Nov 21, 2024  
Academic Catalog 2021-2022 
    
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Academic Catalog 2021-2022 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Program Specific Policies

Return to: Academic Policies and Procedures  

 

Academic Progress Requirements - PSY

Students in the doctoral/postdoctoral programs in the School of Psychology are reviewed annually to ensure program requirements are being met in a timely manner. There are two cycles of annual review, which are based on the time of year the student entered his/her program. The deadlines are fixed and no extensions will be granted.

Media Psychology PhD Requirements for Students in their First and Second Years

Students matriculating into the media psychology program must complete the following in their first year:

Media students must successfully complete the required first year curriculum by the end of their first review year. Media students who do not successfully complete the NSO, first year curriculum and meet the minimum required units will be placed on academic probation for the following year and clear objectives and timelines are set. If at the subsequent review, the outlined objectives and timelines have not been met, the student will be withdrawn.

It is recommended that Media students follow the suggested curriculum sequence provided by the program and the Office of Student Advising, and not deviate from it without careful consultation with either/both their Faculty Advisor or Graduate Program Advisor.

Clinical Psychology PhD Requirements for Students in Their First and Second Years

Students who matriculated into the clinical psychology program Fall 2018 or after must complete the following 38 credits in their first year:

Clinical students must successfully complete the required first year curriculum (coursework and activities) by the end of their first year of enrollment. Clinical students who do not successfully complete the NSO-Santa Barbara and the first year curriculum will be dismissed from the program.

Students who matriculated into the clinical psychology program must complete the following 48 credits in their second year:

Clinical students must successfully complete the required second year curriculum (coursework and activities) by the end of their second year of enrollment. Students who do not successfully complete the second year curriculum will be placed on academic probation. If second year requirements are not successfully completed after one additional term, the student will be dismissed from the program.

After the second year, we highly recommend that students follow the model curriculum sequence provided by the program, and not deviate from it without careful consultation with either/both their Faculty Advisor or Graduate Program Advisor. Deviations from the model curriculum sequence may impact a student’s ability to start certain aspects of the program on time due to required pre-requisites, and thus negatively affect the student’s length of study. Please see the Time to Degree policy .

Spring Annual Review - Clinical/RCP/Media Students Entered at March or May Orientation

  • Review period: May 1 to April 30 of following year
  • Review terms: Summer, Fall, Spring respectively as shown on student’s tracking sheet/transcript

Fall Annual Review - Clinical/RCP/Media Students Entered at September Orientation

  • Review period: September 1 to August 31 of following year
  • Review terms: Fall, Spring, Summer respectively as shown on student’s tracking sheet/transcript

All students will receive an email letter with the results of the annual program review. Students who have met or exceeded the annual program requirements will receive a congratulatory email letter with instructions on completing the one-page Annual Student Progress Report. It is due to the Santa Barbara office 45 days from the date the letter was sent.

Students who do not meet minimum SAP requirements for an academic year will be required to complete a one-year Progress Improvement Plan (PIP) and must complete the minimum requirements (in addition to any new requirements) by the following year’s review deadline. The link to the PIP form is provided in the SAP email notification. The form must be completed by the student, then reviewed and approved by the student’s faculty advisor, and the Director of Advising or the Director of Clinical Training for Clinical Psychology students. The PIP is due to the Santa Barbara office by the deadline on the SAP notification message.  Failure to provide a PIP within the required time frame will be grounds for dismissal.  

Students who do not complete their PIP as written, and/or do not regain SAP status at the time of their next review, at the discretion of the school, may be given another opportunity to demonstrate they can achieve satisfactory progress with an additional PIP for one year. Students must complete a new PIP form and receive approval from their faculty advisor and the Director of Advising (The Director of Clinical Training approves plans for Clinical Psychology students). The PIP is due to the Santa Barbara office by the deadline on the SAP notification message or 20 days after the notification, whichever is later.  Failure to provide a PIP within the required time frame will be grounds for dismissal.  

If a student is unable to make SAP a third year in a row, they will be withdrawn from the program for lack of academic progress. The withdrawal decision is not subject to appeal.

Policy Revised 05/01/2021

 

Changing Degree Track - HOD

Students in the Human & Organizational Development doctoral program choose from one of two degree designation tracks upon matriculation: Human Development, or Organizational Development & Change [formerly Human & Organizational Systems]. Each track has a master’s degree credential earned along the way to the conclusion of the PhD. Pathway master’s requirements for each track can be viewed in the catalog and in the student’s degree audit online.

Upon matriculation it is assumed the student’s chosen master degree designation is the same as the PhD designation they have chosen. However, students may choose different designations at the master’s level versus the one they have chosen for the PhD level. The student may change the master’s degree designation prior to the master’s degree being conferred or 10 business days after being notified by the Registrar’s office that it has been conferred. Ten business days after the master’s conferral, this change can no longer be made.

Students on catalog year 2013 or later, or students on earlier catalogs who choose to do a Dissertation Seminar as an elective, must finalize their doctoral degree designation as either Human Development or Organizational Development & Change [Human & Organizational Systems for catalogs prior to Fall 2016] prior to registering for the Dissertation Seminar associated with that designation. All other students may make that change prior to PhD degree conferral.

Policy Revised 09/01/2018

 

Clinical Rewrite Policy - CLIN PSY

Rewrite Policy

A Clinical Psychology faculty member who determines that any clinical doctoral/postdoctoral student’s initial assignment submission is not acceptable at the doctoral/postdoctoral level will afford that student one opportunity to revise and resubmit when feasible. The syllabus for the course will specify assignments for which a re-write is/is not permissible.

The faculty member will assign a ‘C’ grade to work that remains unacceptable after revision. As with all assessments, the faculty member will provide written feedback on the student’s performance. If the grading of such assignments leads to a ‘C’ grade in the course overall, and the course was a required course, the student will need to retake the course.

Consequences of Failing Multiple Courses

A student who receives two ‘C’ or ‘F‘  grades in the same course or in two different required courses, will be dismissed from the program (Prior to January 2018, any combination of two ‘C’ and/or ‘NC’ grades could have the same effect).

A student who receives two or more ‘NC’s (No Credit) in required courses OR two or more ‘C’s, ‘F’s (Failing; competence has not been demonstrated), or ‘NC’s (No Credit) in electives would create an Academic Remediation Plan (ARP) with their faculty advisor and with support from the Graduate Program Advisor. The Program Director will initiate the process. Program leadership (the Program Director or DCT) will approve and monitor the plan. 

Students for whom multiple failing grades results in a grade point average (GPA) lower than 3.0 will be dismissed from the program. GPAs will be reviewed each term. In addition, students whose GPA falls below 3.2 will receive warning letters regarding the potential for dismissal should their GPA fall below 3.0.

A clinical doctoral/postdoctoral student who has been dismissed under this policy may apply for readmission. A reapplication under these circumstances must clearly document (using external, objective sources), those events or situations that directly affected the student’s academic performance and how those have been resolved.

Policy Revised 05/01/2020

 

First-Year Student Leaves of Absence - CLIN PSY

The School of Psychology does not grant leaves of absence to clinical psychology doctoral students until they complete their first term of enrollment. If a student’s circumstances require time away from the doctoral program during this period, the student must withdraw from the program. The student may reapply for reenrollment to the program, however reenrollment is not guaranteed.

Clinical psychology doctoral students in the second or third term of the first year are discouraged from taking a leave of absence. However, if extraordinary circumstances arise (e.g., a significant change in health, family, or finances), a student may take a leave.

Students should contact their Graduate Program Advisor in the Office of Student Advising for assistance with leaves of absence or withdrawal and re-enrollment policies/procedures.

Policy Revised 11/01/2015

 

Licensure - CLIN PSY

The Clinical Psychology PhD program curriculum is designed to be consistent with APA accreditation guidelines. The postdoctoral Respecialization Certificate program curriculum is a subset of the Clinical Psychology curriculum. Requirements for licensure usually are similar to APA accreditation guidelines. For specific information about whether either program’s curriculum meets licensure standards in each U.S. state, see our published information at: https://www.fielding.edu/about/professional-licensure/

Please note that Clinical Psychology students may not advertise themselves as psychologists (in the yellow pages, on business cards, or otherwise make public statements offering services) until they have received their license.

Other Fielding programs are not intended or designed to meet licensure requirements in any specific field or profession.

Policy Revised 01/01/2021

 

Students who Relocate Geographically - CLIN PSY

For doctoral/postdoctoral students who relocate geographically while in the School of Psychology clinical programs, the program will make every effort, but cannot guarantee, to offer them a place in the professional development seminar location nearest to where they live. Students may only join a professional development seminar location with the permission of the location’s faculty advisor.

Policy Effective 05/01/2018