Online sociology student to graduate at age 14
PhD In Clinical Psychology
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
The Drexel University doctoral (PhD) program in Clinical Psychology prepares advanced students in the scientist-practitioner model, emphasizing clinical research and the application of scientific principles while placing equal significance on the integration of psychological science and practice. Our rigorous program —fully accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA)— expertly qualifies and equips graduates for entry-level practice as clinical psychologists. Doctoral students receive clinical training in cognitive-behavioral approaches to assessment and intervention, as well as a solid foundation in the science and practice of clinical psychology. The PhD in Clinical Psychology program offers students the option to elect one of four concentrations: Clinical Child Psychology, Clinical Neuropsychology, Forensic Psychology and Health Psychology.
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Program Format Quicklinks AccreditationDrexel's doctoral (PhD) program in Clinical Psychology is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association. Please direct any questions about the program's accredited status to:
American Psychological AssociationCommission on Accreditation: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation750 1st Street, NEWashington, DC 20002202.336.5979apaaccred@apa.Orgapa.Org/ed/accreditation
Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data
Program FormatThe Clinical Psychology doctoral (PhD) program admits full-time students only and coursework is required in years one through four of the degree program. It is designed to be completed in five years, although students who enter with a master's degree may be able to complete all requirements within four years. Students are required to work in 12-month practicum placements in years two through three; optional in year four. A pre-doctoral internship is typically conducted in year five. Students earn a Master of Science (MS) degree upon completion of two years of coursework and their master's thesis. The program begins annually in the fall; classes are scheduled for the fall, winter and spring terms only.
Major Areas of StudyIn addition to general clinical training, with an emphasis on cognitive-behavioral approaches to assessment and intervention, the Drexel doctorate program in Clinical Psychology offers students the option to elect one of four major areas of study. While training in the major area of study is not all that is necessary for individuals to specialize in one of these areas, it does prepare students to continue further training that will eventually facilitate professional specialization.
Clinical-Child PsychologyThe clinical child psychology major area of study is designed for students who have strong clinical and/or research interests in working with children and adolescents. Students in this major area of study will complete the required courses taken by all clinical psychology students and will also enroll in child-related elective courses designed to help them develop a greater degree of expertise in working with child and adolescent populations. It is expected that students completing this specialization will develop an appreciation of the research literature in the clinical child area and will possess specialty skills that enable them to function as competent practitioners in the child/adolescent area upon graduation.
The clinical neuropsychology area of study includes courses, research, and clinical experiences designed to train the students for professional practice in neuropsychology. Clinical neuropsychology involves the application of psychological assessment and intervention to the problems encountered by people with brain injury or illness. The knowledge of brain-behavior functioning and the incorporation of neuropsychological conceptualizations with traditional clinical conceptualizations of functioning are aimed at providing the student with a wider perspective regarding the range of human functioning and disability. The student is able to pursue specific interests in geriatrics, pediatrics, traumatic brain injury, and rehabilitation.
Forensic psychology involves the application of assessment and intervention techniques to informing legal decision-makers and attorneys on questions in criminal, civil, and family law. The goal of the forensic psychology area of study is to provide students with advanced training in relevant law, behavioral science research, and assessment and intervention approaches with a particular focus on juvenile and criminal issues.
Health psychology adopts a broad-based, bio-psycho-social perspective in order to: (1) better understand the interplay among behavioral, emotional, cognitive, social, and biological factors regarding health, wellness, and physical disease; (2) promote and maintain wellness and positive physical health; (3) prevent, treat, and rehabilitate illness and disability, and (4) improve the health care delivery system. The health psychology area of study aims to provide students with specialty training in order to prepare them for academic, clinical, and/or administrative positions where the primary focus is on medical and physical health problems.
Consistent with our scientist-practitioner philosophy of training, our department and core adjunct faculty serve as dedicated mentors to our graduate students. Students work under the mentorship of one or two faculty members who serve as the incoming student's advisors. For students who are admitted to work under two faculty members, one faculty member is established as the student's major advisor, and the other as the student's minor advisor.
Faculty Member ExpertiseThe Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences is actively engaged in vibrant research initiatives to advance the science and practice of psychology. Faculty publish widely in top-tier, peer-reviewed journals; are featured experts in national and international media; and are the recipients of major research awards from prestigious grantors including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Faculty Member ExpertiseProfessor; Associate Department HeadStratton 286mlb34@drexel.Edu
Director, Applied Cognitive and Brain Sciences PhD program; Associate Dean for Research; Associate ProfessorStratton 324lilachrysikou@drexel.Edu
Department Head; Associate ProfessorStratton 118brian.Daly@drexel.Edu
Director, JD/PhD Program in Law and Psychology; ProfessorStratton 338David.DeMatteo@drexel.Edu
ProfessorDirector, WELL CenterStratton 282evan.Forman@drexel.Edu
Director, Clinical Training; Associate Professor, Ob/Gyn and Public HealthStratton 280pg27@drexel.Edu
Co-director of the JD/PhD Program in Law and Psychology; Director of the Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab; ProfessorStratton 328neg23@drexel.Edu
Professor; Director, Reentry Project334 Stratton Hallkirk.Heilbrun@drexel.Edu
Director, Practicum Training; Assistant ProfessorStratton 288asj32@drexel.Edu
ProfessorStratton 318jk342@drexel.Edu
Associate ProfessorStratton 290nancy.Raitano.Lee@drexel.Edu
ProfessorStratton 284lowe@drexel.Edu
Please visit the Lowe Lab for more details about the research topics below:
Assistant Professor; Director, MS and Accelerated BS/MS in Psychology Programs; Director, mPOWER Program (WELL Center); Director, Child and Adolescent Program (WELL Center)Stratton 244smm522@drexel.Edu
Professor of Psychology; Professor of MedicineStratton 278cn25@drexel.Edu
Distinguished University Professor of Psychology; Co-Director, Nezu Stress and Coping Lab; Professor of Medicine; Professor of Community Health and PreventionStratton 268amn23@drexel.Edu
Vice Provost of Research; Professor3180 Chestnut Street, Suite 104schultheis@drexel.Edu
I am interested in the use of innovative technologies for meeting the clinical needs of individual with neurological compromise. Much of our work is focused on using virtual reality simulation, neuropsychological measures and portable imaging systems (i.E., fNIRS). I work with cognitively impaired populations—traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke, dementia—in order to understand the effects of neurological involvement on functions, such as driving, returning to work and everyday activities of living. Our work intersects psychology, biomedical engineering, transportation, and rehabilitation medicine.
The Doctoral Dissertation in Clinical PsychologyThe Drexel PhD program in clinical psychology first requires independent scholarly work in the form of a master's thesis where students prepare and present a proposal and final defense of their thesis to a committee. Once this requirement is satisfied, students progress to independent scholarly work in the form of a doctoral dissertation, where they prepare and present a proposal and final defense to a dissertation committee.
All dissertations must be based on original research, and must clearly demonstrate the candidate's ability to work at the frontiers of the field. A variety of resources are available to all graduate students when conducting research during their training at Drexel University. One important feature of the Clinical Psychology program is that it was established with very close relationships to many supporting hospitals and facilities. There is considerable integration of research capabilities and agendas.
All doctoral dissertation examinations and committee appointments are monitored by the Office of Graduate Studies which approves the committees and the examinations.
Drexel Library: Theses, Dissertations, and Projects
Recent DissertationsWe proudly invite prospective student to review recent dissertations authored by our PhD in Clinical Psychology degree recipients.
Clinical Psychology Graduate Program Course Requirements
Psychopathology5500 - Developmental Psychopathology5510 - Adult Psychopathology
Assessment5400 - Cognitive-Achievement Assessment5410 - Assessment: Theory & Personality5425 - Diagnostic Interviewing
Diversity5540 - Diversity Issues in Psychology Seminar
Psychotherapy5380 - Theories and Techniques of Psychotherapy5470 - Evidence-based Treatments
Professional Issues, Standards, and Ethics5760 - Professional and Ethical Issues
Supervision5340 - Intro to Clinical Supervision
Practica5450 - Clinical Practicum5460 - Advanced Clinical Practicum5630/5640 - Clinical Supervision Practicum5790 - Clerkship in Clinical Psychology (1 summer)
Research Training5060 - Statistical Methods in Psychology5300 - Applied Multivariate Analysis5520 - Advanced Research Methods5960 - Masters Thesis Research 15830 - Research in Clinical, Preliminary Exam 25980 - Dissertation Research 3
Core Requirements5120 - Neuropsychology of Human Behavior5780 - Advanced Cognitive Development5650 - Social and Affective Psychology
Clinical Internship5740 -Internship in Clinical Psychology (APA accredited)
Electives (optional)1Masters Thesis. If a student has completed a master's degree in psychology in which a research thesis was required, the student may submit the thesis and program of study to the Transfer/Waiver Committee. If the Committee accepts the thesis, this requirement will be considered satisfied. If the Committee does not accept the thesis, or if the master's degree did not include a thesis, the student must complete degree requirements for the master's degree.
2Preliminary Examination. Satisfactory completion of a preliminary examination in the broad areas of psychology and in the candidate's area of specialty is required prior to applying for internship.
3Doctoral Dissertation. Acceptance by the doctoral committee of the dissertation proposal is required before the student may apply for internship.
Residency RequirementStudents who enter our Program with bachelor's degrees must complete a minimum 5-year course of study, consisting of 4 years of full-time enrollment on campus and a year-long APA approved internship. Students who enter the Program with an approved Master's Degree may complete the curriculum in three years, consisting of a minimum 2 years of full-time enrollment and a year-long APA approved internship.
JD/PhD In Law And Clinical Psychology
Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
The Drexel University JD/PhD program in Law and Clinical Psychology is a cross-disciplinary course of study that combines the juris doctorate (JD) degree offered by the Thomas R. Kline School of Law with the doctoral (PhD) degree in Clinical Psychology offered by the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students are simultaneously enrolled in the JD degree program and in the PhD in Clinical Psychology degree program to gain an appreciation and competency in both traditions — mastering the methods, languages and epistemologies of each. Graduates of our distinctive, integrated program carry a broader understanding of social issues than those trained solely in law or behavioral sciences.
Forensic psychology is an interdisciplinary field that merges psychology and law, and it is often applied in criminal justice, legal and policy arenas. From the principles of mental health assessment to legislative practices in juvenile justice, faculty in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences are experts on a range of forensic psychology clinical, research and public policy topics.
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Program FormatThe Drexel University JD/PhD Program in Law and Clinical Psychology is a cross-disciplinary program that combines the juris doctorate (JD) degree offered by the Thomas R. Kline School of Law with the doctoral (PhD) degree offered by the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. Drexel University —a proven leader in multidisciplinary education— melds two exceptional, nationally accredited degree programs to provide students with an efficient and distinctive plan of study. Although some academic institutions may offer joint law and psychology degrees, these are typically ad-hoc and non-integrated programs. The JD/PhD program in Law and Clinical Psychology at Drexel represents the only fully integrated merger of these two professional degrees offered by a single university in the U.S. The JD degree is fully accredited by the American Bar Association, and the PhD degree in Clinical Psychology is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association.
Students are simultaneously enrolled in each degree program and earn their professional degrees in law and psychology over a total of seven years. Scholars complete 85 semester credits required for the juris doctorate (JD) degree from the law school, and 91 quarter credits required for the doctoral (PhD) degree in Clinical Psychology. The first year of the JD/PhD program is completed at the law school, and students in years two through six take courses at the law school and in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. The first six years involve intensive coursework in law and psychology, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, a co-op placement in a legal setting and 50 hours of pro bono service in the law, practica and completion of an empirical master's thesis. The final year of the program is dedicated to a full-time pre-doctoral clinical internship and completion of a doctoral dissertation.
Career OutcomesThe JD/PhD in Law and Clinical Psychology program bridges the gap between law, which relies on special rules concerning evidence, proof and precedent in order to settle conflicts that require immediate resolution, and psychology, which views problems through an empirical lens, evaluating questions but rarely ending in a final verdict. Students gain an appreciation and competency in both traditions, mastering the methods, languages and epistemologies of each. Graduates carry a deep and broad understanding of social issues, enabling them to analyze existing policy and potential changes from a psycho-legal perspective.
Our distinctive, fully integrated program develops, cultivates and educates:
Forensic psychology is an interdisciplinary field that merges psychology and law, and is often applied in other arenas such as public policy. From the principals of mental health assessment to legislative practices in juvenile justice, faculty in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences are experts on a broad range of forensic psychology research topics. The JD/PhD Program faculty conduct research and produce scholarship in a variety of psychology-law topic areas, including: mental health law, violence risk assessment, psychopathic personality, diversion and problem-solving courts, forensic mental health assessment, and juvenile justice reform. The department houses three faculty labs dedicated to clinical forensic psychology.
Dr. David DeMatteo's Lab
Dr. Naomi Goldstein's Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab
Dr. Kirk Heilbrun's Lab
Faculty Accepting Students: 2024-2025The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences is actively engaged in vibrant research initiatives to advance the science and practice of psychology. The JD/PhD Program core faculty publish widely in top-tier, peer-reviewed journals; are featured experts in national and international media; and are the recipients of major research awards.
Faculty Member ExpertiseDirector, JD/PhD Program in Law and Psychology; ProfessorStratton 338David.DeMatteo@drexel.Edu
Co-director of the JD/PhD Program in Law and Psychology; Director of the Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab; ProfessorStratton 328neg23@drexel.Edu
Professor; Director, Reentry Project334 Stratton Hallkirk.Heilbrun@drexel.Edu
Click on each faculty member's profile to learn more about their expertise, research interests and scholarship.
Faculty Member ExpertiseDirector, JD/PhD Program in Law and Psychology; ProfessorStratton 338David.DeMatteo@drexel.Edu
Co-director of the JD/PhD Program in Law and Psychology; Director of the Juvenile Justice Research and Reform Lab; ProfessorStratton 328neg23@drexel.Edu
Professor; Director, Reentry Project334 Stratton Hallkirk.Heilbrun@drexel.Edu
Assistant Research ProfessorStratton 303amanda.N.Nemoyer@drexel.Edu
Students in our program complete theses on a wide range of topics, including: mental health law, violence risk assessment, psychopathic personality, diversion and problem-solving courts, forensic mental health assessment, and juvenile justice reform. More details regarding the thesis submission and binding process can be found on the Drexel Library website.
Drexel Library: Theses, Dissertations and Projects
Recent DissertationsWe proudly invite prospective students to review recent theses authored by our JD in Law and PhD in Clinical Psychology degree recipients.
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