Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology

The Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology degree program at the Hawai‘i School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu is designed to prepare students for both contemporary and emerging roles in the practice of professional psychology. Training is provided so that students have the opportunity to be practitioner-scholars who are skilled in local and contextual investigation and problem solving. The school offers a five-year generalist program that supports the development of core competencies in psychological assessment, intervention, consultation/education, and management/supervision. The curriculum is completely on-ground (not online) and designed to provide for the meaningful integration of theory, research, and practice. The program emphasizes the acquisition of attitudes, knowledge bases, and skills essential for professional psychologists who are committed to the provision of ethical quality services. Both by virtue of the location of Hawai‘i and by the specific design of the faculty, attention to issues of human diversity occurs throughout the curriculum and within numerous additional learning opportunities outside of the classroom. Work with diverse and marginalized populations is a major focus of the teaching, scholarship, and clinical practice of the faculty at the Hawai‘i School of Professional Psychology at Chaminade University of Honolulu.

Program History

The current Hawai‘i School of Professional Psychology has had a long history in Hawai‘i, dating back over 30 years. The program was created in 1988 to help fulfill a growing need for clinical psychologists in the state. After humble beginnings at small campuses (i.e., Kane‘ohe, Kahala, Kaimuki, Downtown), and after undergoing several name and owner changes (e.g., Forest Institute, ASPP, Argosy), the Hawai‘i School of Professional Psychology has finally found its permanent home at the sprawling 60-acre campus of Chaminade University.

In 1998, the program received its first APA accreditation, and at the time of the Argosy University closure in March 2019, had been accredited through 2023. Considering our previous 20 years of accreditation along with the improved campus, APA granted accreditation of our program at Chaminade for all the students who were displaced by the Argosy closure. We are currently under review by APA to reestablish full accreditation for all the new (non-displaced) students.

The ability for HSPP to survive a sudden campus closure by essentially moving the entire program intact to Chaminade is a testament to Chaminade’s commitment to education to service the community and recognition of HSPP’s critical position to do so.  Over the years, HSPP has trained hundreds of licensed psychologists who have gone on to help thousands of people in the community. With a permanent home at Chaminade University, HSPP will continue to do so for many years to come.    

Program Aim

The Hawai‘i School of Professional Psychology (HSPP) at Chaminade University of Honolulu’s clinical psychology doctoral program’s aim is to educate and train students employing a practitioner-scholar model so that they will be able to function effectively as clinical psychologists. To ensure that students are adequately prepared, the curriculum is designed to provide for the meaningful integration of psychological science, theory, and clinical practice. The clinical psychology program at the Hawai‘i School of Professional Psychology is designed to emphasize the development of knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential in the training of health service psychologists who are committed to the ethical provision of quality, evidence based services to diverse populations and who are able to apply multiple theoretical perspectives to clinical issues.

Enrollment Requirements

The typical academic calendar consists of a 16-week Fall semester, a 16-week Spring semester, and an 8-week condensed Summer 1 semester. Once matriculated into the program, students must enroll for at least 9 credit hours per semester (and 3 credit hours during the summer term), except during and after internship. Students wishing to be enrolled less than 9 credit hours must petition the Program Director for part-time status, unless they have fewer than 6 credit hours of required coursework to take prior to internship.

Students are considered full-time if they remain registered for at least one of the following:

• A minimum of 9 credit hours (6 for Summer term)

• A minimum of 6 credit hours (3 for Summer term) PLUS Practicum (including Advanced)

• Clinical Research Project

• Internship

Students are considered half-time if they remain registered for at least one of the following:

• A minimum of 6 credit hours (3 for Summer term)

• Practicum (including Advanced)

Additional Requirement for Academic Progress

Students must maintain academic progress toward a degree by maintaining a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a scale of 4.0, and completing the program within seven years after matriculation. All required coursework and practica must be completed by the end of the sixth year after matriculation. The Comprehensive Examination must be completed successfully no later than the end of the fifth year after matriculation. Students who have taken a leave of absence (not to exceed 3 semesters) from Chaminade University will still only have seven years from their start date to complete the program (i.e., a leave of absence does not add time to the seven years).

Suggested Incremental Time Frame Completion Rates

Following matriculation, students must complete a minimum amount of academic work in the program by the end of each year to demonstrate satisfactory progress. Students must complete all requirements of the program within 7 years or be dismissed from the program, including successful completion of a pre-doctoral internship. If, for example, a student does not secure an internship by the end of their 6th year, they will be dismissed from the program at that point. The suggested incremental time frame completion rates are listed below. Students should familiarize themselves with this time frame to ensure that they are meeting the incremental and cumulative maximum time frames for the program. Students are required to complete 98 credit hours listed below:

The program is designed to be an intensive five-year training program. Due to transfer, course, practica, comprehensive examination, and internship application requirements, the program cannot be completed in less than three full-time academic years (plus internship), in less than two years within the program, and in less than one year of full-time residence.

This program leads to a professional licensure in all 50 states.

Leave of Absence

When circumstances require that a student interrupt their studies for one or more terms, the student must formally request a leave of absence from the program. Students may request a maximum of three semesters of leave of absence time. The student must meet with their faculty advisor to discuss their intent, then complete and submit the Leave of Absence Request Form to the HSPP Program Director no later than 14 calendar days prior to the effective date of the leave of absence.

When the student is ready to resume their studies, the student must notify the HSPP Program Director’s office and schedule a meeting with their advisor. The time away from the program does not extend the maximum time frame of seven years to complete the degree.

An absence longer than 12 months will require the student to reapply to the program. If readmitted, the student must fulfill any additional requirements of the new program. Readmission includes the completion of the online application and submission of an application fee, transcripts, and three letters of recommendation. If a formal leave of absence form is not submitted, and the student wishes to resume the program after not taking classes for one or more consecutive terms, the student must reapply to the program following all application procedures.