Registration and Residency

All students must be in full-time residence for the first three academic years to be eligible for the doctoral degree. This requirement, which is independent of the number of transfer credits the students may receive, is defined as completion of a minimum of 18 credits each year. After the residency requirement is met, students must enroll for at least one credit each semester. All enrolled students must be in continuous registration every fall and winter semester until they receive their degree, unless a leave of absence has been granted. 

Candidacy

Upon admission, students are admitted to degree candidacy.

Students admitted to the doctoral program must have access to a computer and their own internet service provider account. Students will be required to demonstrate technological competence and computer literacy during the program, including the use of the electronic library. NSU requires that all students maintain one official university-assigned computer account that is used to access major computing resources, including electronic mail. All official electronic mail communications directed to CPS students will be sent exclusively to NSU-assigned computer accounts to ensure timely and accurate delivery of information. Students may forward their NSU generated electronic mail to external locations, but do so at their own risk.

Transfers Between Programs

Doctoral students in clinical psychology are accepted into either the Psy.D. or the Ph.D. program. The programs are distinctive in focus, and it is expected that students enroll with the intention of completing the program into which they were accepted. The center does not encourage transfer between programs, but a student may petition to do so. Formal requests for transfer should be made to the Office of Academic Affairs, which will provide the student with a list of requirements. Students will not receive transfer credit for required courses taken in their original doctoral program that are at a lower level than those required in their new program.

En Route Master's Degree

Students enrolled in the Ph.D. or Psy.D. programs in Clinical Psychology may earn, as an intermediate degree, the Master of Science in Clinical Psychology. The curriculum for this degree consists of all courses in the first two years of the model doctoral curricula (64.5 credits for the Psy.D. program and 67.5 credits for the Ph.D. program). Courses transferred into Nova Southeastern University's program do not count toward this degree. Any doctoral course with a comparable number of credit hours may be substituted for a transferred course. Graduates with this degree will not have met the educational requirements for certification or licensure in Florida and should not expect to provide psychological services as an independent practitioner. Rather, this degree should demonstrate master's-level achievement and enhance employment opportunities.

Time Limits

Students are required to complete their program and be awarded a doctoral degree within eight years from the time of first enrollment. Students who do not complete all requirements within the eight-year time limit (excluding approved leaves of absence), must enroll in the center and complete 18 credits (at least six credits each fall and winter semester unless a defense is scheduled), as specified in the doctoral students' Policies and Procedures Handbook and approved by the Office of Academic Affairs. Failure to remain in continuous registration will be deemed as the student's withdrawal from the program. Students whose dissertation advisor becomes unavailable after the eight-year limit will have to start their dissertation over with a new chair.

Evaluation of Doctoral Students

Each student is evaluated on an ongoing basis while enrolled in the program. Included are evaluations during each course, the Clinical Competency Examination, dissertation defense, and while on internship. In addition, each student receives annually a written evaluation of progress in the program. The purposes of such evaluations are to provide students with relevant and timely feedback, to formulate plans for improvement or remediation if needed, and to serve as a screening procedure for maintaining high-quality standards in the profession of psychology. Candidates for the degree must possess, with or without reasonable accomodation, multiple abilities and skills, including intellectual, conceptual, integrative and quantitative abilities. Areas of evaluation include academic achievement, responsible behavior, ethical behavior, interpersonal behavior, emotional self awareness and emotional maturity.

Professional Standing Committee

The Professional Standing Committee of the Center for Psychological Studies is appointed by the dean of the center and serves in a variety of capacities related to the review of student professional standing matters. The committee consists of faculty, a student representative and other members as appointed by the dean.

The committee may be asked to review alleged violations of the University Student Code of Conduct, including academic standards and ethical standards of the field. In addition, the committee may conduct reviews concerning emotional behavior problems serious enough to suggest interference with professional functioning, academic performance, or performance in a clinical practicum or internship setting.

The purpose of the committee’s review and recommendations are not limited to disciplinary actions, but may encompass efforts to remediate a deficiency or problems so that the student can continue his or her education and function competently as a professional. Committee activities are designed to insure a process by which all relevant facts can be determined, including providing the student with full opportunity to present important information. Actions the committee may recommend to the dean could include, but are not limited to remediation, referral, warning, or sanctions up to suspension or termination.

In instances of complaints regarding violations of Student Conduct and Academic Responsibility, the dean may charge the committee with conducting a formal investigation into the facts pertaining to allegations of misconduct. In such cases, the committee will adhere to professional standing committee guidelines that insure a timely and complete review of the facts. The process will insure that the student and involved parties have opportunity to present relevant information.

Grading and Academic Standing

The doctoral programs in the Center for Psychological Studies assign grades to course work according to the following system: A, B, C, and F, except for Dissertation and Directed Study: research, which receive P, F, or PR, PG (in progress). A grade of I (incomplete) is given only with instructor's approval and under exceptional circumstances.

The Center for Psychological Studies doctoral programs require that, to remain in good academic standing, a student must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0. In addition, other minimum requirements exist that are described in detail in student handbooks. Failure to meet these requirements will result in academic probation or dismissal, as detailed in the student handbook. A student is allowed one year (two full semesters excluding summer session) to remove probationary status. Automatic dismissal will occur if more than two grades below B are recorded, if two grades of F are received, or if academic probation extends beyond one year. Automatic dismissal will also occur in doctoral programs if the clinical competency exam is failed a fourth time or a grade of C or lower is received for internship.

Attendance

Students are required to attend all scheduled learning activities, including classes, lectures, seminars and exams. Anticipated absences should be cleared in advance with the instructor. Excessive absences may result in a lower grade at the instructor's discretion or may necessitate a withdrawal from the class. However, it is the policy of the university to excuse, without penalty, absences due to religious observances and to allow students to make up missed work.