2024-25 Academic Catalog

Under Construction

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Combined Health Service Psychology

College of Education Associate Dean for Academics and Division Head: Dr. Kimberly Hall

Email: khall@meridian.msstate.edu

Graduate Coordinator: Dr. Melissa Windham

Email: mwindham@meridian.msstate.edu

MSU Meridian – College Park Campus

1000 Highway 19 North

Meridian, MS 39307

Department Telephone: 601-484-0170

Website: https://www.meridian.msstate.edu/academics/education/

Overview

The Psy.D. degree in Combined Health Service Psychology is an applied clinical doctorate degree that focuses on providing health service training for those who wish to become practicing psychologists. Upon successful completion of the program, students will possess the skills necessary to provide psychological health services to diverse populations in a variety of applied settings (e.g., in-patient and out-patient medical settings, non-profit organizations, government agencies, private companies, educational settings). Students will complete course work in foundational and discipline-specific psychology, problem-solving to address psychological needs of diverse clientele, and application of research design, data collection, and analysis techniques culminating in a capstone project.

Students in the program select a concentration in Clinical, Counseling, or School Psychology.  Additional emphasis areas are available for the Clinical and Counseling concentrations. It is important to note that, in some cases, the selection may require additional hours beyond the required for the Psy.D. degree.

Students can earn a Master of Science (M.S.) in Health Services Psychology or School Counseling or Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) in School Psychology while completing the Psy.D. program if desired. The requirements for both programs must be completed for students who choose dual enrollment.

Concentrations

Clinical Psychology

Those who seek a concentration in Clinical Psychology will focus on the science of psychology to treat complex human problems and mental disorders.  In addition to foundational courses, students will complete additional course work designed to provide them with knowledge and skills to address behavioral and mental health issues faced by individuals across the lifespan including adjustment issues and traumatic stress reactions, emotional and psychological problems, including serious mental illness and crisis intervention, interpersonal or social problems and dysfunction, and behavioral problems including substance abuse and dependence, intellectual, cognitive, and neurological conditions

Counseling Psychology

Those who seek a concentration in Counseling Psychology will focus on facilitating personal and interpersonal functioning across the lifespan.  In addition to foundational courses, students will complete additional course work designed to provide them with knowledge and skills to focus on normative developmental and mental health issues and challenges faced by individuals across their lifespan, as well as systemic challenges (such as prejudice and discrimination) experienced in groups, workplaces, organizations, institutions, and communities. They will use strengths-based perspectives and practices to prevent and ameliorate emotional, relational, physical/health-related, social, cultural, vocational, educational, and identity-related problems.

School Psychology

Those who seek a concentration in School Psychology will focus on work in schools and related systems of care to support the behavioral/mental health and educational success of children and youth. In addition to foundational courses, students will learn to use their knowledge and skills to provide services to learners and the systems and agencies that serve them and their families including: Individuals from birth to young adulthood presenting learning or behavior problems, mental disorders evident in infancy, childhood, or adolescence, and those with specific disabilities, chronic, or acute conditions of childhood and adolescence, families who request services and assistance with academic and behavioral problems at home and at school, organizations and agencies, teachers, and other adults to enhance healthy relationships and environments that promote learning and development

Accreditation and Licensure

The curriculum is designed with academic and experiential components to ensure alignment with requirements of the American Psychological Association (APA), APA’s Commission on Accreditation (CoA), and the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Program Approval Board (School Psychology concentration only) and lead to licensure/credentials in the appropriate concentration. Students in the Combined Health Service Psychology Psy.D. program should expect to develop critical thinking and application skills to prepare them to complete a 2000-hour[MT1]  internship as part of their curricular requirements.  This internship, completed under supervision of licensed professionals, will allow students to further develop their knowledge and skills in health service psychological provision to address the needs of a variety of individuals.

Admission Requirements

  • A completed graduate application.
  • Statement of purpose detailing professional goals and how those goals fit the program.
  • Names and email addresses for three references including two professional contacts and one instructor/professor who can speak to applicant’s academic ability.
  • A minimum 3.0 GPA (bachelor’s degree) for admission to M.S. program and a recommended minimum 3.3 GPA (master’s degree) for admission to Ed.S. and Psy.D. programs.
  • Participation in a campus visit and interview.
  • Current medical immunization record.
  • All documentation and official transcripts must be submitted to the graduate school for the M.S., Ed.S., and Psy.D. degree programs.

The priority deadline for applications to the Psy.D. program is February 15. For further information, please contact the Graduate Coordinator.

Contingent Admission

Contingent admission status is reserved for those students who are applying to a degree program during the semester they are graduating with another degree and the overall GPA is pending. Otherwise, the admission packet must be complete, and all admission requirements met before admission will be considered.

Provisional Admission

The Division of Education follows the University’s Provisional Admission policy.

Residency Requirement[MT2] 

For doctoral students must

  1. Be enrolled a minimum of 3 full-time academic years of graduate study (or the equivalent thereof) plus an internship prior to receiving the doctoral degree;
  2. At least 2 of the 3 academic training years (or the equivalent thereof) must be within the program from which the doctoral degree is granted;
  3. At least 1 year of which must be in full-time residence (or the equivalent thereof) at that same program. Programs seeking to satisfy the requirement of one year of full-time residency based on “the equivalent thereof” must demonstrate how the proposed equivalence achieves all the purposes of the residency requirement.

Academic Performance for All Programs

The Meridian Division of Education defines satisfactory performance in graduate level coursework as a grade of S on capstone hours and a GPA of at least 3.00 on all coursework attempted. The division follows Graduate School policies relating to academic performance. In the event a student’s performance warrants dismissal from a graduate program, the Graduate Coordinator will petition the Dean of the Graduate School to dismiss the student from the graduate program.

The knowledge and skills that students have gained will be assessed by faculty in the classroom through (a) course assignments and examinations, (b) practica and internship supervision, (c) the written and/or oral comprehensive exams, and (d) the required capstone process, if applicable.  Students are expected to (a) achieve grades of ‘B’ or better in program core and related coursework, (b) obtain ratings of ‘expected’ or above on all areas addressed by student annual evaluations, (c) receive passing scores on all comprehensive and national exams, (d) receive acceptable ratings on practica and internship evaluations, and (e) complete required projects (e.g., practica portfolios, capstone project) to evaluate their skills and competencies in the three areas outlined above. 

  1. a. A minimum of 3 full-time academic years of graduate study (or the equivalent thereof) plus an internship prior to receiving the doctoral degree;
  2. b. At least 2 of the 3 academic training years (or the equivalent thereof) within the program from which the doctoral degree is granted;
  3. c. At least 1 year of which must be in full-time residence (or the equivalent thereof) at that same program. Programs seeking to satisfy the requirement of one year of full-time residency based on “the equivalent thereof” must demonstrate how the proposed equivalence achieves all the purposes of the residency requirement.