AUNE PsyD Student Progress & Ethics

AUNE PsyD in Clinical Psychology

Student Progress and Ethics The Annual Review Each year during the late fall, after all the documentation for the previous June through May academic year has been filed, the progress and performance of each student is evaluated in the Annual Review. Composed by the student’s advisor, with input as necessary by the Professional Seminar and Case Conference leaders as well as the Director of Student Affairs or his or her designee, the Annual Review evaluates each student’s performance in the areas of academic, clinical/professional, and personal/interpersonal functioning. Ratings may be Satisfactory, Satisfactory with Concerns, or Unsatisfactory. (There is a formal statement on the Annual Review Policy in the Clinical Psychology Handbook.)  At any time when circumstances are such that immediate program action is required, a Special Review process is initiated. (A description of this process also appears in the Clinical Psychology Handbook.) Special Reviews are conducted by a student’s advisor when, for example, there is or may be a serious academic or practicum/ internship problem, an accusation of ethical impropriety, or an illness or accident that prevents a student from continuing in the program in the usual fashion.  Ethics The Department of Clinical Psychology adheres to the American Psychological Association’s code of ethics. Allegations of unethical behavior, both those that occur within our own system and those that come through other bodies (e.g., state association ethics committees), are handled within the Annual Review and Special Review system. Students have a right to appeal any decision made through AUNE’s Student Grievance Procedure. The Department of Clinical Psychology adheres to the American Psychological Association’s Code of Ethics.  Consistent with Standard 7.04 of the APA Code of Ethics, the program wishes to make clear that there are some course- or program-related activities, including supervision, in which students and supervisees are required to disclose personal information in the context of learning to be reflective practitioners. These learning experiences include but are not limited to the preparation of personal process notes and papers about academic material, clinical material, personal material, and diversity issues, reactions to others as a part of group process, and the like. Rarely, this may include sexual history, history of abuse and neglect, psychological treatment, and relationships with parents, peers, and spouses or significant others. In addition, personal information may be necessary to evaluate or obtain assistance for students whose personal problem could reasonably be judged to be preventing them from performing their training- or professionally-related activities in a competent manner or posing a threat to students or others.  Qualifying Examination The Qualifying Examination is described in a detailed, formal statement that appears in the Clinical Psychology Handbook. The Qualifying Examination is comprised of two sections: a Comprehensive Examination and a  combined Intervention Paper and Oral Examination. It is taken by students at two separate times during the third year.  The Comprehensive Examination is based in an area of student interest, and is intended to draw on the content areas of the program and the general knowledge base of clinical psychology, as well as the student’s ability to develop a coherent and scholarly written argument. The Comprehensive Examination relates most strongly to the Diversity, Research and Evaluation, Intervention, and Assessment competencies, while also taking into account the scientific foundations of psychology, the three program emphases (evidence based practice, relationship, and social justice), and ethics. The Comprehensive Examination is due prior to the start of the Fall semester of the third year on a date specified each year. Each student’s Comprehensive Examination is evaluated by two faculty readers.  The second part of the Qualifying Examination is the Intervention Paper and Oral Examination. The initial part of the Intervention Examination is a paper that describes an intervention drawn from the student’s own professional work. This paper must include a theoretical frame and case formulation consistent with the intervention itself that integrates theory and practice. This paper is submitted to two faculty readers during the spring term of the third year. About three weeks later, students are required to complete an oral examination to the same readers.  Re-enrollment We do not accept applications for re-enrollment from former students who were asked to leave the program or who left not in good standing. Under certain circumstances, with permission from the program and space available, we may accept applications for re-enrollment from students who left in good standing. For all re- enrolling students, the currency of courses will be evaluated.