Albizu's PsyD in Counseling Psychology program prepares students at our San Juan and Mayagüez locations to master traditional and contemporary models of counseling psychology and stay up to date on practical advances in well-being, integrative health, and complementary therapies.
Students can pursue a rewarding and rapidly expanding field in the United States and worldwide, becoming pioneers in a new generation of therapeutic models.
Our PsyD in Counseling Psychology program is designed to be completed in five (5) years. It requires:
- 96 credit hours of coursework
- Two (2) evaluation laboratories
- Seven (7) supervised internships
- 2,000-hour internship
- Comprehensive master’s exam
- Doctoral candidacy exam
- Doctoral or dissertation project
Empowering You to Be an Exemplary Health Service Provider
Albizu’s mission is to educate exemplary counseling psychologists and health providers who integrate health and wellness. Our PsyD degree programs also promote lifelong learning, ethical behavior, and learning a deep respect for human beings, diversity, and cultural and individual differences.
- This program accepts master's degree credits from Albizu University (AU) and many other institutions. Counseling psychologists in Puerto Rico with a PsyD can earn more than $106,320, with a median salary of around $79,870, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Albizu's PsyD Counseling Psychology programs train students to be exceptional health service providers at the health clinic on our Mayagüez campus. Our clinic provides evidence-based individual, group, family, and couples therapy, as well as psychometric, psychoeducational, and psychological evaluations to the community. It serves as a clinical practicum site for students pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees, as well as an internship site for doctoral candidates.Graduates of Albizu’s Counseling Psychology programs can use the latest interventions to promote health and provide preventative care, including complementary and alternative health (CAM), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based interventions, cognitive-behavioral therapy, third-generation therapies, and contextual therapies. This includes using yoga, meditation, relaxation techniques, progressive muscle relaxation, and other evidence-based approaches to help their clients achieve optimal well-being.
- Albizu’s PsyD programs are designed to help students become leaders in the field of psychology. They learn how to use evidence-based interventions and how to work with others to develop and implement new social practices that can promote health and well-being at the individual, group, family, community, and institutional levels.
Program Details
Credits
100 credits
Academic Level
Doctoral degree
Duration
5 years
Request Information
Program Director:
Dr. Sonia L. Cepeda Hernández
787-725-6500, ext. 1517
scepeda@albizu.edu
PO BOX 9023711
San Juan, PR 00902-3711
Program Highlights
- This program validates master's degree credits obtained at Albizu University (AU) and other institutions.
- Students in this program will be able to interact as health service providers who are prepared to integrate theoretical and practical knowledge based on scientific evidence.
- Graduates of the program will be able to apply interventions in models of counseling psychology for preventive services and health promotion, such as complementary and alternative health, as well as models based on acceptance, mindfulness, cognitive, behavioral, third-generation, and contextual therapies (e.g., yoga; techniques for meditation, mindfulness, and relaxation; progressive muscle relaxation; etc.).
- In addition, they will be able to encourage interdisciplinary work and promote innovation for the creation, implementation, and dissemination of new social practices in order to generate well-being and promote health at the individual, group, family, community, and institutional levels.
In Focus
- Our Psychology Doctoral programs are offered in the San Juan and Mayagüez locations.
- Albizu’s PsyD in Counseling Psychology Programs follow the practitioner-scholar training philosophy. Students focus on professional service and direct practice, as well as the evaluation and improvement of these services. From the beginning of the program, students will learn theory and put it into practice.
- Our psychology doctoral programs host an annual student research meeting, where students present their findings. Additionally, diverse academic experiences prepare them to offer consulting, vocational, psychometric, and personal evaluations.
- All the faculty members and supervisors of our counseling psychology programs have doctoral degrees, and many of them are licensed for a professional practice. Their research interests, certifications, and specialties include promoting well-being, mental health, relationships, and social justice.
Let Albizu help you take the next step toward your doctorate in counseling psychology
Our admissions and financial aid advisors are here to answer any questions you may have about the application process, program requirements, and tuition costs. We can also help you develop a financial aid plan that works for you.
To contact us, simply fill out the form on this page or call us at 1-800-631-1835. We look forward to hearing from you!
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- Evidence of having completed a master's degree in psychology or a related field of study at an accredited university. A minimum cumulative high school grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) is required. This is the cumulative GPA, not the concentration or graduation rate. The applicant must have earned the required minimum GPA during the semester immediately preceding the end of the admissions period at AU. However, if an applicant who has entered the ranking order finishes their master's degree with a lower than required GPA, admission to the program will be revoked.
- Evidence of having completed a Master of Science (MS) or a Master of Arts (MA) degree in psychology from an accredited university. Applicants may request a credit validation of a maximum of 21 credits. The program director will evaluate and determine the total credits that will be accepted. Candidates who have pursued a master’s degree at Albizu University (AU) may opt for this program and transfer any applicable credits.
- Albizu University reserves the right of admission to candidates who do not meet the minimum requirements and will consider the following exceptional admission criteria: a minimum GPA of 2.5, as long as the cumulative general average is at least 3.0 in the specialization or concentration courses. A minimum 3.0 GPA for a master's degree can also be considered. Admitted applicants will have a semester to meet satisfactory academic progress applicable to their academic level in order to remain as active students in the program for the rest of the course of study.
- Access the following link to complete the application for admission: https://albizu.elluciancrmrecruit.com/Admissions/Pages/prospectinquiry.aspx. In addition, the required documents can be attached in PDF format.
- Present official transcripts from all the institutions you have attended. Please send them to the following address:
Albizu University
Admissions Office
PO Box 9023711
San Juan PR 00902-3711 - Results of the Graduate Studies Admission Examination (EXADEP) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Only the scores from exams taken within the last five years will be accepted.
- Two (2) letters of recommendation from a teacher, employer, or community leader (in accordance with the AU format).
- Negative criminal record certificate, which can be requested online at https://servicios.pr.gov/cap.
- Original health certificate.
- Certificate of Vaccination of the Department of Health (PVAC-3, green form) with original signature of the issuing physician. Applies only to applicants who are 21 years of age or younger at the time of admission. Act No. 25 of 1983 (on immunization) requires that all students 21 years of age or younger, who wish to enter any educational institution in the country, provide an original copy of their PVAC-3 to show that they comply with the minimum immunization requirements. For more information, visit http://www.salud.gov.pr/Dept-de-Salud/Pages/Unidades-Operacionales/Secretaria-Auxiliar-de-Salud-Familiar-y-Servicios-Integrados/Division-de-Inmunizacion-Vacunacion.aspx.
- International students must present the evaluation of their academic credentials certified by a duly authorized agency.
NOTE: Albizu University reserves the right to modify this policy at any time.
PREPARATORY COURSES FOR PSYCHOLOGY GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Applicants who did not pursue a major in psychology must complete 15 credits (5 courses of 3 credits each) in psychology in order to qualify for an admissions assessment for the selected program. These courses are as follows: experimental psychology (laboratory course), statistics, abnormal psychology, personality theories, and physiological psychology (laboratory course).
Albizu University grants students a maximum of one (1) year to pass the preparatory courses indicated in the admissions letter. Current institutional policy states that students won’t be able to take these courses to improve their academic degrees.
IMPORTANT NOTICE
The approval of these preparatory courses does not guarantee that applicants will have an admissions interview or that they will be admitted to a graduate program.
Albizu University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and licensed by the Commission for Independent Education of the Florida Department of Education. The San Juan Campus doctoral programs (PhD and PsyD) in Clinical Psychology and the Miami Campus PsyD in Clinical Psychology programs are accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).
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