Mission
The mission of the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) program at KCU-Kansas City is to offer students broad and general training in preparation for careers in the practice of health service psychology as clinical psychologists both as individuals and as part of an integrated health care team. We are committed to the scientific foundations of psychology, the recognition that science informs practice and practice informs science, and a deep respect and understanding of cultural and individual differences.
Aims
The PsyD program has four program aims:
- Students demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge base in the theoretical and scientific foundations of psychology and are prepared to use this knowledge as health service providers in clinical psychology.
- Students develop and demonstrate competency in the use of a strong set of clinical skills, behaviors and attitudes in order to be proficient in evidence-based assessment, intervention and outcome evaluation while working with diverse populations.
- Students demonstrate knowledge of psychological research and scientific inquiry and can integrate such scientific knowledge into clinical practice.
- Students demonstrate knowledge and skill in integrated health care and are able to function as part of an integrated health care team.
Competencies
The PsyD program at KCU-Kansas City provides evidence-based opportunities for all students to demonstrate the profession-wide competencies required by the American Psychological Association (APA). Graduates are required to meet the following profession-wide competencies:
Competency 1: Research
Students will demonstrate the substantially independent ability to formulate research or other scholarly activities that are of sufficient quality and rigor to have the potential to contribute to the scientific, psychological or professional knowledge base. Students will conduct research or other scholarly activities. Students will critically evaluate and disseminate research or other scholarly activity via professional publication and presentation at the local, regional or national level.
Competency 2: Ethical & Legal Standards
Students are expected to respond professionally in increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence across levels of training. Students will demonstrate knowledge of and act in accordance with the current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct; the relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels; and the relevant professional standards and guidelines. Students will recognize ethical dilemmas as they arise and apply ethical decision-making processes in order to resolve the dilemmas effectively. Students will conduct themselves in an ethical manner in all professional activities.
Competency 3: Individual & Cultural Diversity
Students must demonstrate knowledge, awareness, sensitivity, and skills when working with diverse individuals and communities who embody a variety of cultural and personal background characteristics. Students will demonstrate the requisite knowledge base, ability to articulate an approach to working effectively with diverse individuals and groups, and apply this approach effectively in their professional work. Students will demonstrate an understanding of how their own personal/cultural history, attitudes and biases may affect how they understand and interact with people different from themselves. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the current theoretical and empirical knowledge base as it relates to addressing diversity in all professional activities including research, training, supervision/consultation and service. Students will demonstrate the ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles (e.g., research, services, other professional activities). This includes the ability to apply a framework for working effectively with areas of individual and cultural diversity not previously encountered over the course of their careers. Students will demonstrate the ability to work effectively with individuals whose group membership, demographic characteristics or worldly views conflict with their own.
Competency 4: Professional Values and Attitudes
Students must demonstrate behavior that reflects the values and attitudes of psychology, including integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning and concern for the welfare of others. Students will demonstrate the ability to engage in self-reflection regarding one’s personal and professional functioning as well as engages in activities to maintain and improve their own performance, wellbeing and professional effectiveness. Students will actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision. Students will respond professionally in increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence as they progress across levels of training.
Competency 5: Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Students will demonstrate the ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals, including colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervisees and those receiving professional services. Students will demonstrate the ability to produce and comprehend oral, nonverbal and written communications that are informative and well-integrated as well as demonstrate a thorough grasp of professional language and concepts. Students will demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to manage difficult communication well.
Competency 6: Assessment
Students will demonstrate competence in conducting evidence-based assessment consistent with the scope of health service psychology. Students will demonstrate the ability to select and apply assessment methods that draw from the best available empirical literature and that reflect the science of measurement and psychometrics; collect relevant data using multiple sources and methods appropriate to the identified goals and questions of the assessment as well as relevant diversity characteristics of the service recipient. Students will demonstrate the ability to interpret assessment results, following current research and professional standards and guidelines, to inform case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations, while guarding against decision making biases, distinguishing the aspects of assessment that are subjective from those that are objective. Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate orally and in written documents the findings and implications of the assessment in an accurate and effective manner sensitive to a range of audiences.
Competency 7: Intervention
Students will demonstrate the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with the recipients of psychological services. Students will demonstrate the ability to develop evidence-based intervention plans specific to the service delivery goals as well as the ability to implement interventions informed by the current scientific literature, assessment findings, diversity characteristics, and contextual variables. Students will demonstrate the ability to apply the relevant research literature to clinical decision-making and be able to modify and adapt evidence-based approaches effectively when a clear evidence-base is lacking. Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate intervention effectiveness and adapt intervention goals and methods consistent with ongoing evaluation.
Competency 8: Supervision
Students will demonstrate knowledge of supervision models and practices.
Competency 9: Consultation & Inter-Professional/Interdisciplinary Skills
Students will demonstrate knowledge and respect for the roles and perspectives of other professions. Students will demonstrate knowledge of consultation models and practices.
Academic Load
| Fall/Spring Semester Academic Load |
Number of Credits |
| Full-time |
6 or more semester credits |
| Half-time |
3-5.5 semester credits |
| Part-time |
Less than 3 semester credits |
For students who have passed the candidacy exam and are enrolled only for doctoral internship and/or dissertation hours, full-time is three semester credits and half-time is 1.5 semester credits.
Academic Program Length Restrictions
PSYD students must graduate within seven years of the date of matriculation unless required by law, judicial order, or to facilitate compliance with applicable laws or legally binding agreements.
Academic Standing
Students are considered to be in good academic standing to meet the minimum criteria for continued enrollment. Good academic standing is defined as obtaining at least a grade of B- or Pass in each class, as well as maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
If a student’s GPA falls below 3.0, he/she must remediate within one semester. Failure to bring GPA within academic standards may result in dismissal.
Academic Probation
Academic probation is an official status from the University, stating that the student is under the most sensitive academic monitoring and improvement plan for the period of time they are on probation, which becomes a part of the student’s academic record. This status is typically applied when one of more of the following occur:
- One or more course failures.
- Student’s cumulative KCU GPA is below 3.0.
- Deficiencies in Profession Wide Competencies
Students placed on academic probation will have their status monitored by a University faculty or staff member. In addition, students on probation must attend all classes. Academic probation may also include the suspension of the student’s normal rights to participate in extracurricular, co-curricular and other nonacademic activities, including but not limited to the student not being allowed to hold a leadership position in a student organization. Academic probation may also result in suspension or termination of the student’s employment with the University.
Typically, students who are placed on academic probation cannot fail any other course, section, clerkship, subject exam and/or national examination. The typical length of the academic probation is one year, unless otherwise specified, from the time the student is formally notified of being placed on this status.
Academic probation status is not tied to a student’s SAP, as defined by Title IV. It is wholly separate and unrelated to SAP.
Academic Warning
Academic warning is a state of warning from KCU to the student indicating that the University is concerned about the student’s academic performance. This status is typically applied when one of more of the following occur:
- Current cumulative KCU GPA below 3.0.
- Behavioral cues by the student that may indicate academic or personal distress.
Students placed on academic warning may be required to take actions deemed necessary to help improve academic performance. These actions may include, but are not limited to: regular meetings with Learning Enhancement staff, required course attendance, meetings with tutors and/or faculty members, temporary loss of student leadership privileges, and providing frequent status updates to key faculty/administrators.
Academic warning is not tied to a student’s SAP, as defined by Title IV. It is wholly separate and unrelated to SAP.
Attendance Policy
See Student Handbook.
Grades & Assessment Policies
Grades & Quality Points
| Grade |
% Range |
Quality Points |
| A |
93-100% |
4.00 |
| A- |
90-92% |
3.67 |
| B+ |
87-89% |
3.33 |
| B |
83-86% |
3.0 |
| B- |
80-82% |
2.67 |
| F |
<80% |
0.00/Fail |
| P |
- |
Pass |
| I |
- |
Incomplete |
| W |
- |
Withdrawal |
A student enrolled in the PsyD program must pass all courses with a minimum grade of B- or P, and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher to continue in the program.
Testing & Grading
Students who are authorized for special accommodations will report to the Office of Exam Services and Analytics (OESA). Accommodation conditions, as appropriate, may include alteration of the length of exam time, testing location (room number), or other accommodations. Students in need of special accommodations should complete the Student Request for Accommodation Form, which is available on the Student Disability Services & Resources page on myKCU.
Testing during a course may consist of:
- In-class quizzes
- Written exam(s)
- Papers
- Presentations
Evaluation of clinical skills will occur on practicum and internship experiences. The Practicum Evaluation Form and the Advanced Practicum Evaluation Form will be used to evaluate each student and their progress in demonstrating the profession-wide competencies on practicum. Internship sites will utilize their own Internship Evaluation Forms to evaluate each student and their progress in demonstrating the profession-wide competencies on internship. Practicum and internship grades will be graded Pass/Fail (P/F).
Students will receive a letter grade for each course except those designated Pass/Fail.
A percentage of the total point score possible for the course will be calculated based on points earned.
The course director will assign a letter grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, or F, generally based on the scale above.
Students who earn a failing course average (less than 80 percent) at the end of the course may be eligible for re-examination of their lowest exam grade or a re-examination of all course content in the form of a cumulative exam or equivalent assessment. See Individual Course Failure & Re-Examination policy.
Students who do not qualify for a re-examination or fail to earn a passing grade following re-examination may be placed on an Academic Suspension until the failed course is offered again.
The Registrar will calculate an overall GPA each semester. This information will then be reported to students in Workday.
Incomplete Grades
A course director may assign a grade of I if he/she believes that a student has been unable to complete the course/section on time because of extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control. An Incomplete Grade Contract should be completed that clearly details the requirements for completion of the course/section. The grade contract form is available on the Registrar page of the intranet.
The student’s signature is not required for the incomplete grade contract to be valid. In the event an I grade is being assigned, the dean of COB (or designee appointed by the Office of the Provost) must be notified before the contract is presented to the student. Upon receipt, the Office of the Registrar will provide a copy of the contract to the student’s KCU email address. The student will have three business days to decline the incomplete grade and receive the current earned grade with all missing assignments calculated as a zero.
Any student receiving a grade of I must coordinate with the course director to satisfy all outstanding coursework for the course/section. Once outstanding requirements for the course are satisfied, the course director will process a change of grade form converting the I to a letter grade. The grade change must be submitted prior to the first day of classes of the next academic year. Once this deadline has passed, the I becomes an F. Once converted to an F, this grade cannot be subsequently changed due to coursework completion.
Should a student decide to withdraw or if he/she is otherwise separated from the University prior to completing coursework for an incomplete grade, the grade will be updated to reflect a failure (F).
A degree cannot be awarded to a student with an Incomplete grade on his/her record.
Grade Changes & Corrections
Grades may be changed or corrected by the course director, upon certification in writing that an error occurred in computing or recording the grade (subject to the grade appeal policy), or a student has successfully completed re-examination. The change of grade must be documented on a grade change form, approved by the dean of COB (or designee appointed by the Office of the Provost) and submitted to the Office of the Registrar for processing. The deadline to initiate a grade change is one calendar year after the end date of the term in which the grade was assigned.
Grade Appeals
See Student Handbook.
Student Standing
The Registrar will calculate an overall GPA for PsyD students for each semester in the program.
Academic Assessment, Status & Promotion
The PsyD program at KCU is a full-time program and the expectation is that didactic and clinical training will take precedence over employment or volunteer work. Once students have matriculated, they must be enrolled in the program continuously until graduation. Students receive grades in all courses. The course grades assist the program director and the student to monitor progress and mastery of the material that has been deemed necessary by the program to become proficient and competent psychologists. The clinical psychology curriculum has been approved by the COB Curriculum Committee.
At the conclusion of each academic year, the faculty will meet to assess student progress in the PsyD program. Students must demonstrate satisfactory achievement levels in all the education and training competency areas. Following the annual student review meeting, faculty advisors will meet with students to discuss whether their progress meets expectations set by the program. Advisors will provide feedback about their academic, clinical and professional progress. The Program Director will provide students with written feedback of their overall academic progress relative to their year in the program. Problems with progress through the program may lead to referral to PsyD-SPC. See Academic Standing and Dismissal for more information.
Students will be provided notification of any problems, and will have an opportunity to represent themselves before PsyD-SPC. PsyD-SPC renders decisions for additional action if a student fails to achieve satisfactory progress. Furthermore, if a student violates the KCU Code of Professional Conduct, the student will be referred to Student Services for further action.
Students are provided oral and written feedback about their progress periodically throughout the year through quarterly meetings with their individual faculty advisor. During these meetings, students will be asked to complete a self-evaluation of their progress before receiving feedback from the program review. Advisors and students will maintain an ongoing record of the self-review and feedback from the PsyD-SPC to identify strengths and areas for improvement. Students may be asked to meet with the program director to review feedback from PsyD-SPC and consider the student’s self-review. Students receive an annual written indication of their progress from the program director via a formal letter.
Students are required to complete all program requirements for graduation within a maximum of seven years from the date of matriculation. If a student does not complete the program within this time requirement, they will be dropped from the program. If a student has not completed the program within seven years, the student may petition the program director and PsyD-SPC for special consideration. Petitions will be considered on an individual basis. When petitioning the student must provide rationale to be considered for further review.
Promotion to the Next Year
To progress to the next 10-week session, a student must satisfactorily complete all academic requirements for the preceding 10-week session. Students who have not satisfactorily completed all academic requirements in order to progress in the program will be referred to the PsyD-SPC. The PsyD-SPC will review the student’s academic record according to the COB academic policies and make a recommendation to the dean of COB (or designee appointed by the Office of the Provost). Recommendations may include an academic suspension until the student can successfully complete the necessary program requirements, or other academic consequences.
Promotion to Doctoral Candidacy
During the course of the PsyD program, students who initially enter the program without advanced standing (i.e., having already earned a Master’s degree) will earn a non-terminal Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology degree. The degree will be added as a notation on the student’s transcript. The degree is awarded when all the following criteria have been met:
- Successful completion of all coursework in the first two years.
- Successful completion of the Qualifying Examination.
- Student is in good academic standing. See Academic Standing.
Re-Examination & Remediation Policy
Courses
Students who earn a failing course grade (less than 80 percent) at the end of the semester may be eligible for re-examination of their lowest exam grade or a re-examination of all course content in the form of a cumulative exam or equivalent assessment. The course director will stipulate in the course syllabus which re-examination method (lowest exam grade or cumulative exam/equivalent assessment) will be utilized. Re-examination will only be allowed if a replacement of their lowest grade or successful re-examination would permit the student to pass the course. The maximum grade for the course is 80.
Faculty members are available to answer specific questions, but no formal review sessions will be conducted. Preparation for re-examination is largely an independent study endeavor. Students may take only one re-examination in a course. The maximum number of re-examinations in the PsyD program is two, which may be completed in one block. Re-examinations will be scheduled by the course director and must be completed prior to the start of the next 10-week session.
Any student failing to sit for the exam on the scheduled date will receive a grade of zero for the re-examination attempt and fail the course. If reexamination still results in failure, the student is considered to have not satisfactorily completed all academic requirements in order to progress in the program and may therefore be placed on an academic suspension as determined by the PsyD-SPC and the dean of COB (or designee appointed by the Office of the Provost). This re-examination policy will only be accessible to students who have made at least one good-faith attempt, as determined by the course director, at each graded component of the class.
Practicum & Internships
A student is assigned a grade of Pass or Fail in their assessment, therapy, or advanced practicum course, based on the attainment and demonstration of expected competencies within each training setting. Each block, a student’s primary site supervisor is asked to complete an evaluation of the student’s performance on appropriate Profession-Wide Competencies (see Appendices entitled “Therapy and Practicum Evaluation Form” and “Advanced Practicum Evaluation Form”). The minimum level of achievement expected of students is a score of (3) Demonstrates expected behavioral anchor on each item. Scores of (2) Inadequately performs behavioral anchor will result in remediation of the behavioral anchor in question and referral to the Student Progress Committee. Scores of (1) Failure to perform behavioral anchor will result in failure of the practicum and referral to the Student Progress Committee. The DCT has the authority to delay any student from applying for or beginning a practicum or internship due to academic insufficiency, verified clinical unsuitability, or an inability to meet the required health and technical standards.
If a student earns a failing grade while on practicum or internship, the student may be eligible for remediation. The site supervisor, the program director, and director of Clinical Training (DCT) will evaluate the failure to determine if a remediation plan is necessary, reasonable, and would benefit the student. The terms of the remediation plan will be set by the DCT and site supervisor who have several options including, but not limited to, additional training and supervision, a verbal warning, written acknowledgment, written warning, schedule modification, probation, suspension of direct service activities, and termination from the site. Students will remediate through a specific, time-limited, appropriate plan that will allow the student trainee sufficient time to demonstrate required changes, learning and progress in areas of deficiency. The plan will be created by the DCT, and other KCU faculty and the site supervisor as is appropriate to the situation. Student trainees may be relocated to a new training site, if appropriate and in the best interest of the student as determined by the DCT, program director, and site supervisor.
Grade Assessments for Reinstated Students
Reinstated students are held accountable to all previously earned grades and they remain part of the permanent student record. If, upon returning, a student is required to retake a previously failed section, the retake will replace the entire remediation process for that section and will supersede the remediation process described for academic failures of continuously matriculated students. If the returning student fails the section a second time, the student will be dismissed from the program.
Dismissal
The University, by recommendation of PsyD-SPC and/or the action of the administrative officers, and subject to the SPC policy, reserves the right to place on conditional or stipulated status, suspend or dismiss a student who has:
- Received two or more course failures in any PsyD course. This will result in automatic dismissal from the program.
- Earned a cumulative GPA less than 3.0.
- Failure of Qualifying Examination re-exam.
- Second failure of dissertation proposal.
- Not maintained acceptable standards of academic performance.
- Not maintained acceptable ethical, moral, personal, or professional conduct.
- Not abided by the University’s or program’s policies, rules, and regulations.
- Not fulfilled legal or financial obligations to the University.
- Not shown an ability to meet the minimum Technical Standards for the program, with or without reasonable accommodation. .
- Not completed all of the required curriculum elements within seven years of matriculation date.