Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

The Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program (Psy.D.) at LIU Post trains students who want to practice as clinical psychologists with a strong interest in working with traditionally underserved populations. In addition to mastering a rigorous core curriculum, Psy.D. students chose two elective courses from several concentration areas: Interventions with High-Risk Families, Assessment and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders, and Synthesizing Psychotherapy (Integration). At the current time, these courses will be available as electives, but the “concentration” structure, as well as the specific concentrations, are under review. 

Our highly experienced faculty provide clinical and theoretical training in two of the major orientations in the field today: cognitive-behavioral and psychodynamic. As a result, our graduates are prepared to practice with one or both models, affording considerable flexibility in a professional world of constantly changing demands and opportunities. This dual focus also provides a competitive advantage as our students apply for externships and internships, as well as post-graduate employment.

After the first year, students balance course work with clinical training as externs in approved patient-care institutions. Second-year students train at the LIU Post Psychological Services Center (PSC), which offers low-cost preventative and clinical mental health services to the community. Third- and fourth-year students complete closely supervised externships at one of more than 50 training sites in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, including inpatient, outpatient, and community mental health facilities. At the end of their third year, students present a case presentation to a panel of clinical psychologists called a Clinical Competency Evaluation (CCE). The fourth year is spent at externships and collecting data for empirical dissertations, as well as writing and defending a thesis. Students design and conduct a significant research project, and write a doctoral dissertation under the direction of the Program faculty. The dissertation process begins in students’ second year of the program. The fifth year is spent in a full-time clinical internship although students have the option of coming in to defend their thesis in the fifth year as well. The program is 115 credits, including the clinical practicum.

Approximately 30 students from across the United States and abroad will be admitted each year; most have an undergraduate degree in psychology and some clinical experience; some have advanced degrees. The program requires a full-time, year-round commitment in each of the four years of residency. The Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association. In 2017, the APA awarded the Program with accreditation until 2023, the longest possible period of accreditation possible. We are expecting our next site visit and review in early 2024.

We encourage prospective applicants to review our website for information about our curriculum, clinical placements, graduate outcomes, and the admission process.

Program Highlights

• The program is also one of the few that trains its students in both Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Psychodynamic Therapy.
• Our core faculty includes 10 practicing clinical psychologists who are actively engaged in clinical research and outreach. Students have many opportunities to work with faculty during their five years in the program. Faculty labs and other research opportunities provide students with a variety of research experiences in the field of clinical psychology that serve as opportunities to publish, present, and collect data for dissertations.
• Students do not have to pick a faculty member to work in their first years in the program, but rather can get to develop their research interests over the course of their first two years before picking a dissertation and advisor in year three.
• Our community-based Psychological Services Center (PSC) provides clinical services to the public and serves as a training facility for doctoral candidates. In their second year, students receive a high-level of supervision from faculty supervisors, community supervisors, testing supervisors, and the directors of the clinic.
• We offer a community of mentorship through our Peer Mentor Program, one-on-one advisement, and Alumni Mentors Program.
• The program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association, receiving the longest possible accreditation of seven years during the last site visit in 2017.