Emphasis Areas for PhD in Los Angeles

Clinical Health Psychology Emphasis

Research on mind-body connections has increased significantly over the past decade. As medical professionals and the public have increased their understanding of the links between psychology and health, the demand has grown for psychologists skilled in health assessment, health education and promotion and behavioral medicine techniques. Students in the clinical health psychology (CH) emphasis receive the same thorough preparation for clinical and community practice as students in the other emphasis areas. They also develop knowledge and skills that provide a foundation for service as psychologists in a variety of health care settings.

In addition to developing the assessment and treatment skills required of all clinical psychologists, health psychology students learn practical techniques for interventions that promote health, prevent illness and restore functioning. Students also learn about the social, demographic, political and economic forces affecting the organization, financing and delivery of medical services in the United States, as well as the impact of these changes on clinical practice. In addition, students learn about the variety of new and expanding opportunities being created for health psychologists by these same forces.

Psychologists who develop advanced skills in behavioral medicine and health psychology can work in a range of settings. Some emphasize private practice, while others take on multiple roles, including work in hospitals, medical centers, clinics, hospices, group practices, government agencies, pain clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, community-based organizations, school clinics, employee assistance programs, corporate wellness programs, trauma centers, universities, consulting firms, public health agencies, and other settings.

In summary, students in the clinical health psychology emphasis are prepared for a variety of opportunities in the rapidly evolving health care system. The roles of our graduates range from traditional clinical psychology practices to service as members of teams of professionals dedicated to promoting the mind-body health of individuals, families, and communities in our multicultural society.

Family and Couple Clinical Psychology Emphasis

Our goal in the Family and Couple Clinical Psychology Emphasis (FACE) is to prepare graduate students who are skilled in the theory, research and clinical practice of family and couple psychology. This is accomplished through a broad curriculum where students learn about families, couples, adults and children from diverse backgrounds. Students are trained to work with families, couples and individuals from a systemic perspective. Skills are developed in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of relationship systems.

In the first two or three years in the FACE emphasis, students learn how to conceptualize, assess, and interview families and couples. In addition to individual psychodynamic or cognitive behavioral intervention courses, FACE students take a series of family systems courses. The family systems theory and assessment course prepares students for an advanced FACE family systems intervention course taken exclusively by FACE students. A unique feature of our emphasis area is the additional clinical training with families and couples. The Family and Couple Clinical Psychology Emphasis Area is for students who are dedicated to learning family and couple psychology intervention.

Once students have assimilated a broad-based life span perspective and have a solid foundation in working with families, couples and individuals, they select a sub-emphasis area for more advanced training. The sub-emphasis areas focus on Family Intervention and Couple Intervention.

Family Therapy Sub-Emphasis Area students take the following two courses: Clinical Interventions with Children and Families and Interventions with Adolescents and Families. Other valuable courses include Child Assessment, Family Violence and Sexual Abuse, Family of Origin Therapy, Advanced Family Therapy, Divorce Theory, Therapy with Alternative Families and Group Psychotherapy.

Couple Therapy Sub-Emphasis Area students examine relationship dynamics through either the year-long Integrated Approach to Sex, Intimacy and Relationship Problems or the one-semester Couple Therapy and Sex Therapy courses. Other valuable courses include Family Violence and Sexual Abuse, Family of Origin Therapy, Advanced Family Therapy, Divorce Theory and Group Psychotherapy.

Along with the required sub-emphasis advanced courses, students meet with their FACE academic advisor to determine which other advanced clinical electives and seminars best fit into their plan of study so that their career goals are met. Creating a niche entails taking courses in a chosen sub-emphasis area but also networking in the community and participating in clinical field training experiences and internships that reflect the sub-emphasis area. In order to further develop the sub-emphasis area focus, it is expected that PhD dissertation and PsyD doctoral projects are consistent with FACE goals and objectives.

Multicultural Community-Clinical Psychology Emphasis

The Multicultural Community-Clinical Psychology (MCCP) Emphasis Area at the Los Angeles campus exemplifies a state-of-the-art training philosophy, curriculum, and set of applied experiences that are critical for producing clinical psychologists with special competence in multicultural and community psychology. The mission of MCCP is to nurture the development of clinical psychologists who will work to understand, prevent, and reduce psychological and community distress, as well as enhance the psychological well-being of historically underserved, stigmatized, and oppressed groups. Faculty members in MCCP are committed to fostering a climate of inclusion, respect for differences, and a sense of community both within and outside of CSPP. The MCCP Emphasis Area exists within both the Clinical Psy.D. and Clinical Ph.D. Programs on the Los Angeles Campus.

Through coursework, field experiences and mentorship, students learn theory, research and intervention strategies applicable to working adults, adolescents, children, families, groups and communities. Students share the core curriculum (about 90% of the curriculum) in Clinical Psychology with students from all emphasis areas. MCCP students build upon this basic curriculum by learning alternative theories and strategies for intervention with communities, institutional systems and specific "minority" groups. MCCP faculty aim to train clinical psychologists who are critical thinkers about the etiology of psychological distress and who can conceptualize multiple pathways to healing individuals, families and communities.