Doctorate of Clinical Psychology (PsyD) 

This program prepares practicing clinicians through coordinated ongoing academic and applied experience. Throughout the five-year program, coursework is coordinated with field placement experiences, providing a strong academic and experiential base for understanding and treating human problems. The curriculum is designed to provide broad and rigorous training in clinical knowledge and skills and is constructed in keeping with the requirements of the American Psychological Association (APA) and state licensing requirements.

“One of the many unique components of the Clinical Psychology, PsyD program, is the growing emphasis on training students to become psychologists who function as part of integrated behavioral health care teams.”

—Stacey Lambert, PsyD
    Chair, Clinical Psychology Department
    Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs

The integration of applied experience and knowledge is at the core of our education model. We actively engage the development of the “professional self” through integration at all levels—in the classroom, at practica and internships, and through self-observation and awareness. These are the essential elements that are necessary to cultivate and nurture thoughtful, sensitive, culturally competent and effective professional psychologists.

Several characteristics differentiate William James College’s Clinical Training from the traditional Ph.D. model:

• Courses content is designed to provide a foundation for professional practice,
• Courses are taught by practicing professionals.
• Students are in field placements at each level of the program, with most courses designed to integrate classroom work with clinical experience.
• The science of psychology is taught in the service of applied clinical skills.
• Students choose among a broad and creative range of research designs for their doctoral research projects, including quantitative analysis, phenomenological research, survey research, demonstration projects, theoretical analysis, or case studies.

“I fell in love with William James College when I first visited for an Open House.  It was the warmth of the community that initially drew me in and my decision to attend William James College is one of the best decisions I have ever made, certainly the best academic decision.  Staff, faculty and students care about your personal and professional development and it makes a difference.” 

–Larry Kelly, PsyD
    Clinical Psychology Program Graduate

If you are interested in a career in Professional Psychology and wish to work at the highest and most responsible level of professional practice, you have chosen well in considering the Doctoral Clinical Program at William James College for your graduate training.  For over forty years the Doctoral Program has been renowned as a unique integrative training program. As one of the earliest professional school programs in the country, and a flagship clinical training program in the region, William James College has been preparing practitioner scholars to become successful and effective clinicians, teachers, supervisors, administrators and scholars throughout the country.

Integration at William James College is more than concomitant course and field experience.  It is the experience of an active and personal participation in the building of a “professional self” in the midst of rigorous course work and challenging direct service.   Moreover, through our program’s commitment to meeting social need, respect for diversity, and multicultural perspective we help students develop professional competence at the highest level of training in applied psychology.  Our practitioner-faculty, a mature, talented and diverse student body and the opportunity for practicum and internship training in a region noted for it is training and health services ensure a rich and thorough preparation for career satisfaction and achievement as a Professional Psychologist in an increasingly complex world.

If you are the kind of individual who is committed to applying the science of psychology to help individuals, groups, families and systems, and wish to prepare for multi-dimensioned career serving in a variety of roles,  William James College may be the program for you.  We welcome your interest in our program and in a career that meets the human need.

Please contact our admissions department if we can assist you in considering William James College as part of your career preparation and aspirations.

Sincerely yours,

Stacey Lambert, PsyD
Chair, Clinical Psychology Department
Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs
Stacey_lambert@williamjames.edu

Every Fall William James College enrolls a class of approximately 100 students into the Clinical PsyD program. In educational achievement, life experience, age, interest, and cultural and socio-economic background, William James College students are a varied group. They range in age from early twenties to late fifties, from people holding masters degrees in psychology and related fields with years of professional experience to recent BA's. Some have made well-considered career changes from fields such as business or law. In the process of making these career changes, they have obtained relevant experience and have taken courses in preparation for the doctoral program. William James College prepares students from across the country and around the world. International students constitute  approximately 13% of the student population, representing over 25 countries.

The wealth of professional and life experience is reflected in the students' work in the classroom and in their fieldwork, enriching both in the process. Classroom interactions reflect this diversity with spirited, challenging, and supportive discussions. William James College students are mature, introspective, and dedicated to their own personal/professional development and to the amelioration of human problems, and to the application of psychological knowledge in a variety of settings and in a diverse and complex world.

In addition to excellence in academic preparation and self-awareness, William James College values the candidate who has shown a commitment to community service. Individuals who, throughout their formative years in high school, college and beyond, have demonstrated an interest in and a service to the community will already have created a foundation for further contributions as professionals in the field of Psychology. Training at William James College involves integrated supervised formal field training along with academic coursework. Through practica and internships, students at William James College in all programs provide professional services to individuals, agencies and communities in need. William James College's institutional commitment to community service goes beyond those clinical services rendered through training alone and includes consultation, education, assessment, and interventions generated by William James College service program initiatives: The Leon O. Brenner Assessment Center, The Richard and Joan Freedman Child Study Center, and the Dr. Cynthia Lucero Latino Mental Health Training Program, among others. Students who through personal commitment and social awareness prior to graduate training, have provided service to others will have evolved an even broader understanding of how to assess and meet the needs of others through a career in professional psychology. William James College has also made a commitment to improve access to Mental Health care for Veterans through Train Vets to Treat Vets ^® (TVTV) and to Families and Children of Adversity and Resilience (CFAR).

William James College values  a diverse student body reflecting the school's dedication to non-discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, Vietnam era veteran status, political belief, or disability unrelated to job requirements.

Graduates of our Clinical Doctorate Program are skilled in:

• Evaluating, ameliorating, and helping to prevent human psychosocial problems;
• Helping individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities function effectively and creatively
• Practical application of existing psychosocial knowledge with respect for diversity and with cultural competence.
• Developing new professional roles, service models, and service delivery systems capable of meeting the changing needs of society.

Graduates from our Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology are treating clinicians, supervisors, program directors, consultants, teachers and administrators in major health and mental health agencies throughout New England and throughout the country.  Doctors of Psychology with the PsyD degree from William James College are well represented in hospitals, community mental health centers, specialized treatment and service agencies, schools, independent practices, and in public service.

"The students from William James College are truly engaged learners, who value their profession and want to give their clients the best possible care."

-Robin Cook-Nobles, EdD
Field Site Supervisor at The Stone Center

William James College received a notice from the Commission on Accreditation (CoA) of the American Psychological Association (APA) that two areas of our clinical psychology program are out of compliance with the new Standards of Accreditation.

The two standards pertain to:

• How we ensure our students have attained the requisite level of competency before moving into internship.
• How we guarantee the quality of any non-APA-approved internship site.

We are following the necessary steps to address these two issues and are optimistic that the situation will be resolved by the end of November. For applicants who are considering our competitive program, we encourage you to submit your application for our early deadline. We will inform all applicants about our APA accreditation status in a timely manner.

William James College is accredited by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. For a full listing, please visit our William James College Accreditation/Approval page.

For questions, please contact our Admissions Office at 617-327-6777 x1506 or x1507 or email admissions@williamjames.edu.