Military & Veterans Psychology (MVP) Area of Emphasis
Programs and Support For Our Military Community
The Military and Veteran Psychology Area of Emphasis (MVP) is a coordinated array of efforts to train culturally competent mental health professionals to provide services to military service members, veterans, and their families. The program also aims to provide a supportive community for student veterans, family and friends of military personnel, and for those interested in working with veterans and military families. MVP requires students to complete focused academic coursework (Military Psychology and Culture; Military Families and the Cycle of Deployment; Trauma and the Military; Psychoactive Substance Abuse in Military and Veteran Communities), to participate in 2 years of non-academic personal development activities with other students, to provide relevant direct services through field training, and to conduct research in the areas of military and/or veteran matters.
Our veterans flagship program Train Vets to Treat Vets® (TVTV) is funded by the Massachusetts Department of Veteran Services to train William James College student veterans to become clinicians effective in working with veteran populations, to outreach to service members and veterans to consider careers in mental health, while simultaneously educating them about the mental health needs of veterans returning from deployment, to create a supportive community for student veterans, family and friends of military personnel, and for those interested in working with veterans and military families. The program also offers state-wide training conferences for mental health professionals to expand awareness of veterans' mental health needs.
The MVP Area of Emphasis at William James College is open in its entirety to students enrolled in a PsyD in clinical psychology or a MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, whether they are veterans or civilians. The coursework associated with this emphasis is also available to all graduate students who have completed the necessary prerequisites.
William James College is a proud signatory of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Principles of Excellence.
Program Components
- Training students to become clinicians effective in working with veteran populations
- Providing culturally competent mental health services to veterans and their families
- Reaching out to veterans to consider careers in mental health
- Providing a supportive community for student veterans, family and friends of military personnel, and for those interested in working with veterans and military families.
Academic Concentrations
The Military & Veterans Psychology (MVP®) Program is offered as a concentration in the following academic programs: