Doctor of Psychology

Concentrations

Industrial-Organizational Psychology

Positive Organizational Psychology.

Degree Requirements

Coursework

A minimum of 72 units is required for the degree. The University’s policies on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and transfer credit apply.

Concentration Core Courses: 18 units (depends on concentration)
Stats and Methods: 16 units
Evaluation: 6 units
Concentration Related Electives: 20 units
Directed Practice and Advanced Practice: 8 units
Transdisciplinary Course: 4 units

Required Courses

All graduate students must meet the following course requirements and pass these courses with a grade of B- or better. Within the first three years of beginning their graduate study, students must take and pass two or more qualifying core courses in their area of concentration.

Core Courses (18 Units). Students must take 18 units of core courses, which vary by concentration.
- Industrial-Organizational Psychology: Organizational Behavior (4 Units), Job Analysis, Job Design (2 Units), Positive Leadership (2 Units), Training and Development (2 Units), Performance Management (2 Units), Cultivating Diverse, Equitable, & Inclusive Organizations (2 Units), Applied Psychometrics and Selection (4 Units)
- Positive Organizational Psychology: Organizational Behavior (4 Units), Foundations of Positive Psychology (4 Units), Positive Leadership (2 Units), Training and Development (2 Units), Performance Management (2 Units), Positive Organizational Psychology (4 Units), Cultivating Diverse, Equitable, & Inclusive Organizations (2 Units)

Research Methods (PSYCH 302- 4 units). Students who have taken a comparable graduate level course should consult with the instructor about a waiver examination. Students are required to be dually enrolled in the associated lab PSYCH 302L for zero units.
Statistics Sequence (PSYCH 308a,b,c,d - 2 units each). Students who have taken comparable statistics courses may consider taking the waiver examination given at the beginning of each module. Courses from other institutions cannot be considered for transfer credit unless the waiver examination is passed and grades in the comparable course(s) were B- or better.
Advanced Methodology (PSYCH 315X - 4 units total). A minimum of four units of advanced statistics methodology courses are required beyond PSYCH 302. Any courses from the PSYCH 315 series will meet this requirement.
Directed Practice (4 units). All students must enroll in PSYCH 306 (Directed Practice) during their second and third semesters. In this course, students work collaboratively to complete an applied project or intervention with an organization.
Advanced Practice (4 Units). All students must enroll in advanced practice as their final course in the program. This course is designed to support students as they complete their capstone project.
Professional Practice for Inclusive Excellence (TDNY440 – 4 Units). All students must this TDNY course, which integrates transdisciplinary, personal, and professional lenses to principles and tools for becoming a changemaker in professional practice.

Applied Portfolio

All students must assemble a portfolio to provide evidence of professional development within an area of specialization. The applied portfolio consists of six items designed to equip students with the applied and translational skills essential to their area of specialization.

Selection of portfolio items is expected to occur in consultation with the student’s advisor and the second faculty member on their committee. Approval of the portfolio plan is recommended in each student’s second year in the doctoral program.

Portfolios Must Include:

Practice-Based Thesis (completed collaboratively during Directed Practice)
Evidence-Based Practice Review on I-O or POP Psychology
TNDY 440 + field experience
3 Student Choice Items: Student choices must be approved by your portfolio committee, but may include items such as: presenting at a practitioner conference, submitting a paper at a practitioner outlet, designing and delivering a training, earning a coach certification, etc.

Capstone Project and Defense

In lieu of a dissertation, students enrolled in the PsyD degree will complete a Capstone project, which is completed independently and scaffolded during the Advanced Practice course. All students will defend their completed Capstone project to a panel of practitioners and scholars.

Time to Degree Limits

University policies on time to degree apply. For doctoral students, no more than 7 years from the time a student begins graduate study will be allowed for the fulfillment of all degree requirements (6 years if 13-24 units of transfer credit are accepted toward degree; 6.5 years if 1-12 units are transferred in). The Psychology program imposes the following additional specifications for its students regarding extensions of time to degree.

Extensions of time are granted for only one year at a time.
Only students who are making satisfactory progress on their capstone project will be considered for a second extension.
The PsyD program does not authorize more than three extensions.

Master’s Degree Along the Way

CGU’s degree requirements for the Master of Arts in Psychology apply. Students may qualify for a master’s degree, received along the way to the doctoral degree, provided all of the following conditions are met.

A minimum of 48 units of coursework must be completed.
Students must complete all required courses required by the specific MA program they aim to obtain
Completed coursework must not have been used toward conferral of a master’s degree from CGU in another discipline.

To receive the master’s degree, students must follow degree completion procedures and comply with the deadlines applicable for the semester in which the degree is requested. Degree completion deadlines are published in the University’s Academic Calendar.