Educational Model

The Professional School of Psychology has a tradition of innovation that is reflected in the Learning Models used to deliver instruction. Three venues are used for course instruction depending on the number of students who need a course.

Course Model (Residential)

A traditional, although intense, instructional model where faculty meet with students at scheduled time using the guideline ratio of 2 hours of student preparation for every hour with the faculty, or 64 student hours to 32 faculty contact hours (96 total hrs.) The assumption of this model is that students benefit from faculty contact and interaction with other students to achieve learning objectives in the least amount of time. Courses are usually scheduled over two weekends, with at least a month between weekends.

Tutorial Model

The tutorial model requires more student preparation outside of class so that time with faculty and classmates is intense and focused. Students spend 6 hours preparing for every hour with faculty, or 96 student hours for 16 faculty contact hours (112 total hrs.) This model allows students more time absorbing material, and greater flexibility of when to schedule those hours, but increases the overall time commitment.

Independent Study Model

Independent Study is used when students miss a course, or are interested in taking a highly individualized course. Faculty usually work one-on-one with students and students are required to work independently. For this reason, the Independent Study model requires the most total hours (128 total hrs) for a student to complete 4 units.

Course model instruction is usually scheduled on weekend days from 9:00-5:00. A class day is one unit. If the class is a four unit class, the student will be on-site for two weekends, that is, two Saturdays and two Sundays.

Tutorial and Independent Study scheduling is more fluid than course scheduling, and faculty work more directly with students in determining meeting dates and times.

PSP operates on a modified quarter system. We have a Fall Term, a January Intercession (all classes in one month), a Winter Term, a Spring Term, and a Summer Term.

We are not a cohort program, and students may enter into their program choice at any point. However, many courses have specific course prerequisites.

Doctoral students typically take about four years to complete their
program – several years of coursework followed by a comprehensive examination, a dissertation, and documentation of 1500 application hours.