professional
principles and standards, with an objective of development of a
strong knowledge base and sensitivity to cultural and individual
differences, and the attainment of the knowledge, skills and
attitudes necessary to become ethical and professional clinical
psychologists.
Admission Requirements
An applicant must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited
institution of higher learning. Although it is not necessary
for the major area to have been psychology, it is expected that
those entering without a previous degree in psychology will have
completed at least 18 credit hours of psychology course work at
the time of application. These courses must have been taken in a
department of psychology, and should include statistics, personality
theory, abnormal psychology, learning, physiological psychology
and social psychology.
All application materials must be received by January 15. The
application and application fee should be received by the university
before receipt of reference letters and transcripts, so the
applicant’s file can be established. Applications cannot be acted
on until all required materials have been received. Applicants
may apply online at www.fit.edu.
All applicants are required to submit the completed graduate
school application form with the application fee and the
psychology supplemental form (forms are available from the
College of Psychology and Liberal Arts); a résumé of professional
experience; a statement of professional career objectives; three
letters of recommendation from psychologists familiar with the
applicant’s academic and/or clinical work, to be mailed directly
by the recommenders (forms are available from the College
of Psychology and Liberal Arts); official undergraduate and
graduate record transcripts, mailed directly from the degree-
114 Florida Tech
granting institutions; and Graduate Record Examination General
Test and Psychology Subject Test results. Please plan to take the
GRE early enough to allow test results to be reported by January
15. Results may take up to six weeks to be reported by the
Educational Testing Service.
Attendance at the Open House/Interview Day is recommended.
After acceptance, a signed statement that, if admitted, the student
will comply with the professional conduct requirements of
the clinical psychology degree program must also be submitted.
Degree Requirements
To receive the doctoral degree, the candidate must have been
a matriculated student in full-time residence at the school for
a minimum of four years (eight semesters and three summer
terms). This period represents the minimum of attendance to
complete the course requirements. In addition to these years of
course work, the internship requires an additional year for completion.
To obtain an approved internship, students must make
application and be accepted at one of the many APA-accredited
internship training facilities located throughout the country.
A student admitted to the doctoral program is awarded the
master of science degree when the following 36 credit hours are
successfully completed and when the student has successfully
completed the Clinical Proficiency Examination (CPE):
PSY 5101 Statistical Research Methods 1 ............................................3
PSY 5102 Statistical Research Methods 2 ............................................3
PSY 5105 Biological Foundations of Behavior ......................................3
PSY 5121 Cultural and Social Psychology ............................................3
PSY 5501 Personality and Psychotherapy .............................................3
PSY 5502 Psychopathology ...................................................................3
PSY 5521 Assessment of Intelligence ...................................................3
PSY 5522 Laboratory in Assessment of Intelligence .............................1
PSY 5524 Laboratory in Assessment of Personality ..............................1
PSY 5527 Objective Personality Assessment ........................................3
PSY 5528 Projective Personality Assessment ........................................3
PSY 5541 Clinical Skills and Techniques 1 ..........................................3
PSY 5542 Clinical Skills and Techniques 2 ..........................................3
PSY 5591 Seminar in Professional Standards and
Ethical Principles in Psychology ..........................................1
All requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed no
later than seven years from the date of first attendance. No more
than 12 credit hours of Doctoral Research Project (PSY 6998)
may be counted toward the doctoral degree.
A student who completed graduate work at another accredited
university can petition for transfer of a maximum of 18 semester
credits. Such requests are evaluated by the program chair.
Transfers are not granted for the core clinical specialization
courses listed in the curriculum description.
A student receiving a grade of C in a required course may be
required to repeat the course and attain a grade of B or better.
All grades will enter into the grade point average, but only credit
hours from the final repeat will be credited toward the minimum
credit hour requirement.
Requirements for the Psy.D. degree include:
1. A minimum of 121 semester hours of credit beyond the
bachelor’s degree, including the required courses described in
the curriculum section below.
2. A minimum of four years of full-time residency: eight semesters
and three summer terms. Full-time status is defined as
nine or more credit hours.