top of page

SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY

  • Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in Psychology or related field. 

  • PSY 505 Intro to Qualitative and Quantitative Research (or equivalent course from an accredited institution)

  • PSY 607 Psychology of Personality (or equivalent course from an accredited institution)

Purpose

The aim of the Ph.D. program in Psychology is to provide advanced coursework that addresses core issues in clinical psychology as a treatment and research area. In addition to the state course requirements for licensure, CIHS’ Ph.D. provides elective coursework opportunities in the field of psychology. Areas in which psychology overlaps with other disciplines are frequently addressed.  Furthermore, in addition to the traditional clinical psychology curriculum, an emphasis on consciousness, spirituality, and holistic treatment is included.
 
The aim of the program is the understanding and application of consciousness and its relationship to the domains of mind, body, and spirit. The focus, thus, is holistic and integrative, in sync with the mission and principles of CIHS itself.

Program Learning Outcomes

Psychology Ph.D. PLOs.  Graduates of CIHS Psychology Ph.D. program will be able to:

  • PLO 1: Examine people as ever evolving, multidimensional beings on a developmental journey toward wholeness, which encompasses the domains of mind, body, and spirit.

  • PLO 2: Apply transdisciplinary research, theory and praxis for effective counseling and communication in both traditional and non-traditional settings.

  • PLO 3: Construct a synthesis of holistic thought, that includes consciousness and spirituality.

  • PLO 4: Explore and advance the theory and application of a broad spectrum of healing modalities, to include both traditional and non-traditional approaches.

  • PLO 5: Create and integrate a personal framework for self and community healing

Degree Requirements

Ninety-four (94) graduate quarter units beyond the Master’s Degree are required to complete the Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Psychology. The number of core courses and quarter units (including dissertation) required would depend on the number of core courses that students have completed at the Master’s Level.  This would include 1) the core courses associated with the school’s mission and 2) students with a M.A. level clinical license or degree that includes the core courses required for clinical licensing.  It is important for students working towards licensure to establish that they have completed the required number of core courses in consultation with the Program Director. 

The remaining elective units will be planned with student’s career goals in mind. With the Program Director’s approval, students may draw on the Ph.D. programs in Integral Health, Life Physics and Integral Noetic Sciences for coursework electives.  

An additional requirement for students preparing for licensure is 50 hours of personal counseling with licensed professionals. This is arranged by the student. Please see the California Board of Psychology Laws & Regulations for details about licensure. Some of these hours can count toward licensure if undertaken during the supervision process. 


Students in this program may be required to take prerequisite courses if their background at the M.A. level has not fully prepared them to succeed in the Institute’s Ph.D. program, at the discretion of the Program Director.

 

For Ph.D. students, graduate transfer credits may be granted for a total of 16-quarter units of relevant graduate courses previously completed at a regionally accredited institution for non-licensure students.* For licensure track doctoral students, two relevant courses or 8 units of graduate coursework may be transferred at the discretion of the Program Director.  

Ph.D. in Psychology – Concentration in Psychology Licensure

Core courses                                 50 units

Licensing Requirements              28 units

Electives                                         16 units

TOTAL                                             94 units

Ph.D. in Psychology – Concentration in Integral Psychology

Core courses                                  50 units

Electives                                          44 units

TOTAL                                              94 units

  • Core courses must be completed first.

  • PSY 890-A and 890-B: When students reach 68 quarter credits, they enter into the Practicum class. This is preparation toward beginning internship (psyc trainee) upon 72 quarter credits. These hours can be obtained through an internship within a local community mental health agency or through the eventual CIHS Tele-therapy Clinic or both.  All positions require a supervisor to guide and sign off on the trainee hours per licensing requirements.

Courses

  • PSY 700 Academic Writing Within the Human Sciences (4 units)

  • PSY 701 Foundations in Integral (4 units)

  • PSY 702 Consciousness Studies (4 units)

  • PSY 703 Counseling & Communications Skills (4 units)

  • PSY 704 Spiritual Education (several options available) (4 units)

  • PSY 705 Advanced Qualitative Research Methods (4 units)

  • PSY 706 Advanced Quantitative Research Methods (4 units)

  • PSY 896 Dissertation Topic Research (5 units)

  • PSY 897 Dissertation Methodology Review (5 units)

  • PSY 898A Dissertation I (6 units)

  • PSY 898B Dissertation II (6 units)

Students intending to obtain state licensure are required to take a minimum of seven courses (28 units) from this section. Clinical licensing courses must be taken at the Doctoral level. Master-level courses cannot transfer. Required courses (28 units).

Courses

  • PSY 708 Human Sexuality: Clinical Considerations (4 units)

  • PSY 713 Family Violence, Partner Abuse, and Child Abuse: Assessment & Intervention (4 units)

  • PSY 715 Aging, Long-term Care, and Grief (4 units)

  • PSY 718 Substance Abuse: Assessment, Intervention, and Treatment (4 units)

  • PSY 710 Ethics and Law in Psychology (4 units)

  • PSY 719 Diagnosis in Clinical Psychology (4 units)

  • PSY 819 Psychotherapy: Approaches and Strategies (4 units)

  • PSY 890-A Practicum I (2 units)

  • PSY 890-B Practicum II (2 units)

Sample Elective Courses

Students in the Concentration in Psychology Licensure must select 16 units from the list of electives.  Students in the Concentration in Integral Psychology must select 44 units from the list of electives or from other CIHS programs in consultation with the program director.​

  • PSY 707 Psychology of Personality (4 units)

  • PSY 708 Human Sexuality: Clinical Considerations (4 units)

  • PSY 709 Human Development and Archetypes (4 units)

  • PSY 717 Psychopharmacology (4 units)

  • PSY 723 Sociocultural Influences and Intervention Strategies (4 units)

  • PSY 724 Neuropsychology (4 units)

  • PSY 725 Psychology of Mind-Body and Energy (4 units)

  • PSY 726 Psychological Testing & Assessment (4 units)

  • PSY 727 Couple Therapy (4 units)

  • PSY 730 Psychopathology and Psychopathogenesis (4 units)

  • PSY 732 Somatic Psychology (4 units)

  • PSY 733 Depth Psychology (4 units)

  • PSY 736 Psychology of the Chakras (4 units)

  • PSY 749 Clinical Aspects of Energy Psychology (4 units)

  • PSY 750 Energy Psychology: Foundations & Therapy (4 units)

  • PSY 751 Psychoacoustics (4 units)

  • PSY 754 Pranic Healing (4 units)

  • PSY 756 Psychospiritual Healing Practices (4 units)

  • PSY 763 Psychology of Shamanism (4 units)

  • PSY 764 Transpersonal Psychology (4 units)

  • PSY 784 Ecopsychology (4 units)

The Board of Psychology is the relevant governing body for the psychology license in California. Upon WASC accreditation, Graduates who have earned a Ph.D. in Psychology from a State approved educational institution (such as CIHS) are eligible to take the licensing exam after they have completed a total of 3000 hours of supervised clinical experience. The Board will accept a maximum of 1500 hours of pre-doctoral supervised clinical experience toward the total of 3000 hours, once the student has advanced to candidacy. CIHS students intending to become licensed in California should map out their doctoral curriculum with the Program Director. 

 

It is recommended that all Ph.D. students write to the Board of Psychology and obtain the most recent edition of the Laws and Regulations.  It can also be downloaded at https://www.psychology.ca.gov/laws_regs/index.shtml

 

Board of Psychology
1625 North Market Blvd, Suite N-215
Sacramento, CA 95834
Office Main Line 916-574-7720
Toll Free 866-503-3221
E-Mail: bopmail@dca.ca.gov

 

All regulations change yearly. Although each student works closely with his/her program director, ultimately it is the student’s responsibility to ensure their program meets his/her future educational and professional goals.  

Students in the Concentration in Integral Psychology complete the 50 units of Core courses and must select 44 units from the list of electives or from other CIHS programs in consultation with the program director.

 

PH.D. IN PSYCHOLOGY – CONCENTRATION IN INTEGRAL PSYCHOLOGY
Core courses                                              50 units
Concentration in Integral Psychology    44 units
TOTAL                                                          94 units

Concentrations within a Degree Program

 

Individually Designed Concentrations:

The Individually Designed Concentration (IDC) areas option has been designed to meet the needs of students who wish to design a course of studies within a degree program.  IDCs may be proposed within any of the degree programs within the Schools of Integral Health, Integral Noetic Studies, and Psychology.  Students with IDC concentrations complete the same course courses and core course units for the degree program and design the IDC within the electives course units.

 

The student identifies and secures a faculty advisor, often the Program Director, who agrees to oversee the IDC.  All continuing CIHS faculty members, including Program Directors, may serve as the academic advisor for an IDC.  The faculty member’s area(s) of expertise will align with the student’s proposed area of study.  The faculty member or Program Director is responsible for reviewing and approving the coursework (including electives and, if necessary, independent studies) and for providing the IDC student with advising including annual advising during the spring quarter.  The faculty advisor completes the student’s pre-graduation audit associated with the IDC requirements.  The faculty advisor usually is the Dissertation Committee Chair for PhD students or the Thesis Advisor for MA students.

 

Students who want to pursue an IDC should schedule a meeting with the Program Director to review administrative details.

 

Program Designed Concentrations (PDCs):

 

Degree Program Directors may design concentration areas to meet the needs of a group of students.  Requirements for a PDC are the same as IDCs except that PDCs may be subject to an enrollment group minimum, and the Program Director and not the student will design the set of elective courses and independent studies that compose the concentration.  Students pursuing a PDC should schedule a meeting with the Program Director for instructions regarding admittance requirements and administrative details.  PDCs are subject to change and/or revision to meet the needs of students.  The following PDCs are currently available:

 

School of Psychology PHD Degree, Concentration in Psychology Licensure: designed to prepare graduate students to obtain state licensure for practicing psychology.  Twenty eight units of credit specific to this Concentration are required as described in the catalog.

School of Psychology PHD Degree, Concentration in Integral Psychology: designed to prepare graduate students to draw on the models and methods of multiple schools of psychology (e.g., behavioral, depth, cognitive, psychoana- lytic, somatic, environmental, transpersonal, gestalt, and neurological) in their chosen profession.

PHD-PSY-INT

Prerequisites for Admission

bottom of page