Graduate Catalog 2025-2026

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Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical and Counseling Psychology

The Doctorate in Psychology that is known by the abbreviation PsyD, is a combined-integrated program in Clinical Psychology/Counseling Psychology. The Program integrates clinical experience with academic preparation in a scholar-practitioner model of training. Students are trained in the theoretical foundations of psychology, evaluation techniques, intervention procedures, program evaluation and research, and administration and supervision. Special emphasis is given to the professional preparation for the delivery of psychological services. The definition of each of the two areas of specialization is conceptually integrated into the design of the program. These are:

Clinical Psychology

As a general practice specialization, clinical psychology concentrates on the understanding, evaluation, prediction, prevention and the relief from problems related to intellectual, emotional, biological, psychological and social functions. It emphasizes the identification of behavioral maladjustment, disability and mental disorders, as well as the improvement of psychological functions and prevention of dysfunctions. What distinguishes clinical psychology is the range of the problems it deals with and the characteristics of the population it serves.

Counseling Psychology

This focuses on the evaluation, diagnosis and psychotherapeutic interventions associated with the personal and interpersonal functioning through the application of scientific theories to the life cycle, to the social, emotional, vocational, educational, health and normative developmental aspects and to the organizational issues that have an impact on human mental health. Within the context of life-long development, be it normative or psychopathological, the counseling psychology professionals attend to the healthful aspects and the strengths of people (individual, couples, family, group, systems or organizations) in typical environmental situations, including cultural context, gender and lifestyle choices. In other words, Counseling Psychology addresses the emotional needs of people of all ages. It also integrates, as part of comprehensive conceptualization of the human being, the role of development, measurement, diagnosis and treatment of issues associated with vocational as well as career interests and aptitudes.

The Metropolitan Campus and the San Germán Campus are authorized to offer this Program.

Competencies Profile of Graduates

Research:

  1. Formulate research or other academic activities that contribute to the scientific and professional knowledge of psychology.
  2. Conduct scientific research or other academic activities.
  3. Critically evaluate scientific research in psychology.
  4. Disseminate research or other academic activity through publications and professional presentations at local and international levels.

Ethical and Legal Standards:

  1. Identify the ethical principles of the American Psychological Association and the Code of Conduct of the Board of Psychologists of Puerto Rico, the regulations and policies that guide the practice of the psychology of health services.
  2. Apply ethical principles in decision making to solve the dilemmas that emerge in professional practice.
  3. Evidence of ethical behavior in their professional work.

Individual and Cultural Diversity:

  1. Distinguish recent theoretical and empirical knowledge to address diversity in professional research, training, supervision/consulting, and service activities.
  2. Evaluate how the individual's history, culture, attitudes, and prejudices affect the way he interprets and interacts with different people.
  3. Effectively manage individual and cultural differences in their work with various individuals and groups.
  4. Appreciate individual and cultural differences in the performance of all professional functions.

Values, Attitudes and Professional Behaviors:

  1. Reflect the attitudes and values of psychology in their behavior, including integrity, professional behavior, identity, accountability, life-long learning and concern for the well-being of others.
  2. Perform activities aimed at maintaining and improving their performance, well-being and professional effectiveness.
  3. Consider with openness and sensitivity the retro information received in supervision.
  4. Demonstrate professionalism in complex situations, with a high degree of independence, as you progress in your professional training.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills:

  1. Maintain respectful links with colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervised, and participants of psychological services.
  2. Generate effective oral and written communications.
  3. Evidence of effective interpersonal skills that favor the proper management of communication challenges.

Evaluation:

  1. Apply assessment methods using the best available empirical literature that reflect the science of measurement and psychometry.
  2. Use information from multiple sources and appropriate methods to address the objectives and questions generated in the evaluation and diversity characteristics of the service recipient.
  3. Interpret the results of the evaluation following recent research, standards and professional guidelines to document conceptualization, classification and case recommendations.
  4. Generate effective and sensitive oral and written communications of the findings of the assessment of diverse populations.

Intervention:

  1. Maintain effective relationships with participants in psychological services.
  2. Design specific intervention plans based on evidence according to service goals.
  3. Perform interventions documented by: recent scientific literature, evaluation findings, diversity characteristics, and contextual variables.
  4. Modify evidence-based approaches effectively when there is ambiguity in their application.
  5. Evaluate the effectiveness of the psychological intervention.

Supervision:

  1. Evidence knowledge of supervisory models and practices.
  2. Apply supervisory models and practices.

Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Consulting and Skills:

  1. Evidence knowledge of professional consulting models and practices.
  2. Apply professional consulting models and practices in services to individuals and their families, interprofessional and interdisciplinary groups and other professionals or organizations related to health.
  3. Assess the roles and perspectives of other professions in work teams in clinical settings.

Admission Requirements

  1. Hold a Master in Psychological Counseling or Clinical Psychology from an accredited university in which the following courses or their equivalents were approved with a minimum grade of B: Interview Techniques and Processes, Counseling and Career Evaluation, Cognitive Evaluation, Personality Evaluation, Psychopathology, Evidence Based Individual Psychotherapy Models, Evidence Based Systemic Models, Group Psychotherapy. In addition, you must have a minimum of 500 hours of supervised practice in Psychological Counseling or Clinical Psychology.
  2. If the candidate hold a master’s degree from an accredited university in another area of Psychology that is not Counseling Psychology or Clinical Psychology, he must take the courses from the master’s degree of the area of specialization indicated previously and complete the 500 hours of supervised practice in the specialization area.
  3. Have a minimum academic index of 3.25 at the master’s level.
  4. Demonstrate proficiency in Spanish and English.
  5. Have passed within the last five years prior to the date of the application for admission the Entrance Examination to Graduate Studies (EXADEP) with a minimum score of 400 or its equivalent in the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
  6. Submit three letters of recommendation, two of which must be from professors, and one from a supervisor in a work experience, using the template provided in the University admission package.
  7. Present in original a negative criminal record provided by the Puerto Rico Police Department within the last 30 days of the application date.
  8. Have an interview with the Admissions Committee of the Program and be recommended by it.

Academic Progress Requirements

To remain in the Program students must meet the following:

  1. Maintain a minimum general average of 3.25.
  2. Students will have the opportunity to repeat only once all failed courses or practices.
  3. The courses of the program are approved with a minimum grade of B.
  4. The doctoral candidacy examination, in either one of its two parts: core or clinical, may be taken a maximum of three times.

Graduation Requirements

  1. Approve all program courses with a minimum general average of 3.25.
  2. Pass both parts of the doctoral candidacy examination. The doctoral candidacy examination will be administered twice per year. Students may request to take the first part when they have approved all the core courses. They may request to take the second part of the examination when they have approved all the requirements of the specialization. The approval of both parts is a requirement for students to enter the doctoral internship. Students may only take the qualification examination on three occasions.
  3. Approve the doctoral internship in clinical psychology/counseling psychology or clinical psychology/school psychology.
  4. Defend and approve the doctoral dissertation.

Requirements for the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical/Counseling Psychology

Core Course Requirements 16 credits
Major Requirements 27 credits
Prescribed Distributive Requirements 6 credits
Operational Requirements 12 credits
Total 61 credits

Core Course Requirements - 16 credits

PSYC 7010Human Diversity

2
PSYC 7020Neuropsychology

3
PSYC 7030Quantitative Research

2
PSYC 7040Qualitative Research

2
PSYC 7045Analysis of Qualitative Data

2
PSYC 7050Design and Evaluation of Psychological Programs and Services

2
PSYC 7060Neuroscience of Cognoscitive, Affective, and Development Processes

2
PSYC 8912Practicum in the Design and Evaluation of Psychological Programs and Services

1

Major Requirements - 27 credits

PSYC 7015Professional Standards in Clinical/Counseling Psychology

1
PSYC 8610Family Therapy

2
PSYC 8630Objective Evaluation of Personality

2
PSYC 8640Couples Therapy

2
PSYC 8650Clinical Psychopharmacology

2
PSYC 8660Clinical Supervision and Consultancy

2
PSYC 8919Practicum in Family Therapy

1
PSYC 8921Practicum in Objective Evaluation of Personality

1
PSYC 8922Practicum in Couples Therapy

1
PSYC 8923Practicum in Clinical Supervision and Consultancy

1
PSYC 8975Integrated Practice in Clinical/Counseling Psychology I

3
PSYC 8976Integrated Practice in Clinical/Counseling Psychology II

3
PSYC 8977Integrated Practice in Clinical/Counseling Psychology III

3
PSYC 8978Integrated Practice in Clinical/Counseling Psychology IV

3

Prescribed Distributive Requirements in Clinical Psychology/Counseling Psychology - 6 credits

Area of Counseling Psychology

PSYC 8720Substance Abuse

3
PSYC 8730Evaluation of Allegations of Sexual Abuse

3
PSYC 8750Intervention with Women Victims of Violence

2
PSYC 8760Spirituality in Counseling Psychology

2
PSYC 8770Alternatives and Complementary Therapies

2
PSYC 7970Special Topics

1 to 3

Area of Clinical Psychology

PSYC 8515Professional Consulting

2
PSYC 8710Intervention in Crisis

3
PSYC 8715Projective Evaluation of Personality: Rorschach

3
PSYC 8740Trauma: Psychological Perspective

2
PSYC 8795Psychology of Health

2
PSYC 8340Neuropsychological Evaluation

3
PSYC 7970Special Topics

1 to 3

Operational Requirements - 12 credits

PSYC 8990AInternship

3
PSYC 8990BInternship

3
PSYC 8991Dissertation A

3
PSYC 8992Dissertation B - Continuation of Dissertation

3