Mental Health and Human Development Doctoral Program

• Students will develop competencies in lifespan growth/development and assessment, diagnosis, case conceptualization, and treatment planning for culturally, psychologically, intellectually and developmentally diverse individuals through the applied understanding of mental health and human development.
• Students will develop competencies in individual and cultural differences, in order to provide ethical and culturally sensitive services to diverse individuals, populations and organizations.
• Students will develop competencies in mental health and psychotherapeutic interventions, treatment strategies, clinical skills and consultation for culturally, psychologically, intellectually and developmentally diverse individuals and groups.
• Students will develop written and oral competencies in scientific methodology and the application of these competencies to research and practices in mental health, human development, counseling and other scholarly activities.
• Students will develop personal and interpersonal competencies and skills essential for mental health and human development professionals to conduct themselves in a competent and professional manner in serving diverse individuals and groups.

• PSY8036: Applied Behavioral Statistics  
• PSY8217: Counseling Theories, Techniques, Practice and Consultation
• PSY8338: Diagnostic Cognitive Assessment: WAIS/WISC
• PSY8330: Theories of Learning Disabilities 
• PSY9410: Substance Use Disorders and Addiction Counseling 
• PSY8607: Clinical Skills in Treatment Modalities and Consultation
• PSY8340: Racial, Multi-Cultural and Social Bases of Behavior
• PSY8410: Cognitive Psychology
• PSY8520: Seminar in Learning Disabilities
• PSY9210: Physiological Basis of Behavior
• PSY9220: Bivariate and Multivariate Applied Research Methods and Evaluation
• PSY9949: Studies in Human Lifespan Development
• PSY9950: Studies in Psychopathology Assessment, Diagnosis and Intervention
• PSY8238: Practicum in Psychology (Non-Licensure)  
• PSY8538 Internship (Non-Licensure) I
• PSY8539 Internship (Non-Licensure) II

Dissertation Requirements

• PSY9951: Dissertation in Mental Health Counseling I (6 Credits) 
• PSY9952: Dissertation in Mental Health Counseling II (6 Credits) 

*Some states may require more internship hours than others. Each student must check the requirements as stated by their state’s licensure board. 

Additional Program Notes

One semester of practicum and two semesters of internship are required for the degree.  Total number of hours for practicum and internship is dependent on the topic the student is addressing.  This program is a non-licensure program and does not meet the requirements for any license in whole or part. Students are responsible for ensuring they meet any licensure requirements based on their past programming or previous degrees.

Please reference the current catalog for all course descriptions.

Graduate applicants will be reviewed for admission based on the strength of their ability for graduate study and the receipt of all listed documentation.

General Graduate Student Requirements

Individuals applying to graduate programs at AIC are required to submit: 

• A completed and signed application 
• Official sealed transcript(s) of all previous academic work, undergraduate and graduate 
• Two (2) letters of recommendation 
• A personal goal statement or essay 
• U.S. $50 non-refundable application fee

MS in Forensic Psychology Requirements

Candidates must hold a master’s degree in psychology or a closely related field.

The Doctorate in Mental Health and Human Development program offers rolling admissions, which means we evaluate applications throughout the year. However, we strongly encourage you to apply by July 15th (Fall term entry) or November 15th (Spring term entry) to provide sufficient time to plan and prepare to begin the program. Once the application is complete, an admissions decision is typically made within 2–4 weeks.

In addition to the general requirements above, the Mental Health and Human Development program requires: 

• A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (3.25 is recommended).
  • Applicants with lower GPAs may be required to be interviewed by the program director; depending on the outcome of the interview and review of all other application materials, the individual may be granted a full or conditional acceptance into the program.
• Three letters of recommendation (one must be academic)

Our resources cover all associated costs and how to finance your education.