Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program in Clinical Psychology
The APA accredited Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) program in Clinical Psychology at West Chester University follows a scholar-practitioner model that prepares students for leadership roles as culturally competent psychologists. Through didactic coursework and supervised clinical training experiences beginning in the first year of the PsyD program, graduates of WCU's program will
- Be prepared to implement evidence-based practice to assess, treat, and prevent mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders, particularly among individuals who are at greatest risk and demonstrate the greatest need.
- Be critical consumers of research, equipped to develop and evaluate interventions for the purpose of quality improvement and clinical decision-making.
- Be adaptive to new knowledge in the field and responsive to emerging needs in an increasingly diverse society.
Program News
WCU PsyD Students to provide support for County Jurors experiencing vicarious trauma.
Learn more about this from the national broadcast on CBS News. You can view the clip here.
Read more about local and national initiatives supporting these efforts here.
In the News
Supporting Jurors After Traumatic Trials
CBS Evening News nation broadcast featuring our very own Dr. Michele Pole, and PsyD
Students.
Watch the segment here.
Unmet mental health needs of children
Dr. Laura DiCesare, Adjunct Clinical Supervisor and bilingual therapist, was featured
on an NBC10 
segment discussing trauma and the unmet mental health needs of children being held
in U.S. custody.
Watch the Segment
Patricia M. Bricklin Student Ethics Award
Ferlin Charles, LCSW (Fall 2017 cohort), was the recipient of the 2018 Patricia M. Bricklin Student Ethics Award, given by the Pennsylvania Psychological Association Ethics Committee to a student for "meritorious work...dealing with ethics or law in psychology."
Mamie Phipps Clark Research Grant
Ariana Zahn, MA (Fall 2016 cohort), earned a Mamie Phipps Clark Research Grant from
the Psi Chi International Honor Society in Psychology. The grant is being used to
reimburse families and teachers for their time to complete interviews for her dissertation
research on dispositional mindfulness and emotion coaching in low-income families
with children transitioning to kindergarten.
Read more about the grant mechanism.
DR. MICHELE POLE: FOCUSES ON OUTREACH AS DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
WCU Magazine features Dr. Michele Pole in the Fall/Winter 2025 Issue, highlighting her commitment to our Students and the Community.
Community Mental Health Services Training Clinic
The Graduate School
Tuition & Fees
Additional Information
- Faculty Research Interests
- Psychologists HEAL Racism Program
- PsyD Program Commitment to Diversity and Social Justice
- PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology Fact Sheet
- Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data
- PsyD Student Handbook
PsyD Program Overview
