Learning Outcomes

Clinical Psychology
Counseling Psychology
Educational Psychology Track
Research and Evaluation Track
Health Psychology
Organizational Psychology
School Psychology

In Walden’s Ph.D. in Psychology program with a specialization in Clinical Psychology, you will

1. Work with clients presenting with various levels of problems, including those with severe emotional distress or psychopathology.
2. Use the scholar-practitioner model, to apply theoretical and empirical models to assessment and interventions.
3. Work with culturally diverse populations.
4. Provide rural mental health services.
5. Collaborate with psychiatry and other health care providers.
6. Function as managers and supervisors in mental health care systems.
7. Contribute to social change through original research, treatment outcome research, and program evaluation.

In Walden’s Ph.D. in Psychology program with a specialization in Counseling Psychology, you will

1. Implement the scholar-practitioner model in the assessment and treatment of clients from diverse populations.
2. Conceptualize counseling issues and problems based on counseling theory and research.
3. Use evidence-based assessment and intervention techniques.
4. Contribute to the field through original research, process and outcome research, and treatment evaluation.

In Walden’s Ph.D. in Psychology program, on the Educational Psychology Track, you will

1. Acquire a broad knowledge base in psychology and its history, ethics, research methods, and applications.
2. Use psychological theory, research, and practice to inform instructional process and content.
3. Apply psychological theories and research to educational practice.
4. Develop the ability to promote attitudes and skills for lifelong learning, critical inquiry, and problem-solving in graduate and undergraduate learners.
5. Develop the research skills necessary to make scholarly contributions to the field of psychology.

In Walden’s Ph.D. in Psychology program, on the Research and Evaluation Track, you will

1. Acquire a broad knowledge base in psychology and its history, ethics, research methods, and applications.
2. Develop the research skills necessary to make culturally and contextually relevant scholarly contributions to the field of psychology.
3. Analyze and evaluate the theories and applications underlying multiple data collection techniques used in psychology.
4. Use psychological theory and research to inform practice in a variety of public, private, governmental, and nongovernmental settings.
5. Use research and evaluation strategies to study the efficacy, integrity, acceptability, transferability, and contextual and cultural relevance of programs and interventions.
6. Conceptualize, design, analyze, and evaluate a wide variety of research approaches and methodologies.
7. Develop, implement, and evaluate programs and strategies.
8. Collaborate with professionals in the development and application of research.
9. Use research and evaluation strategies to examine social change from the psychological perspective of individuals, groups, organizations, and local and global communities.
10. Serve as consultants in research, data analysis, and evaluation in a range of settings (e.g., higher education, government, public sector).

In Walden’s Ph.D. in Psychology program with a specialization in Health Psychology, you will

1. Articulate and apply theoretical models of psychophysiological wellness, health, and immunocompetence.
2. Identify and moderate personal and environmental factors that impact health.
3. Understand and apply evidence-based psychological interventions that emphasize the role of stress on health.
4. Describe psychotropic medications and their use in the treatment of mental and behavioral disorders.
5. Articulate alternatives to pharmacological treatment that are less invasive and less disruptive to the body, and have an evidence base of effectiveness.
6. Describe current concepts, theories, and research about neuropsychology, neuroanatomy, neuropathology, and psychoneuroimmunology (PNI).
7. Recommend evidence-based mind/body interventions to help patients establish symptom management or attenuate physical illnesses.
8. Articulate the impact of nutrition on psychological dysfunction.
9. Use nutritional models to promote psychological wellness and mitigate illness.
10. Use behavioral nutrition as an approach to psychological and psychophysiological illness and abnormal behavior.
11. Understand current ethical standards and legal responsibilities of health psychologists, including those pertaining to psychological practice and research.
12. Interact with medical professionals in practice and research on a peer-relationship level.

In Walden’s Ph.D. in Psychology program with a specialization in Organizational Psychology, you will

1. Acquire a broad knowledge base in psychology and its history, research methods, and applications.
2. Acquire the background needed to develop consultative relationships with industry, government, military, and other organizations.
3. Develop the skills to conduct organizational research in profit, nonprofit, government, and other settings.
4. Develop the requisite knowledge and experience to teach organizational psychology at the university level.
5. Acquire an understanding of ethical concerns in the field and the ability to employ ethical and accepted standards of practice.
6. Achieve a perspective on the integral nature of cultural diversity in organizations and the ability to effectively incorporate it.

In Walden’s Ph.D. in Psychology program with a specialization in School Psychology, you will

1. Apply consultation models and methods to collaborate on planning and decision-making processes at the individual, group, and system levels.
2. Assess learning processes and develop cognitive and academic goals for students with different abilities, disabilities, strengths, and needs.
3. Assess developmental processes and develop appropriate behavioral, affective, adaptive, and social goals for students of varying abilities, disabilities, strengths, and needs.
4. Work with individuals of diverse characteristics to implement strategies selected and/or adapted based on individual characteristics, strengths, and needs.
5. Consider influences of biological, social, cultural, ethnic, experiential, socioeconomic, gender-related, and linguistic factors in development and learning.
6. Use various models and methods as part of a systematic data collection, translate assessment results into evidenced-based decisions, and evaluate decisions.
7. Design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based prevention and intervention programs.
8. Collaborate with individuals, families, and groups to facilitate policies and practices that create and maintain safe, supportive, and effective learning and comprehensive mental health environments for children and others.
9. Use research, statistics, and evaluation methods to promote social change through original research.