Detailed Information
Programs of Study
The Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology at Widener University offers nine programs: the Doctor of Psychology degree (Psy.D.), a postdoctoral respecialization program, a post-master’s option, and dual-degree programs with business (Psy.D./M.B.A.), criminal justice (Psy.D./M.A. in criminal justice), education (Psy.D./M.Ed. in human sexuality education), health administration (Psy.D./M.B.A.–HMSA), law (J.D./Psy.D.), and public administration (Psy.D./M.P.A.).
The Doctor of Psychology degree (Psy.D.) is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association. The program offers five years of intensive professional training in psychology. The content of the program is designed to help students retain the basic skills and knowledge of traditional clinical psychology, such as psychodiagnostic testing and psychotherapy, while simultaneously exposing them to new ideas and practices in the field. Following a scholar-professional model, the philosophy of the program is grounded in the belief that both scholarship and practical supervised experience are essential to clinical applications. Students may pursue special tracks in the areas of biofeedback, neuropsychology, and school psychology. The program provides extensive practical experience in a wide variety of service settings. An integrated internship, which is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association, is an important aspect of the program.
The law/psychology six-year program leads to an award of the J.D. degree by Widener University School of Law and the Psy.D. degree by Widener’s Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology. It trains lawyers–clinical psychologists to integrate the two fields and deal more effectively with issues related to the rights of mental health patients, families and children, expert testimony, and other areas.
Post-master’s and postdoctoral respecialization programs offer students advanced standing and enable them to shorten their lengths of study. The postdoctoral respecialization program is intended to help doctoral-level psychologists in other fields, including developmental, experimental, and social psychology, acquire the additional training necessary to practice clinical psychology.
Research Facilities
The Wolfgram Memorial Library has a fine collection that numbers more than 240,000 printed volumes, 175,000 microforms, and close to 2,000 periodical titles. Services include online access to bibliographic information and electronic databases (such as PsychINFO), audiovisual media collections and facilities, and access to other libraries’ resources through interlibrary loans. State-of-the-art computing facilities are available to meet students’ needs.
The School of Law library maintains a collection of more than 600,000 volumes. Contained in the collection are legal publications and journals, treatises, reports, and statutes. Access to a wide range of supporting materials is available through LexisNexis and Westlaw online legal research services.
Financial Aid
Students may apply for federal loans and work-study through the Financial Aid Office on the Main Campus. Stipends associated with internships are available to all fourth-year and fifth-year students. Some academically based grants and scholarships are also available.
Cost of Study
Tuition for the Doctor of Psychology program is $21,900 for the 2008–09 academic year. Students pay a Psy.D. joint-program fee of $325 per semester of joint enrollment, excluding the J.D./Psy.D. and respecialization programs.
Living and Housing Costs
Affordable on-campus rental apartments are available. In addition, reasonably priced housing is available within a 3-mile radius of all three campuses.
Student Group
Approximately 175 students are enrolled in the clinical psychology program. The students are drawn from areas throughout the United States and are heterogeneous in terms of age, academic background, and clinical experience. The total University enrollment is approximately 6,500 students. Enrollment in all graduate programs is approximately 3,200 students; about 57 percent are women.
Location
The Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology is located on Widener’s Main Campus in Chester, Pennsylvania. The campus occupies more than 100 acres and is easily accessible from Interstate 95. Located in Delaware County, one of the oldest counties in Pennsylvania, the campus is near Philadelphia, which lies just 15 miles to the north, and other historic and commercial areas. Students’ practicums and internship rotations primarily occur in the Greater Philadelphia area.
The 40-acre Delaware Campus, 15 miles southwest of the Main Campus, is located on Route 202 (Concord Pike) north of Wilmington and is only a short distance from Interstate 95. It houses the School of Law and is a course site for the School of Business Administration. A branch of the School of Law is also located on the 21-acre Harrisburg Campus in central Pennsylvania.
The University
Widener University is a multicampus, independent, metropolitan institution located in and accredited by the commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the state of Delaware. Founded in 1821, Widener offers doctoral, master’s, baccalaureate, and associate degrees through its eight schools and colleges. The University distinguishes itself by connecting curricula to societal issues through civic engagement and by inspiring its students to be citizens of character as well as professional and civic leaders.
Applying
The applicant must possess a B.A. or B.S. degree from an accredited institution. A major in psychology is desirable but not essential. Students must have had courses in statistics, abnormal psychology (or psychopathology), and research design (or experimental psychology) by the time they matriculate into the program. Evaluation of the student’s ability to do graduate work is based upon academic performance and scores on the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Personal character and attributes of emotional maturity and stability are major factors in reviewing applicants, along with a capacity for relating to and working with other people. Evidence for these attributes is sought from records of past performance, letters of reference, work history, and a personal interview. Applications must be submitted by December 31 for admission the next fall. Spring or summer admission is not possible.
The Faculty and Their Research
- Jules C. Abrams, Professor; Ph.D.; ABPP (Clinical). Learning disabilities, psychoanalysis, psychoanalytically oriented psychotherapy, professional issues, psychological and neuropsychological assessment (phone: 610-499-1205).
- Bret A. Boyer, Assistant Professor; Ph.D. Health psychology, pediatric psychology, developmental psychopathology, development throughout the life-span, family and couple therapy, integrative approaches to therapy (phone: 610-499-1220).
- Virginia Brabender, Professor, Associate Dean, and Director; Ph.D.; ABPP (Clinical). Group psychotherapy, personality assessment, professional issues, life events of the therapist (phone: 610-499-1208).
- Patricia M. Bricklin, Professor; Ph.D. Reading and learning disabilities, professional issues and ethics, school psychology (phone: 610-499-1212).
- Dennis Debiak, Clinical Associate Professor; Psy.D. Psychoanalytic psychotherapy; gay, lesbian, and bisexual issues; gender identity development (phone: 610-499-1219).
- Amiram Elwork, Professor; Ph.D. Law/psychology, professional issues, cognitive psychotherapy, stress management (phone: 610-499-1217).
- Elisabeth N. Gibbings, Director of Admissions and Practicum; Psy.D. Supervision, professional training in assessment (phone: 610-499-1221).
- Kenneth B. Goldberg, Associate Professor; Psy.D. Neuropsychology treatment and assessment, learning disabilities, professional training in neuropsychology (phone: 610-499-1222).
- Linda Knauss, Associate Professor and Director of Internship Training; Ph.D.; ABPP (Clinical). Professional ethics, development, family therapy, assessment (phone: 610-499-1211).
- Frank Masterpasqua, Professor; Ph.D. Development, constructivism, nonlinear dynamics, community psychology and prevention, neurofeedback (phone: 610-499-1234).
- Sanjay Nath, Assistant Professor; Ph.D. Ethnic diversity formation, narrative studies, qualitative research methodology, identity formation, cross-cultural psychology, immigration/acculturation, interracial relationships, arranged marriages, postpartum adjustment (phone: 610-499-1214).
- Maurice Prout, Professor; Ph.D.; ABPP (Clinical). Cognitive and behavioral psychotherapy of Axis I and II disorders, psychosomatics and behavioral medicine (phone: 610-499-1216).
- Hal Shorey, Assistant Professor; Ph.D. Organizational psychology, attachment theory, and personality.
- Stephen C. Wilhite, Professor; D.Phil. Learning and memory and research methods (phone: 610-499-4351).
Correspondence and Information
Widener University
For the Psy.D. and respecialization programs:
Dr. Virginia Brabender, Director
Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology
Chester, Pennsylvania 19013
Telephone:
610-499-1206
Email:
graduate.psychology@widener.edu
Widener University
For the law/psychology program:
Dr. Amiram Elwork
Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology
Chester, Pennsylvania 19013
Telephone:
610-499-1217
Email:
amiram.elwork@widener.edu
