Northern Illinois University
Department of Psychology
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Doctoral students in the clinical program are required to complete all of the courses listed below. Please note these are special requirements in the clinical doctoral program and are in addition to the minimum foundation courses required of all students.

Required Basic Courses

[Note: Other classes may be approved by the clinical area to substitute for no more than two of the following courses required of clinical students: 611, 601, 603, 620, 665

• PSYC 604 Advanced Psychological Statistics
• PSYC 606 Experimental Design
• PSYC 528 History of Psychology
• PSYC 601 Fundamentals of Learning or
  PSYC 611 Cognitive Psychology I
• PSYC 603 Biopsychology
• PSYC 620 Experimental Social Psychology
• PSYC 665 Behavioral Development

Required Clinical Courses

• PSYC 640 Theory and Assessment of Intellectual Functioning
• PSYC 641 Psychopathology
• PSYC 645 Developmental Psychopathology
• PSYC 642 Personality Assessment or
  PSYC 646 Psychological Assessment of Children
• PSYC 643 Theories of Psychotherapy
• PSYC 644 Cognitive-Behavioral Theory and Techniques
• PSYC 649 Ethics and Professional Issues in Psychology
• PSYC 654 Practicum in Psychotherapy
• PSYC 655 Internship in Clinical Psychology
• PSYC 671D Clinical Research Methods
• PSYC 672E Multicultural Diversity, Supervision, and Consultation

Typical course sequence

Although there is some variability in the courses offered from year-to-year, the sequence below represents the expected course sequence for the first two years.

Semester 1

• Advanced Psychological Statistics
• Theory and Assessment of Intellectual Functioning
• Psychopathology
• Psychological Research
• Independent Research (Readings)

Semester 2

• Experimental Design
• Second assessment class (Personality Assessment or Psychological Assessment of Children) or
  Seminar in Professional Ethics and Multiculturalism
• Clinical Research Methods
• Practicum in Psychotherapy
• Psychological Research

Semester 3

• Foundation Course
• Developmental Psychopathology
• Cognitive Behavioral Theory and Techniques
• Practicum in Psychotherapy
• Master's Thesis
• Psychological Research

Semester 4

• Theories of Psychotherapy
• Second assessment class (Personality Assessment or Psychological Assessment of Children) or
  Seminar in Professional Ethics and Multiculturalism
• Foundation Course
• Practicum in Psychotherapy
• Master's Thesis
• Psychological Research

Years 3-5

• Remaining foundation requirements and Tool requirements
• Completion of Master's Thesis
• Psychological Research
• Course in Multicultural Diversity, Supervision, and Consultation 
• Electives
• Psychological Interventions with Children and Their Families (for those with a child focus)
• Internship in Clinical Psychology
• Ph.D. Dissertation

All graduate students must register for a minimum of 12 semester hours each fall and spring semester unless permission for a reduced load is granted by the Department Chair or the Director of Graduate Studies.