Program Aims and Objectives

The Hong Kong PsyD program aims to:  

• Integrate Western and Asian psychological theory, research and application pertaining to clinical psychology, assessment, and psychological intervention with adults, children and families;
• Provide a model of education and training for psychologists in Hong Kong that emphasizes practice, and the successful integration of research to practice to prepare individuals to work within the Hong Kong mental health delivery system;
• Provide a truly international and culturally competent approach to education drawing on the worldwide work being done in psychology, interpreting that work to  benefit psychological service provision in Hong Kong and its region.
• Provide education that will address gaps in mental health service delivery in Hong Kong and the region, particularly those pertaining to the treatment of marital problems, childrearing, substance abuse, domestic violence and child abuse. 

Students in the clinical PsyD program must demonstrate a mastery of knowledge-based, research-based and practice-based competencies in clinical psychology. They are expected to develop competency – knowledge and skills – in the following areas in the context of the psychological needs of the Hong Kong population and the mental health service delivery system in that area:

Interpersonal/relationship General assessment, appraisal and ascertainment Multifaceted multimodal intervention Research and evaluation Consultation/teaching Management/supervision Diversity of clients and populations

Structure of the Degree

The Clinical PsyD program requires a minimum of 120 credits, including a dissertation and practical training at least 2600 hours. Students will have full-time study load as those students in the US. Those entering with a Master's degree in a related field would normally receive 9-12 credits towards the Clinical PsyD. Students are required to take and pass a comprehensive exam before they can be officially advanced to the doctorate candidate status.

Live Classroom Courses

Each course normally consists of 3 credits. Each credit normally consists of 15 hours of contact time plus a further 60 hours of associated study time including written assignments and other projects submitted for evaluation. The courses are presented in several different formats. Some, taught by adjunct faculty based in Hong Kong, are delivered on weekday evenings at the City University of Hong Kong. Others, taught by US-based faculty, are delivered on an intensive basis over two successive weekends (Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday), with some prior preparation required. Still other courses are delivered online.

Practicum and Internships

Practicum: Students must have at least 600 practicum hours. Each practicum will be spread over a period of 25 weeks. Students will work at least 12 practicum hours per week. There is a total of two practica during the second year, with an option of two additional practica in the third year; if the student does not choose to take the half-time internship. Students may choose to work on one site or two sites during the second year practicum training.

Internship: Students must have a minimum of 2000 internship hours. These hours can be completed around in the form of one year full-time internship, or 20 hours per week and thus undertaking a half-time internship for 2 years. This time frame is expected to enable students to continue to work while they obtain internship hours. Direct service must be 25% of total internship hours.

Clinical Supervision: During the practicum and internship, there should be an on-site supervisor or an external (doctoral level) clinical supervisor providing weekly individual supervision for at least one hour per week. In addition, group supervision of at least 2 hours every two weeks will be provided. The format of supervision will include, but not limited, on-site, off-site and video-conferencing.

Alliant/CSPP Preliminary Comprehensive Examination

Ethics and Assessment Preliminary Examination Information
The Alliant/CSPP Preliminary Comprehensive Examination for the Alliant/CSPP program in Hong Kong consist of Ethics and Law, and Psychodiagnostic Assessment. All students enrolled in the Alliant/CSPP PsyD programs are required to take the Ethics and Law and the Psychodiagnostic Exams.

1. All Clinical Psychology students are required to take the Ethics and Assessment Preliminary Examinations at the end of their 2nd year.
2. You may take those Examinations required for your program only after you have taken and passed all the prerequisite course(s) for a particular exam. Students do not need to be done with their field placements in order to take the prelims; however, they should have passed prelims in order to apply to internship. Students have to be advanced to candidacy in order to be 'Internship Ready' and passing prelims is one of the requirements for advancement. Prerequisite for Ethics Exam is Clinical and Ethical Issues; prerequisite for Assessment Exam is Psychodiagnostic Assessment I & II 
3. The Ethics and Assessment preliminary exams are closed book
   

Clinical Proficiency Progress Review (CPPR)

The Clinical Proficiency Progress Review (CPPR) provides each student with an opportunity to present a clinical case to CSPP San Francisco faculty. Case presentation skills are considered to be a vital component of clinical training and serve as valuable preparation for post-graduate professional duties. The CPPR is intended to give students an overview of their strengths and weaknesses in clinical case presentation. The review represents an integration of course work and field experience and provides faculty with an additional source of evaluating students’ clinical work and case presentation skills. Core Faculty and Field Placement Liaison Faculty are involved in the evaluation of student performance. Students must pass the CPPR in order to graduate the program.

Dissertation

The dissertation may be an interpretive study involving a synthesis and analysis of existing literature relevant to a clinical problem and requiring the development of the student's own ideas as to how the existing knowledge can be used to enhance clinical work. Other types of clinical dissertations include case studies, surveys, program evaluations, educational or clinical interventions, quantitative studies and correlational studies on clinical variables.

A dissertation committee, composed of a chairperson and one other members, helps each student develop the dissertation proposal, reads and passes on the quality of the final dissertation, and administers and evaluates the student's oral examination.

Each doctoral student is responsible for enlisting a core or research faculty member to serve as dissertation committee chairperson. Other members of the committee consist of core faculty, adjunct faculty, or consultants with special expertise in the dissertation area. All members of the dissertation committee must hold earned doctorates or have recognized expertise in the student’s chosen area of study. Exceptions to these requirements may be made by the appropriate administrator of each program.

The program is designed to allow students to complete the dissertation in the third year prior to the beginning of the fourth year internship. Some students finish their dissertations by the end of the final year of their classroom work. The majority, however, continue their dissertation work beyond completion of other coursework. Extensions of one to three years may be granted to students demonstrating sufficient need and continued progress toward completion of the dissertation. Extensions beyond this may not be granted and timelines for finishing the dissertation set by each Program are strictly adhered and enforced. During each semester of a dissertation extension, students are required to register for campus-specified dissertation extension units and pay the appropriate tuition.

Period of Study

The normal study period is 4 years with the maximum period to be extended to 10 years.

Library and Learning Resources

• University e-Portal access
• Email Services
• Student LAN Access
• Physical Access to the facilities in the Computer Services Centre
• Access to Library e-Resources and the Library catalogue
• Material Loan Services
• All the study facilities and equipment in the Library
  

Course Descriptions

Year 1 Courses

Psychometrics, Statistics and Research Design I
A survey course concerning (a) theories of measurement relevant to psychological assessment, (b) statistical techniques commonly used in clinical and organizational research and (c) the evaluation of the validity of experimental designs. While practical applicability is stressed, the nature of contemporary applied research requires extensive instruction in multivariate analytic methods including proficiency in the use of statistical software programs. An introduction to the clinical dissertation process will also be included.

Psychometrics, Statistics and Research Design II
A survey course concerning (a) theories of measurement relevant to psychological assessment, (b) statistical techniques commonly used in clinical and organizational research and (c) the evaluation of the validity of experimental designs.While practical applicability is stressed, the nature of contemporary applied research requires extensive instruction in multivariate analytic methods including proficiency in the use of statistical software programs. An introduction to the clinical dissertation process will also be included.

Advanced Psychopathology
Diagnosis, classification and etiology of psychological disorders: research, theory and application. Covers DSM-IV and other classification systems, multiaxial diagnosis, roles of society, culture and biology. Meta-issues surrounding the diagnostic enterprise, the development of psychopathology and treatment will be explored.

Intercultural Awareness Development
A course focusing on experiential and didactic training on issues related to racial/ ethnic minorities, sexual orientation, gender, disability, socio-economic levels, the elderly, etc. Aspects of oppression, discrimination, prejudice and stereotyping of culturally different groups will be covered.

Observation and Interviewing
Designed to provide a practical foundation in observation and interviewing skills, this course includes clinical, social, organizational and research perspectives. Also includes external supervision.

Psychodiagnostic Assessment I
This course provides an introduction to the broad spectrum of psychological assessment procedures, techniques and instruments. The selection, administration, scoring and interpretation of objective and project testing instruments and comprehensive, integrative report writing is included.

Psychodiagnostic Assessment II
This course introduces the broad spectrum of psychological assessment procedures, techniques and instruments. The selection, administration, scoring and interpretation of objective and project testing instruments is covered and comprehensive, integrative report writing is included.

Lifespan Development
This course studies developmental theories, constructs and research methods as they contribute to an understanding of normative human development and as they guide intervention strategies. Offerings include: child life span, adolescence, adult development, family life cycle, middle age, aging and women’s life span development.

Year 2 Courses

Issues in Chinese Psychology
To follow.

History and Systems of Psychology
This course covers the history and development of psychology to the present. Principles of the classical “schools” of Structuralism, Functionalism, Behaviorism, Gestalt Psychology and psychoanalysis are presented and compared, with emphasis on their relevance and contributions to contemporary psychology. The course includes a discussion of the history of professional psychology including the development of applied specialties including clinical and industrial-organizational psychology.

Cognitive and Affective Bases of Behavior
An overview of interdependencies of cognition and emotion is provided by this course. Discussion of the cognitive processing systems will include research on creative thinking, conscious and unconscious processing, problem solving and cognitive structure. Related areas of sensation, perception, memory, learning, cognition, emotion, motivation and psychophysiological processes are explored. Discussion of emotion will focus on cognitive precursors and consequences of emotional states, as well as the biological and social bases of emotion.

Theory and Technique of Clinical Practice- Psychodynamic
In-depth study of psychotherapy within the psychodynamic framework is provided by this course.

Theory and Technique of Clinical Practice- Family Systems
This course provides an in-depth study of psychotherapy within the family systems framework.

Theory and Technique of Clinical Practice- Cognitive/ Behavioral
This course provides an in-depth study of psychotherapy within the cognitive/ behavioral framework.

PsyD Research Proposal Design I
This year-long seminar will assist PsyD students in development of researchable questions, critical literature review and preparation of PsyD project proposals. Students are encouraged to select sections of the seminar based on compatibility of their research interests with the expertise of the faculty teaching the seminar. Sample research proposal design class topics include: multicultural/ international research; case study approaches; health psychology; gender studies; migration and clinical interventions.

PsyD Research Proposal Design II
This year-long seminar will assist PsyD students in development of researchable questions, critical literature review and preparation of PsyD project proposals. Students are encouraged to select sections of the seminar based on compatibility of their research interests with the expertise of the faculty teaching the seminar. Sample research proposal design class topics include: multicultural/ international research; case study approaches; health psychology; gender studies; migration and clinical interventions.

PsyD Practicum 1a
The first of the two field placements for second year PsyD program students is held in an agency setting approved by the school.

PsyD Practicum 1b
The second of the two field placements for second year PsyD program students takes place in an agency setting approved by the school.

Year 3 Courses

Biological Bases of Behavior
This class provides a presentation of the anatomy and physiology of the human central nervous system, neuroanatomy, hormonal and chemical regulation. Discussion focuses on concepts of arousal, the acquisition and processing of information, adaptation to environment, motivation, activity, sleep, behavior genetics. Contemporary research and diagnostic technologies concerned with brain functions are reviewed as are chemical and electrophysiological aspects. Various topics include the clinical course, manifestations and implications of various brain pathologies and possible organic contributions to behavioral or psychological dysfunctions commonly encountered in the clinical setting.

Theory and Technique of Chinese Clinical Practice
To follow.

Professional Ethics and the Law
This course examines legal issues and professional ethics concerning psychotherapists and clinical researchers such as: child and elder abuse reporting laws, danger to self and others reporting, confidentiality, privileged communication, patient’s rights and involuntary commitment. It will include an examination of other relevant issues in Hong Kong.

Advanced Clinical Skills
Theory and practice of analytical psychology.

Advanced Clinical Skills
Neuropsychology and psychopharmacoloy.

Advanced Clinical Skills
Consultation, management, and supervision.

PsyD Project I
In this project, students conduct literature reviews, commit to projects and write doctoral project proposals with an emphasis on focus, feasibility and design. The proposals are implemented with ongoing supervision and a written work is completed. Methodologies include program development, program evaluation, use of video in clinical psychology, case study, empirical project and manuals or primers on special topics.

PsyD Project II
In this project, students conduct literature reviews, commit to projects and write doctoral project proposals with an emphasis on focus, feasibility and design. The proposals are implemented with ongoing supervision and a written work is completed. Methodologies include program development, program evaluation, use of video in clinical psychology, case study, empirical project and manuals or primers on special topics.

PsyD Practicum 1c
This practicum is the first of the two field placements for third year PsyD program students in an agency setting approved by the school.

PsyD Practicum 1d
This practicum is the second of the two field placements for third year PsyD program students in an agency setting approved by the school.

Year 4 Courses

PsyD Pre-doctoral Internship I
This is the first of two half-time internship rotations in an approved agency for PsyD program students. Minimum 20 hours/ week.

PsyD Pre-doctoral Internship II
This is the second of two half-time internship rotations in an approved agency for PsyD program students. Minimum 20 hours/ week.

Advanced Clinical Seminar I
This clinical seminar provides small-group presentation and discussion of practicum cases at an advanced level. Particular emphasis is placed on integration of theory and practice and in-depth examination of the treatment process.

Advanced Clinical Seminar II
This clinical seminar provides small-group presentation and discussion of practicum cases at an advanced level. Particular emphasis is placed on integration of theory and practice and in-depth examination of the treatment process.