Health psychology practitioners seek to understand how biological, psychological, and social factors affect illness as well as health. They explore how different people and populations react when they are diagnosed with an illness, why some choose to lead healthier lifestyles than others, and how one’s thoughts and beliefs can positively or negatively impact physical health. Health psychology practitioners work in a broad range of settings, including primary care clinics, hospitals, colleges and universities, government agencies, corporations, and specialized health care programs for pain management, rehabilitation, oncology, smoking cessation, etc.

Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology (Health Psychology Concentration)

• Offered in Chicago.
• Five years full time.
• The Chicago School’s oldest and most selective program. Our Chicago campus program recently received the maximum possible re-accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA).
• Internship and practicum placement rates consistently rank among the best in the country, typically approaching 95% for internships and 98% for practica.
• Approximately 80% of participating students secure internships during the nationwide APPIC Match Day process and an additional 15% are placed by the end of the subsequent Clearinghouse phase.
• In 2007, 88% of placements were paid internships and 84% were at APPIC-member sites.
• Chicago School students are placed at hundreds of prestigious sites including Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Hospital, Yale University Department of Psychiatry, Brooklyn Veterans Administration Hospital, and the Great Lakes Naval Hospital.
• Program integrates the eight core competencies informed by the educational model of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP), helping prepare students to sit for the national licensure exam.
• Students develop essential diagnostic, therapeutic, and consultative skills through rigorous coursework, challenging practicum and internship experiences, and an applicable dissertation.
• All students complete basic coursework in four intervention tracks (Cognitive/Behavioral, Psychodynamic, Humanistic/Existential, and Systems) and then select one track as a specialty, completing advanced coursework and their Clinical Competency Examination within that track.
• Students also choose from one of seven concentration areas: Child and Adolescent Psychology, Forensic Psychology, Health Psychology, Multicutural/Community Psychology, Organizational Psychology, School Psychology, or Generalist.
• Students are awarded a master’s degree mid-way through the program (after completing 48 semester hours of required coursework, including two semesters of practicum).
• Students may complete additional specific coursework to be eligible to sit for the Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) exam in Illinois and/or to obtain a certificate in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).

M.A. in Clinical Psychology, Counseling Specialization (Health Psychology Concentration)

• Offered in Chicago and Grayslake, Illinois.
• Two years full time (six semesters) or three years part time (Grayslake program offered in a flexible format convenient for working professionals).
• On average, 100% of actively participating students secure practicum/internship placements by September and at sites that meet LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) standards.
• Curriculum incorporates the eight content areas outlined by the National Board of Certified Counselors, preparing students to sit for Professional Counselor licensure in Illinois (LPC and LCPC).
• Program is unique in that students receive a solid foundation in the principles of clinical psychology, in addition to gaining the essential diagnostic, therapeutic, and consultative skills they need to be outstanding clinical counselors working with a range of clinical populations and a variety of emotional and psychological conditions.
• Students learn the theoretical frameworks and scientific bases of clinical psychology, the ethical and professional guidelines of clinical psychology and the counseling profession, and the impact of diversity and cultural issues in the mental health field.
• Students may choose a concentration that requires additional field-based clinical training held at participating sites. Concentrations include: Child and Adolescent Treatment, Health Psychology, Latino Mental Health, Supervision and Leadership in Community Mental Health, Treatment of Addiction Disorders, and Generalist.