Clinical M.A.

Overview

The University of Detroit Mercy Master of Arts Program in Clinical Psychology prepares students as Master's level psychologists.

Graduates are eligible for Michigan limited licensure as MA psychologist upon completion of post degree supervised practice requirements.

UDM's program has several unique features that create a distinctive learning opportunity for students. These include:

• Specialization in Child Clinical or Addictions during the second year of study. MA students may take formal specialization in either child clinical psychology or the treatment and prevention of substance abuse. These areas are currently specializations where the greatest need and largest number of job opportunities exist.
• Designed for working students. The program is quite flexible in terms of a student's course load. The program's 45 credit hours can be completed in two years (full-time) or three years (part-time) study, including summer terms. Full-time enrollment means three or four courses per term; part-time means one or more courses per term. All courses are generally taught in the late afternoons and early evenings to accommodate those students with full-time jobs. Classes typically begin at 4:00pm, 5:00pm, and 6:40 pm.
• Excellent practicum experience. As a program, which has been in existence for many years, the MA program in clinical psychology has many well-established practicum training opportunities throughout Southeastern Michigan. Students may elect to complete their clinical training in hospitals, community mental health centers, university based counseling centers, or correctional facilities. In recent years, students have completed their practicum training at St Joseph’s Mercy Hospital of Macomb, Guidance Center, Catholic Services of Macomb, University of Michigan Counseling and Support Services, Oakdale Recovery Center, CARE Program-Center for Human Development, and Neighborhood Services Organization, to name a few.
• Solid Faculty. Since our department at UDM also sponsors a Ph.D. program in clinical psychology, we believe our department is rich with faculty and resources to aid with training in clinical psychology (see Faculty).

The program attempts to instruct students in scientifically-informed clinical psychology and does not adopt a single theoretical orientation in its training model. In assessment and diagnostic procedures, traditional and contemporary psychometric methods are utilized. In therapeutic practices, the major emphasis includes broadly defined behavioral approaches supplemented by cognitive intervention and by certain portions of psychoanalytic, humanistic, or family systems approaches.

The program consists of eight components:

1. a fundamental curriculum in psychology;
2. a specialty curriculum in addiction studies or child development;
3. assessment methods;
4. therapeutic interventions courses;
5. an ethical issues course in mental health care;
6. a comprehensive examination;
7. a supervised practicum experience; and
8. a non-required component consisting of thesis, special project experience or alternative courses.

Training in research methods enables students to become discriminating consumers of the professional literature, which, in turn, enables them to keep abreast of developments in their field after graduation.

The program can serve as a step toward doctoral training in psychology. Although the program's principle focus is to prepare students for clinical practice, students wishing to pursue doctoral training may complete an elective thesis. Completing a thesis will supplement students' clinical training with sufficient research experience to qualify for serious consideration for admission to a doctoral psychology program. Students choosing thesis research must complete the thesis in order to receive the degree.

Students wishing to continue doctoral work at the University of Detroit Mercy must apply directly to the clinical psychology doctoral program for admission.