WEBVTT 00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:08.160 Welcome to our PsyD webinar. 00:00:08.160 --> 00:00:11.780 I'm Bradley Slipher, the PsyD admissions advisor at Divine Mercy University. 00:00:12.095 --> 00:00:14.355 The format of today's webinar is straightforward. 00:00:14.655 --> 00:00:23.055 I will first move through a PowerPoint presentation where I highlight some of the most salient aspects of the PsyD program, and then we'll finish with some q and a. 00:00:23.055 --> 00:00:31.440 So if you have any questions at any time during the presentation, please place your questions in the chat box, and I will field your questions at the end of the presentation. 00:00:32.060 --> 00:00:38.480 Also note that I've listed, my email and my Calendly link as well as other resources in the chat box. 00:00:38.895 --> 00:00:44.755 So please send me an email or register for a time to meet with me on Calendly, and I look forward to speaking with you. 00:00:45.935 --> 00:00:46.415 Okay. 00:00:46.415 --> 00:00:52.195 So, yes, this is the overview of our doctoral program in psychology at Divine Mercy University. 00:00:54.120 --> 00:00:59.820 A bit about me, when I was younger, when I was in college, I wanted to be an attorney. 00:00:59.960 --> 00:01:12.485 So I was planning on going to law school after college, but, I became more interested in education as I went through my undergraduate years, and so I became a teacher. 00:01:13.265 --> 00:01:15.665 I taught, undergraduate excuse me. 00:01:16.305 --> 00:01:20.640 I taught, middle school, during my first few years after college. 00:01:20.960 --> 00:01:28.080 But I learned that I was, more interested in teaching at a higher level, and I was becoming more interested in my faith at the time. 00:01:28.080 --> 00:01:29.360 So I went to graduate school. 00:01:29.360 --> 00:01:34.705 I got a couple of master's degrees in theology, before getting a PhD in theology. 00:01:36.045 --> 00:01:40.625 When it came time to write my dissertation, I wanted to do something more practical. 00:01:41.165 --> 00:01:48.950 While many of my colleagues were writing, speculative primarily speculative dissertations, I wanted to focus in on a more practical topic. 00:01:49.570 --> 00:01:52.630 So I chose addiction as my the topic of my dissertation. 00:01:54.965 --> 00:01:59.545 And while I was researching, I bumped into Divine Mercy. 00:01:59.605 --> 00:02:03.685 I, they were really kinda doing a project that was very similar to my own. 00:02:03.925 --> 00:02:09.145 I was researching from a integrative perspective using psychology, theology, and philosophy. 00:02:09.850 --> 00:02:11.850 And that's exactly what Divine Mercy was doing. 00:02:11.850 --> 00:02:12.650 It's a program. 00:02:12.650 --> 00:02:14.650 All their programs are integrative in nature. 00:02:14.650 --> 00:02:19.390 And so I thought, well, you know, after I defend my dissertation, this would be a place where I would like to work. 00:02:19.530 --> 00:02:21.210 And so sure enough, that's what happened. 00:02:21.210 --> 00:02:25.465 I applied, you know, for this job, and and here I am. 00:02:25.465 --> 00:02:32.365 So my really my mission is getting people like you into their dream professions as clinical psychologists. 00:02:34.505 --> 00:02:36.790 So So a bit about the history of our school. 00:02:36.790 --> 00:02:38.550 We were founded in '99. 00:02:38.790 --> 00:02:41.690 At that time, we were called Institute of Psychological Sciences. 00:02:42.950 --> 00:02:47.130 And but we were growing quite quite a lot, thereafter. 00:02:47.350 --> 00:02:54.595 So by 2014, we had launched a master's in psychology program, which has had a focus on working professionals. 00:02:55.055 --> 00:03:02.895 And then in 2015, we renamed our school Divine Mercy University with the addition of our school counseling and our master of science in counseling. 00:03:02.895 --> 00:03:08.350 So, if you look at the school now, it's one university with two schools. 00:03:08.490 --> 00:03:12.190 We have the school of counseling, which has had, of course, the master's in counseling. 00:03:12.970 --> 00:03:15.790 It's an online and higher slash hybrid program. 00:03:16.065 --> 00:03:25.925 And then the Institute of Psychological Sciences, which houses the residential doctorates and the master of psychology, which is entirely an online program. 00:03:27.745 --> 00:03:41.395 So So our mission is healing and honoring those totality of the human person by integrating the best psychological science with Catholic anthropology in order to form mental health professionals of the highest caliber through rigorous academic clinical training. 00:03:42.095 --> 00:03:50.275 So, hopefully, this will be one of you or maybe all hopefully, all of you will be in our, marketing materials when you get your doctorate, of clinical psychology. 00:03:51.935 --> 00:04:02.890 We are located outside of Washington DC area in Northern Virginia, which is a wonderful resourceful and, as one that did graduate school in in much less ideal locations. 00:04:03.510 --> 00:04:06.890 This was this is a great place to work and live and study. 00:04:09.555 --> 00:04:17.335 We have a series of accreditations, which I think speaks to our commitment to high standards and academic and clinical rigor. 00:04:17.795 --> 00:04:34.170 We have received accreditation from the State Council of Higher Education, Virginia, the Association of State and Provisional Psychology Boards, the American Psychological Association, and the Southern the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the National Council of State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. 00:04:34.550 --> 00:04:38.315 So we basically have every relevance, accreditation. 00:04:40.535 --> 00:04:47.495 Now a bit about what distinguishes, you might ask, the psychology doctorate from the master of science in counseling. 00:04:47.495 --> 00:04:50.635 After all, don't they both prepare you to become clinicians? 00:04:50.695 --> 00:04:51.835 And, yes, that's true. 00:04:52.550 --> 00:04:56.250 You can be a clinician either at the master's or at the doctoral level. 00:04:57.030 --> 00:05:04.010 So these are a few things, though, that separates, a doctoral clinician from a master's one, at least in the level of training. 00:05:04.550 --> 00:05:12.235 So the first is that there's a strong emphasis in the doctoral program on psychological evaluation, psychological testing. 00:05:12.235 --> 00:05:12.735 Okay? 00:05:12.875 --> 00:05:16.975 So in the first couple of years, there's a series of four four courses. 00:05:17.995 --> 00:05:23.150 We call it sort of, like, the the four testing courses, you might say. 00:05:23.150 --> 00:05:38.705 So there you have one of them in each semester in the first two years, and you're going to learn all the major psychological tests, from personality assessment to cognitive assessments, that will really prepare you to expand your scope of practice, after you finish your doctorate. 00:05:39.645 --> 00:05:56.960 Also, you can see here that there's, there's many more hours that are required for the doctorate than there are, for the masters, which means that you're going to be abundantly well prepared to, be a clinician at the highest level after the doctorates 3,500, you know, the doctoral level versus the 700 of the master's. 00:05:57.500 --> 00:06:03.440 And then the final, big difference to my mind is the, dissertation requirement. 00:06:03.580 --> 00:06:09.105 So, doctoral candidates are required to write a dissertation, a full length dissertation. 00:06:10.125 --> 00:06:15.905 And these can be broadly distinguished between empirical dissertations and theoretical dissertations. 00:06:16.700 --> 00:06:28.700 Theoretical dissertations tend to use ideas that, they've gleaned from philosophy or theology and how these ideas are impact would impact clinical training. 00:06:28.700 --> 00:06:29.200 Right? 00:06:30.060 --> 00:06:42.375 Historically, given our, you you know, focus on, a school that's a Catholic school that's a focus on integration and philosophy, we've had a lot of students do, theoretical dissertations. 00:06:42.435 --> 00:06:51.260 But in recent years, given the strength of our faculty that's expanded to include faculty members with more empirical focus focuses. 00:06:52.440 --> 00:06:58.840 We've had many more students take empirical dissertations to the point where at this point, it's pretty well balanced. 00:06:58.840 --> 00:07:06.075 I would say that, we have about as many students writing empirical as theoretical dissertations. 00:07:06.535 --> 00:07:14.855 So it is a five year program, a 100 and twenty two credit hours that does include a master of psychology degree in passing on route to the doctorate. 00:07:14.855 --> 00:07:19.490 So you would receive a master of psychology degree at the end of the second year study. 00:07:21.390 --> 00:07:28.830 I want to show you the curriculum because it's quite, illustrative of what, you would be getting into here. 00:07:28.830 --> 00:07:36.295 So, the first thing you might notice about the curriculum is that it's like, the courses are front loaded. 00:07:36.295 --> 00:07:36.695 Okay? 00:07:36.695 --> 00:07:42.375 But what I mean by that is there's many more courses in the first couple of years than there are in the later years. 00:07:42.375 --> 00:07:52.480 So in some sense, it's sort of like medical school in that in that by analogy, as you move through the program, you become more clinically focused. 00:07:53.180 --> 00:07:59.600 But in the beginning, it's a lot of kind of meaty, science courses, philosophy courses, things like this. 00:08:00.195 --> 00:08:00.675 Okay. 00:08:00.675 --> 00:08:08.355 Now, from a clinical perspective, there's a really an, kind of like a sequence, you might say. 00:08:08.355 --> 00:08:14.375 The first semester of your first year, you're taking a course called basic, interviewing and clinical skills. 00:08:15.540 --> 00:08:24.580 And this course is it it's not, you're not seeing clients quite yet, but you are going to be role playing with your colleagues in in class. 00:08:24.580 --> 00:08:33.155 And so, you know, you might be the clinician, and you will be playing clinician clinician, and your colleague will be playing clients, and then you'll switch. 00:08:33.295 --> 00:08:34.355 That's very common. 00:08:35.135 --> 00:08:38.275 A big theme of this class is, empathy. 00:08:38.415 --> 00:08:38.815 Right? 00:08:38.815 --> 00:08:43.970 So, we place a strong emphasis on being able to understand the client in front of you. 00:08:44.110 --> 00:08:45.550 By this, we don't mean sympathy. 00:08:45.550 --> 00:08:50.050 We don't mean agreeing necessarily with, the clients. 00:08:50.830 --> 00:09:00.345 Rather, Suzie understands the person, you have to understand, like, the history, the the history of their ideologies, and how they got to the present moment. 00:09:00.405 --> 00:09:00.905 Okay? 00:09:02.245 --> 00:09:06.600 Now in the second year, you're going to start seeing clients. 00:09:06.920 --> 00:09:07.420 Okay? 00:09:07.880 --> 00:09:09.820 Probably between two and three clients. 00:09:10.360 --> 00:09:16.040 And then in the third year, you may triple the amount of clients you have, maybe to do between seven and nine clients. 00:09:16.040 --> 00:09:23.435 And that's intentional because we know that, in the second year, you're still in full time courses, and it's a lot of work. 00:09:23.435 --> 00:09:23.835 Right? 00:09:24.395 --> 00:09:26.335 So the client load is pretty light. 00:09:26.395 --> 00:09:31.855 But then you have relatively fewer courses in year three, and so you're going to have more, time seeing people. 00:09:32.155 --> 00:09:37.060 And then by the fifth year is your internship where there's no academic requirements at all. 00:09:37.760 --> 00:09:46.320 And there, you're simply, you know, seeing people, you're working with other psychologists, things like that. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:48.580 There's no there's no academics involved. 00:09:49.605 --> 00:09:52.745 Now from an academic side, there are a couple of major milestones. 00:09:53.205 --> 00:10:09.390 The first is you're, going to, propose your dissertation by the end of the second year and then take your comprehensive exams by the end of the third year and hopefully defend your dissertation by the end of the fifth. 00:10:09.390 --> 00:10:12.030 Now, is this for you? 00:10:12.030 --> 00:10:15.950 Is doctoral level training in psychology, your vocation? 00:10:15.950 --> 00:10:18.975 Here's a couple of questions that might help you discern. 00:10:19.515 --> 00:10:21.135 Do you want to help people flourish? 00:10:21.915 --> 00:10:24.735 Are you interested in the science behind human behavior? 00:10:25.275 --> 00:10:28.815 Do you want to become an instrument of healing through the psychological sciences? 00:10:29.595 --> 00:10:34.790 Are you interested in performing psychological tests and assessments to diagnose clients and create treatment plan? 00:10:35.090 --> 00:10:39.990 Are you looking to start a career as a licensed mental health professional, but specifically as a clinical psychologist? 00:10:40.690 --> 00:10:48.230 And do you have the ability and desire to work with all types of clients from more acute, from more acute care to more challenging and long term client cases? 00:10:50.825 --> 00:10:57.005 So one might ask, how does Divine Mercy, doctoral program compare to other PsyD programs? 00:10:57.065 --> 00:11:07.300 Well, we're similar to many others in the sense that we're APA accredited, and so we abide by a lot of the common standards that the APA sets forth. 00:11:07.300 --> 00:11:17.055 For example, foundations in psychological sciences, and research, integrity and practice, assessment and diagnosis, therapeutic intervention, and professional roles. 00:11:17.375 --> 00:11:28.175 Now we are distinct, though, in the sense that we're not just a Catholic school at least in name, and then we kinda have a secular kind of curriculum, but rather we're an integrative program. 00:11:28.175 --> 00:11:37.530 And so we, really place a strong emphasis on integrating what the church teaches about the human person, and and we put that in dialogue with the psychological sciences. 00:11:40.150 --> 00:11:44.330 The PsyD will open up a great deal of opportunity for you after graduation. 00:11:44.390 --> 00:11:48.045 These are a few of the settings in which you could, certainly work. 00:11:48.925 --> 00:11:59.825 A psychiatric hospital, is a great opportunity if you especially enjoy working in a medical setting, alongside, physicians, nurses, physical therapists, things like that. 00:11:59.885 --> 00:12:06.180 You, of course, would be the psychological experts with your focus on therapy and psychological evaluation. 00:12:07.040 --> 00:12:08.100 Military establishment. 00:12:08.160 --> 00:12:18.020 So things like, helping the different divisions of the military with, you know, evaluation, but also healing of people that have endured really serious PTSD. 00:12:19.185 --> 00:12:27.905 This is a big one because a lot of we have veterans that have gone through horrific, experiences in battle, and there's a great need for them to receive therapy. 00:12:27.905 --> 00:12:36.850 And the good news is that the military, recognizes an issue and is willing to divest a great deal of money, to get their people healed. 00:12:38.030 --> 00:12:40.530 Private practice is probably the most popular. 00:12:41.470 --> 00:12:43.630 And for many, it can be a wonderful thing. 00:12:43.630 --> 00:12:53.605 I would say, you know, if you enjoy the business elements of, psychology, if you can see yourself having your own practice, selling yourself, and marketing, this can be a great thing. 00:12:53.905 --> 00:13:01.685 But if you can't stand if you can't stand running a business and you don't wanna, put yourself out there and market yourself, this might not be the best thing. 00:13:02.840 --> 00:13:04.860 You might be a better fit elsewhere. 00:13:05.560 --> 00:13:05.960 Okay. 00:13:05.960 --> 00:13:20.005 Outpatient clinics or, for that matter, working in a clinical facility, things like working in an addiction rehabilitation center is a great way to serve a very, population that needs a lot of help, can be very rewarding kind of experience. 00:13:20.465 --> 00:13:40.310 And then diaspora consultation, you know, if you wanted to work, say, for a Catholic diocese, this is a this is a great one because DMU has a great reputation, among in the Catholic world as a school that really trains, people from a different perspective than many other secular, schools do. 00:13:40.310 --> 00:13:45.815 For example, a a classic case of this would be doing psychological evaluations for, seminarians. 00:13:45.955 --> 00:13:46.275 Right? 00:13:46.275 --> 00:13:52.935 Seminarians that applies to the seminary, will need to be screened for things like effective maturity, etcetera. 00:13:53.315 --> 00:13:56.295 And so only a psychologist can really do that. 00:13:58.710 --> 00:14:02.010 Here are assigned alumni speak to their experience with us. 00:14:02.630 --> 00:14:07.530 James Mollovich has said in our clinical psychology program, the training is focused on healing the whole person. 00:14:07.990 --> 00:14:14.545 Kristen Long, I was drawn to the program and desire to serve others more profound way in my previous positions offered. 00:14:14.545 --> 00:14:21.125 Timothy White, this school is not afraid to teach you what it means to be human at every level psychologically, philosophically, and theologically. 00:14:21.345 --> 00:14:22.485 That's why I like it. 00:14:22.865 --> 00:14:25.125 And Kirsten Curtis, I'm so thankful for DMU. 00:14:25.185 --> 00:14:30.620 The faculty members are very supportive, and I've received lots of hands on clinical experience. 00:14:33.640 --> 00:14:34.140 Okay. 00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:44.945 William Johnston is one of our current doctoral students who's done a lot of work in the area of PTSD and, helping combat veterans get, the healing that they need. 00:14:44.945 --> 00:14:46.405 So let's listen to his story. 00:14:52.865 --> 00:14:53.025 Hi. 00:14:53.025 --> 00:15:01.780 My name is William Johnston, and I'm a PsyD student at Divine Mercy University, currently approaching the end of my third year in the program. 00:15:02.400 --> 00:15:04.900 Military service runs in my family. 00:15:05.280 --> 00:15:10.285 And, and so both my grandparents served. 00:15:10.345 --> 00:15:11.645 My parents both served. 00:15:12.265 --> 00:15:27.310 This door, the PsyD program at Divine Mercy University opened the opportunity for me to continue to give back, to conduct research, and hopefully implement a more robust program to treat PTSD as it relates to combat veterans. 00:15:28.090 --> 00:15:49.915 DMU has certainly provided the integration that I saw in terms of my formation, both the philosophy and theology core, in addition to the psychology curriculum, has provided me growth in terms of my faith, and my role as a husband and father, and, of course, a psychological clinician. 00:15:51.175 --> 00:16:01.250 So in essence, the Catholic Christian meta model of the human person is is why I'm here, both for my own sake as well as the sake of my future clients. 00:16:08.565 --> 00:16:09.065 Okay. 00:16:10.405 --> 00:16:13.705 This is the story of a recently graduated as IDEA alumni. 00:16:19.525 --> 00:16:27.310 I would say that being a student at TY Mercy University or TMU is one of the best things that happens to me. 00:16:27.770 --> 00:16:32.990 I really appreciate a great support from faculty members and also classmates. 00:16:33.530 --> 00:16:41.325 I have gained a great deal of knowledge in all aspects of clinical practice, research, and also professional development. 00:16:42.265 --> 00:16:49.885 DMU not only provides students with strong academic skills, but also prepares them for a career in psychology. 00:16:50.820 --> 00:16:57.000 I personally benefit from mentorship with academic advisor and clinical supervisors. 00:16:57.620 --> 00:17:09.405 As a person, what I most appreciate from DMU is that its mission helped broaden my perspectives in understanding a human person through the lens of Catholicism. 00:17:10.265 --> 00:17:19.805 Catholic principle, especially in hope, love, and faith, are very valuable and certainly helped me become a better clinician. 00:17:25.750 --> 00:17:26.070 Okay. 00:17:26.070 --> 00:17:28.070 And I have one more video for you guys. 00:17:28.550 --> 00:17:30.090 This is Isaiah Lam. 00:17:30.390 --> 00:17:34.915 When he, recorded this video, he was in the second year of the program. 00:17:34.975 --> 00:17:36.575 He's currently in his fourth year. 00:17:36.575 --> 00:17:37.875 So let's hear his story. 00:17:43.935 --> 00:17:59.115 I'm originally from the the state of South Dakota, and so I grew up there most of my life, went to school at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, was I studied psychology there, but I kind of intended to go into the medical field. 00:18:00.155 --> 00:18:08.095 And then after, kind of in the midst of my undergraduate, I, discerned that I wanted to go to the seminary, the Catholic seminary, and just study to be a priest. 00:18:08.395 --> 00:18:18.240 And so I had this love for psychology that was kind of there, I think, from an early age, just wanting to know how people function, why they do the things that they do. 00:18:19.100 --> 00:18:24.940 And then I found myself in seminary learning all these philosophical truths about humans. 00:18:24.940 --> 00:18:35.265 One of the first courses I took was, Philosophy of the Human Person, a person with body and soul, and that there's this profound dignity attached to being human. 00:18:35.805 --> 00:18:49.640 Later, discerned out of the seminary, returned to Nebraska to finish up my degree, and, deciding at this point, well, I don't really wanna go into, medicine, but I do, like, have this desire to care for people. 00:18:50.020 --> 00:18:56.115 And I also have learned, again, like, this philosophy about humans and and their goodness. 00:18:56.975 --> 00:18:58.415 So I took a year off. 00:18:58.415 --> 00:19:00.255 I built pipe organs for a year. 00:19:00.895 --> 00:19:02.755 I always love telling people that. 00:19:02.815 --> 00:19:04.255 It's a pretty unique job. 00:19:04.255 --> 00:19:05.075 It was fun. 00:19:05.375 --> 00:19:14.050 But ultimately, that led me, I decided to then do a year of service with the homeless in Denver with an organization called Christ in the City. 00:19:14.750 --> 00:19:33.405 And there I like to say that all the things I had been, learning about and dreaming about, psychology, philosophy, It was this incarnational experience of encountering people on the street in this profound suffering, mental anguish, I mean, substance abuse, what have you. 00:19:33.465 --> 00:19:38.185 And just actually experiencing that firsthand made everything kinda click for me. 00:19:38.185 --> 00:19:45.220 Like, okay, I have the ability to, affect change and bring hope to people in the worst moments of their life. 00:19:45.600 --> 00:20:00.605 And so for me at that point, it was just very clear everything was starting to converge, and I, felt more so that I wanted to pursue psychology, and so DMU was kind of my first choice because everything that I had been learning about kind of just, again, converged here, right? 00:20:00.605 --> 00:20:05.165 The psychology, the philosophy, the theology, and it just seemed like the perfect fit. 00:20:05.165 --> 00:20:14.540 So, I applied, and long story short, I got in and in my second year now, and it's been absolutely more than I could have hoped for. 00:20:14.540 --> 00:20:17.660 I've had so much knowledge shoved in my brain the last year. 00:20:17.660 --> 00:20:29.585 I, like, don't even know how it's possible, but it's just been a beautiful and awesome journey. 00:20:29.885 --> 00:20:30.385 Alright. 00:20:31.565 --> 00:20:33.905 I wanna say a word about our faculty. 00:20:34.365 --> 00:20:38.440 So, this is a generalist program in psychology. 00:20:38.580 --> 00:20:44.920 And by that, I mean, we don't have a hyper specialization in things like neuropsychology or forensic psychology. 00:20:45.300 --> 00:20:54.085 Rather, you're going to get exposed to all the different areas of psychology, which is reflective of the wide ranging, diverse centers of our faculty. 00:20:54.085 --> 00:20:55.705 So this is doctor Lisa Poloki. 00:20:55.765 --> 00:20:56.745 She's our dean. 00:20:56.885 --> 00:20:59.385 She's a specialist in assessment and therapy. 00:20:59.445 --> 00:21:03.045 Doctor Graves, is our, assistant program director. 00:21:03.045 --> 00:21:05.465 She's a specialist in child and developmental psychology. 00:21:06.220 --> 00:21:10.240 And Helena Orianna, doctor Orianna is our director of clinical training. 00:21:11.180 --> 00:21:17.840 Now these three men were among the founding faculty members of our school, dating back to the late nineties. 00:21:19.020 --> 00:21:45.400 And if you wouldn't mind, a quick story about these gentlemen, this guy, doctor Vitz, here on the right, actually was an atheist when he was a young man, and he converted to Catholicism in the seventies, after, getting a PhD in psychology from Stanford University, and then getting a host, his first academic position at New York University. 00:21:46.580 --> 00:21:53.745 But he didn't do that until he met and started dating a very lovely young French professor. 00:21:54.205 --> 00:22:04.400 Her name is Timmy, who at the time was just every bit, if not more, atheist than her her boyfriend, Paul. 00:22:05.260 --> 00:22:12.140 And when they got married, and then she got pregnant, what happened was this caused a really huge crisis of faith. 00:22:12.140 --> 00:22:19.185 Well, I mean, existential philosophical crisis for Paul because he thought, well, you know, what am I gonna tell my daughter about the meaning of life? 00:22:19.185 --> 00:22:19.425 You know? 00:22:19.425 --> 00:22:24.065 Am I just gonna say, well, you know, there's no heaven, hell, purgatory. 00:22:24.065 --> 00:22:24.705 There's no soul. 00:22:24.705 --> 00:22:25.265 There's no God. 00:22:25.265 --> 00:22:29.125 There's no intrinsic meaning to your life other than what you might assign to it. 00:22:30.470 --> 00:22:40.010 Anyway, so he wanted to sort of know what was real, and so he went on this big kind of quest for the meaning of life, and he read a bunch of philosophers and theologians. 00:22:40.950 --> 00:22:46.090 And, anyway and, anyway, he he kind of started to see that there are only really a few live options. 00:22:47.115 --> 00:22:55.135 He could kinda continue with the pageantry of academia and kinda make himself his own god, but he saw that to be kind of unfulfilling. 00:22:55.835 --> 00:23:01.295 The other option would have been to get into new age religion and Buddhism, but he saw that as intellectually unsubstantial. 00:23:02.100 --> 00:23:09.720 The third would have been to get into Marxism and Marxist politics, radical politics, sort of try to revamp the political, arena. 00:23:09.860 --> 00:23:16.675 But he saw that man was more than just matter and that politics was an adequate answer to the meaning of life. 00:23:17.055 --> 00:23:29.315 The fourth was to really just convert to Christianity, Catholicism in particular, which ironically, at least for him at the time, was the most unappealing and, you know, option. 00:23:29.615 --> 00:23:32.970 But that's what he went with because he saw that that's where reason was leading. 00:23:33.750 --> 00:23:51.075 Anyway, so he converted, but at the same time, this is, you know, this is in the seventies, and things are, you know, with the the whole cultural revolution, was in its heyday, and the humanistic psychology was also all the rage, especially led by, psychologists such as Carl Rogers. 00:23:52.495 --> 00:23:58.290 Vince, took issue though with a lot of these ideas because they were he found to be very kind of narcissistic. 00:23:58.910 --> 00:24:02.530 There's a strong focus on the self rather than God and other people. 00:24:02.830 --> 00:24:06.450 And so from a Christian perspective, this was somewhat problematic. 00:24:07.070 --> 00:24:14.855 Anyway, so he wrote a book about it, called Psychology as Religion, the Cult of Self Worship, which I highly recommend to all of you. 00:24:14.855 --> 00:24:22.800 It's a great kind of introduction to the to an important thinker, really a pioneer, of Divine Mercy University, doctor Paul Bitz. 00:24:22.940 --> 00:24:32.940 Anyway, when this was released, doctor William Nordling got a hold of it and read it and thought this was a brilliant work, but he we shouldn't just settle for publishing this book. 00:24:32.940 --> 00:24:34.140 We should start a school. 00:24:34.140 --> 00:24:36.425 And he said, well, you know, he got in touch with this. 00:24:36.425 --> 00:24:38.025 He said, well, why don't we start a school? 00:24:38.025 --> 00:24:39.485 It would be unlike any other. 00:24:39.625 --> 00:24:43.805 It would be continuing with the Catholic tradition of bringing faith and reason together. 00:24:45.545 --> 00:24:50.960 And it would be on the vanguard of this kind of new field, psychology, and it's never really been done. 00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:51.360 You know? 00:24:51.360 --> 00:24:55.680 Bringing philosophy and theology together with psychology, would be a new project. 00:24:55.680 --> 00:25:00.160 And so that's exactly what they did is they started to raise money, and they got faculty together. 00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:04.575 And before long, they founded DMU, in 1999. 00:25:04.735 --> 00:25:06.675 The rest, as they say, is history. 00:25:08.815 --> 00:25:21.630 Now, on a sort sort of more prosaic level, the doctoral program will prepare you to become licensed in anywhere throughout The United States, and elsewhere. 00:25:21.770 --> 00:25:31.710 The doctoral degree for licensure is, of course, required in The US, and there's about a nine to twelve month period of supervision after graduation while you're under a clinical psychologist. 00:25:33.105 --> 00:25:41.365 And then after that, you take your your exams at the national and the state level, and then you become, a full fledged psychologist in your own right. 00:25:41.905 --> 00:25:48.325 We have had a stellar, albeit imperfect, license rate of ninety five percent, from the past decade. 00:25:48.620 --> 00:25:49.740 So it's very good. 00:25:50.060 --> 00:25:56.160 And so is I think this bodes well for all of you, who are, hoping to be kind of fun with all psychologists. 00:25:58.620 --> 00:26:03.280 The other, good piece of news is that the demand for psychology is on the rise. 00:26:04.375 --> 00:26:12.315 The average, sort of growth for most app most occupations is about 3%, but in psychology, it's about 6%, so it's doing better than most. 00:26:12.695 --> 00:26:18.870 And the other thing I would say is that psychologists at the doctoral level are sort of a rare find. 00:26:18.870 --> 00:26:19.030 Right? 00:26:19.030 --> 00:26:22.730 There's many, many more people that have master's degrees than doctoral degrees. 00:26:22.870 --> 00:26:34.515 And so when you pair a great deal of demand for a relatively, limited supply of something, especially those that are doctoral level clinicians, they can do many more things than than the masters level be able to do. 00:26:34.575 --> 00:26:37.055 Then you're looking at making good money. 00:26:37.055 --> 00:26:40.995 I mean, I think the average salary for psychologists is somewhere in the nineties. 00:26:41.695 --> 00:26:46.035 So this is you can make it excellent money, as a psychologist. 00:26:47.910 --> 00:26:48.410 Okay. 00:26:49.190 --> 00:26:49.670 Investment. 00:26:49.670 --> 00:26:53.290 So it's a thousand $1.70 per credit for a 122 credits. 00:26:53.990 --> 00:26:56.890 Over five years is a $142.07 40. 00:26:57.430 --> 00:27:03.605 However, that does not include indirect expenses related to housing, gas, food, things like that. 00:27:04.465 --> 00:27:07.345 I would say most of our students don't pay that full amount, though. 00:27:07.345 --> 00:27:21.580 I mean, most will get between, anywhere from 15% off of that, sticker price and sometimes more in some cases depending on what what scholarships you get, how much you want to work, that kind of thing. 00:27:22.040 --> 00:27:25.240 There are, of course, there's, of course, federal aid available through the government. 00:27:25.240 --> 00:27:29.180 So submitting a FAFSA form is common for most of our applicants. 00:27:30.025 --> 00:27:32.825 Also, we offer, as I said earlier, work study. 00:27:32.825 --> 00:27:36.525 So we have work studies on campus available for our doctoral students. 00:27:37.625 --> 00:27:51.940 These are both on campus employments, things like, you know, working with me and my colleagues in admissions, but also, if they want to, certainly, working in, as a TA or an RA in their latter years of the program. 00:27:54.160 --> 00:27:58.080 These are a bunch of scholarships to which you would be eligible to apply to. 00:27:58.080 --> 00:28:01.460 They pay up to the amount here indicated on the right hand side. 00:28:01.995 --> 00:28:13.775 They attend to different demographics, so I would I strongly encourage you to look at our website, our financial aid page, divine mercy e d u slash financial aid, and it speaks to all of these in much more detail. 00:28:15.120 --> 00:28:21.380 A couple of note of specially, noteworthy, I would say is our, 50% off merit scholarship. 00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:26.100 That is, you know, the way that works is you don't apply that specifically. 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:38.705 Rather, when you interview for the program, the faculty will rank all of the applicants in merit order and to allow the top, at merit scholarships to maybe the the first the top maybe three or four of them. 00:28:39.390 --> 00:28:44.190 The other one is, pretty easy to get is is the early admission scholarship. 00:28:44.190 --> 00:28:48.050 So if you apply early, you get $3,000 off of your first year's tuition. 00:28:48.190 --> 00:28:53.390 I mean, so if you, are swift on the application, you basically get free money. 00:28:53.390 --> 00:28:54.530 So there you go. 00:28:57.065 --> 00:29:03.565 Now requirements for admission, we do require back at least a baccalaureate degree from originally accredited school. 00:29:03.705 --> 00:29:06.925 We do prefer the UCLA psychology, but in no way is that necessary. 00:29:06.985 --> 00:29:13.720 We've received applicants from many, many different disciplines, everything from the hard sciences to the arts and humanities. 00:29:14.820 --> 00:29:18.440 Minimum g GPA of at least a three o and a four o scale. 00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:24.705 If you have a little bit less than that, if you have maybe, like, a 3789, get in touch with me. 00:29:25.165 --> 00:29:30.285 It might not necessarily be a deal breaker, but there are a couple of things that you need to be aware of. 00:29:30.285 --> 00:29:32.785 So please contact me, and I can help you with that. 00:29:34.445 --> 00:29:38.440 In terms of the procedure, the way this works is you apply first online. 00:29:38.740 --> 00:29:39.060 Okay? 00:29:39.060 --> 00:29:49.540 And then once that's received, the financial aid office will get in touch with you, and thereafter, we maintain communication until all the other elements, are taken in. 00:29:49.540 --> 00:29:57.485 Things like, the the the GP, the GRE, the transcripts, the the essays, things like this. 00:29:57.485 --> 00:30:06.430 Once everything is collated, the dean will review your, file, and then we will hopefully enter, invite you for an interview. 00:30:07.050 --> 00:30:10.670 We do have, three different interviews per admission cycle. 00:30:10.810 --> 00:30:18.825 This first one, though, November 8 is our most overwhelmingly it's our most popular one, for a couple of reasons. 00:30:18.825 --> 00:30:34.400 The biggest one is that we've tend to give out most we tend to give out most of our, top merit scholarships of the people that get into this interview, for the simple reason that it tends to attract the best students, the most conscientious students, the ones that wanna get in early and get it done. 00:30:35.020 --> 00:30:42.700 And as I said earlier, there's a $3,000 early admission scholarship for people that give everything in, before October 25. 00:30:42.700 --> 00:30:46.080 So, that's, you know, pretty easy to get. 00:30:47.825 --> 00:30:56.005 Now, the other things that will be required in addition to the online application, which can, which is on our website, is the following. 00:30:56.785 --> 00:30:57.285 Essays. 00:30:57.345 --> 00:31:13.095 We do require a couple of admissions essays about why you would want to become a, a clinical psychologist, why you want to study at the University of Mercy, and then also what areas of research are you interested in, or where do you want to focus your dissertation, things like that. 00:31:13.815 --> 00:31:18.955 The resume will need to be updated and sent in, and then recommendations will require three of them. 00:31:19.415 --> 00:31:22.775 Two need to be, actually, I take that back. 00:31:22.775 --> 00:31:24.235 This is not this is inaccurate. 00:31:24.295 --> 00:31:27.310 They don't need to be from professors, but they can be. 00:31:27.310 --> 00:31:33.870 So either professors or, work supervisors, one of the two will do just fine in either in any order. 00:31:33.870 --> 00:31:40.530 So you can have if you've, have been out of college for some time and you only have professional recommendations, that's fine. 00:31:40.830 --> 00:31:50.015 If you're college students or, recently minted college graduate, academic, recommendations will do just fine as well. 00:31:50.315 --> 00:31:55.195 Also, transcripts, do send those to us, from all post secondary schools. 00:31:55.195 --> 00:32:02.760 So if you have, regardless of whether you have a graduate degree or an undergraduate degree or both, you know, to send those to us. 00:32:02.980 --> 00:32:05.720 And then the GRE the GRE is required. 00:32:07.140 --> 00:32:13.565 However, it's not a super I wouldn't say it's the most consequential elements of the application. 00:32:13.565 --> 00:32:17.505 So it's better to get it done than to get it done try to get it done perfectly. 00:32:17.565 --> 00:32:25.690 So, I wouldn't say it's necessarily worth, sort of stopping life for the next couple of months to study. 00:32:25.930 --> 00:32:31.470 It's much better to just register for the for the exam and then take it into the best you can and send us the scores. 00:32:32.250 --> 00:32:37.070 Do send us the scores via this code, 5639, when you take the test. 00:32:38.665 --> 00:32:51.325 For international applicants that hold degrees from institutions outside The United States, these will need to be evaluated, to distill your transcript into an American GPA. 00:32:51.410 --> 00:33:04.790 So if you have a transcript that doesn't have, you know, a GPA on a four o scale, they will need to be evaluated by an evaluation service such as, west.org or educational perspectives. 00:33:05.330 --> 00:33:09.295 Either of those will do just fine for, the evaluation. 00:33:10.075 --> 00:33:17.375 Also, the app the applicants need to make sure that these that their degrees are equivalent to an American baccalaureate degree. 00:33:18.395 --> 00:33:22.510 And then if the credential isn't in English, it will need to be translated into that. 00:33:22.510 --> 00:33:24.370 And this, of course, is your responsibility. 00:33:24.750 --> 00:33:40.885 And then finally, if English is not your primary language, and by that, I mean, if you, don't do most of your personal and business affairs in English, we would say that English is not your primary language, in which case you would need to take the, the TOEFL or the IELTS academic tests. 00:33:40.885 --> 00:33:41.365 Okay? 00:33:41.365 --> 00:33:44.565 So if you have questions about that, please get in touch with me. 00:33:44.565 --> 00:33:45.945 I'd be happy to help you. 00:33:46.325 --> 00:33:46.725 Okay. 00:33:46.725 --> 00:33:52.740 Let's look at, some of the questions that people have asked. 00:33:52.740 --> 00:33:53.560 Let's see. 00:33:56.180 --> 00:33:56.680 Alright. 00:33:57.540 --> 00:33:58.040 Renina. 00:33:58.340 --> 00:33:58.660 Alright. 00:33:58.660 --> 00:33:59.860 Can you provide your email? 00:33:59.860 --> 00:34:00.260 Okay. 00:34:00.260 --> 00:34:02.260 That I that I put that in the chat box. 00:34:02.260 --> 00:34:05.855 That's that was the second thing, that I that I posted. 00:34:05.915 --> 00:34:08.875 It's bcipher@divinemercy.edu. 00:34:08.875 --> 00:34:09.115 Oops. 00:34:09.115 --> 00:34:09.915 Excuse me. 00:34:09.915 --> 00:34:10.415 Okay. 00:34:13.115 --> 00:34:13.835 Let's see. 00:34:13.835 --> 00:34:14.575 What else? 00:34:16.235 --> 00:34:16.635 Alright. 00:34:16.635 --> 00:34:17.935 Thomas from Donna. 00:34:19.600 --> 00:34:23.920 I'm a senior fire instructor at the Fire Academy and Training School of the Ghana National Fire Service. 00:34:23.920 --> 00:34:26.240 I'm really interested in applying to the Saudi program. 00:34:26.240 --> 00:34:28.400 I want to know if the program is fully funded. 00:34:28.400 --> 00:34:28.720 Okay. 00:34:28.720 --> 00:34:42.145 So, this is when I was speaking about the scholarships, what's isn't what I should have sort of maybe, explained is that this is not a PhD program. 00:34:42.145 --> 00:34:48.130 And by that, I mean, this is not a program that you would receive full funding. 00:34:48.130 --> 00:34:54.870 And usually what people mean by that is there's a tuition remission and, sort of like a living stipend. 00:34:55.010 --> 00:34:59.270 That's that's not the model that this that most American societies have. 00:35:00.130 --> 00:35:02.825 So, unfortunately, that's impossible. 00:35:04.005 --> 00:35:06.965 However, there are financial aid opportunities available. 00:35:06.965 --> 00:35:08.345 There are scholarships available. 00:35:08.965 --> 00:35:11.365 So, please take a look at that. 00:35:11.365 --> 00:35:13.545 If you have other questions, do let me know. 00:35:14.500 --> 00:35:14.900 Okay. 00:35:14.900 --> 00:35:17.000 What if I already have a master's in psychology? 00:35:17.060 --> 00:35:19.780 Can I skip the first, two years? 00:35:19.780 --> 00:35:21.800 I'm afraid that's not possible. 00:35:22.900 --> 00:35:37.725 If you have a master's in psychology, you would maximally get up to 18 credits transferred in, which would definitely make, different semesters depending on where those credits fell easier, and you wouldn't have to pay for those courses. 00:35:38.265 --> 00:35:47.190 But I'm afraid given the APA regulations, it's you can't just sort of, transfer in a master's degree and get the first two years, waived. 00:35:48.930 --> 00:35:53.910 Elizabeth, what is the full tuition price to offer scholarships or classes offer online? 00:35:54.530 --> 00:35:56.710 I'll take the first one the last one first. 00:35:57.275 --> 00:35:59.935 This is not an online program in any way. 00:36:00.075 --> 00:36:10.175 This is an entirely in person, brick and mortar, APA accredited doctoral program, so that's, not it's like, it's just not the model. 00:36:12.110 --> 00:36:17.090 I did speak about the scholarships and the tuition price, earlier. 00:36:17.390 --> 00:36:22.610 So, I just wanna really quickly, revisit that. 00:36:24.045 --> 00:36:25.025 Actually, I can't. 00:36:25.085 --> 00:36:25.885 I'm unable to do that. 00:36:25.885 --> 00:36:26.365 I'm sorry. 00:36:26.365 --> 00:36:35.665 But, Elizabeth, yes, we talked about that that if you do have questions about it, email me and get in touch with me, and I'd be happy to discuss that at a greater length. 00:36:36.300 --> 00:36:36.700 Okay. 00:36:36.700 --> 00:36:38.620 Everyone, thank you for joining me. 00:36:38.780 --> 00:36:42.400 It was a pleasure, to hold this for everybody. 00:36:42.700 --> 00:36:47.520 Again, if any have any questions, get in touch with me via Calendly or my email. 00:36:47.820 --> 00:36:51.040 And with that, take care, and God bless you.