EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

 

THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON APPLIED MASTER’S

 

TRAINING IN PSYCHOLOGY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

JUNE 2-5, 1990

 

UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA

 

NORMAN, OKLAHOMA

 

 

 

 

 

RESOLUTIONS AND STANDARDS ON EDUCATION

AND TRAINING FOR APPLIED MASTER’S PROGRAMS

IN PSYCHOLOGY

 

 

 

 

 

Rosemary H. Lowe, Editor

The University of West Florida

Pensacola, Florida 32514

(904) 474-2363/66

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RESOLUTIONS AND STANDARDS ON EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR APPLIED MASTER’S PROGRAMS IN PSYCHOLOGY

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Graduates of applied master’s programs in psychology perform important services to society. Over 8,000 master’s degrees are awarded each year by over 200 institutions. Yet, issues related to master’s training remain unresolved and have not been formally addressed by a national conference on master’s training since 1972. Moreover, no conference involving master’s level training has been convened by and for the trainers themselves. In response to this need, a National Conference on Master’s-Level Programs in Psychology (CAMPP), with support from the American Psychological Society, the Council of Graduate Departments of Psychology, and the National Institute of Mental Health. A diverse Conference membership of 60 individuals representing applied training programs, state mental health programs, and psychologists in the public sector from 26 states across the country met at the University of Oklahoma in Norman from June 2-5, 1990. Beginning with issues raised in a set of pre-conference White Papers, conferees debated, examined, and explored the place of applied master’s training in psychology. Although the Conference dealt with a number of problems and issues, the critical focus was to address the outcomes of applied master’s training and to develop standards for training.

 

The Conference saw a remarkable coming together of people and the formation of a unique community of psychologists. The following resolutions were agreed upon by the diverse membership working in a climate of collegiality, openness, responsibility, and trust. The resolutions are meant to provide direction and stimulus to future activities and represent a shared perspective of the Conference participants. Within a climate of respect for the diversity of students, programs, and societal needs, consensus was achieved for Standards of Education and Training to be implemented and administered under the aegis of CAMPP. This strong agreement on Education and Training Standards and action to implement them fulfilled the primary objective of the Conference. Additionally, other resolutions for further exploration were approved on the topics of credentialing, professional organization, and title. These resolutions will be published as part of the full Conference Proceedings.

 

 

I.                    OUTCOME STANDARDS FOR APPLIED MASTER’S PROGRAMS

 

A basic issue in Applied Master’s Training concerns program outcomes, stated in terms of the competencies which should be expected of graduates. Conferees were guided by the view that specification of the types of knowledge, skill, and ability which graduates should possess is the basis for curriculum design. The following outcome standards were approved:

 

A.     Applied master’s programs in psychology operate from a psychology-specific theory and knowledge base, which is reflected in their curriculum and specified outcomes.

 

B.     The core content of applied master’s programs in psychology will require demonstration of the following competencies, although the degree of emphasis may vary according to the stated mission of the program:

 

  1. Knowledge of principles of psychology and how they are applied.
  2. Knowledge of diversity of theoretical perspectives.
  3. Knowledge of sources of scholarly and professional information in one’s field, and the ability to find and use such sources.
  4. Knowledge of statistical techniques and their interpretation at a level sufficient to understand the professional literature in one’s sub-discipline.
  5. Knowledge of research design sufficient to understand published reports in one’s sub-discipline.
  6. Knowledge of ethical issues, principles, and practices of concern to psychologists, especially those relevant to the application of psychology in one’s sub-discipline.
  7. Ability to conduct oneself in a professional and ethical manner.
  8. Knowledge of the law as it affects professional practice in psychology.
  9. Ability to conceptualize and solve problems in one’s sub-discipline
  10. Skill in performing statistical analyses appropriate to the application of psychology in one’s sub-discipline.
  11.  Knowledge of assessment procedures and the instruments appropriate to one’s sub-discipline.
  12. Skill in assessment procedures appropriate to one’s sub-discipline.
  13. Knowledge of psychometric principles sufficient to evaluate the quality of assessment instruments in one’s sub-discipline.
  14. Ability to write clearly and in styles appropriate for work-related reports, communication with the general public, and professional publication (e.g., APA style).
  15. Ability to communicate in a clear and accurate manner with one’s supervisors, peers, subordinates, clients, and the general public.
  16. Knowledge of issues of gender and cultural diversity relevant to professional activities in one’s sub-discipline.
  17. Skills to address gender and cultural issues relevant to professional activities in one’s sub-discipline.
  18. Knowledge of professional organizations for psychologists and for specialists in one’s sub-discipline.

 

C.    Each program has the obligation to define and represent accurately its mission.

 

D.    Each program curriculum should be based on the competencies expected of its graduates.

 

E.     Each applied master’s program in psychology should periodically reevaluate its mission and expected outcomes in light of changes in the knowledge base of psychology, expectations of the profession, and job requirements.

 

 

II.              CURRICULUM STANDARDS FOR APPLIED MASTER’S PROGRAMS

 

Consensus on program outcomes next leads to consideration of the curriculum form and content necessary to produce those outcomes. Thus the second area of concern is that of the content of an applied master’s program.

 

Applied master’s degree programs in psychology should meet the following minimum standards:

 

A.     The program should be identifiable as a psychology program. This is to be defined primarily in terms of the disciplinary affiliations of those who teach in and administer the program.

 

B.     The program and its curriculum should have a coherent organization and structure that reflect its mission statement.

 

C.    The program should be the equivalent of two academic years of full-time study. This would normally include 40-45 semester hours, or the equivalent, of program requirements.

 

D.    The program must include evidence of addressing student competency in the following areas:

 

  1. A base of general/theoretical psychology to include the following:

 

a.      Acquired or learned bases of behavior

b.      Social/cultural bases of behavior

c.      Individual or unique bases of behavior

d.      Biological bases of behavior (to the degree that it is appropriate for the sub-discipline)

 

  1. Understanding of the methods of acquiring knowledge in the discipline. This could include study in research design, statistical procedures, hypothesis generation and testing, and critical thinking. At a minimum, there should be one course in statistics and/or research design.

 

  1. Applied psychology

 

a.      Coursework in the application of psychological principles and theories appropriate to the sub-discipline

b.      Significant supervised experience appropriate to the sub-discipline and the mission of the program

c.      Ethical and professional standards

d.      Sensitivity to social and cultural diversity, resulting in appropriate assessment and intervention strategies and other professional behaviors.

 

 

E.     Entrance requirements for the applied master’s program in psychology should reflect the responsibility that the program has to the public. Efforts should be made to ensure that admitted students have the intellectual and personal capabilities of becoming competent professionals in the designated sub-discipline.

 

F.     Students will demonstrate competence and professional behavior consistent with each program’s mission statement and goals prior to completion of the program.

 

G.    The program should have a sufficient number of appropriately trained faculty to accommodate the labor-intensive nature of teaching the skills of applied psychology.

 

 

ACTION PLANS FOR APPLIED MASTER’S PROGRAMS

 

I.        EDUCATION AND TRAINING

 

Based on the Outcome and Curriculum Standards above, the following general recommendations are made for action:

 

A.     That standards for education and training resulting from this Conference be disseminated widely, in particular to all schools which have applied master’s programs.

 

B.     That standards for education and training be developed within sub-disciplines across programs.

 

C.    That a recommendation be made to the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology that it facilitate the development of standards for education and training within Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and that similar recommendations be made to other appropriate organizations (e.g., Divisions 18 and 27).

 

D.    That programs joining CAMPP agree to adopt the listed competencies, and that these competencies should be reflected in their programs’ curricula.

 

E.     That a task force including but not limited to conferees be established to further investigate issues related to the role of the master’s level provider of mental health services in the public sector.

 

F.     That member programs in CAMPP should be active in developing liaisons with public sector and other employers for the purpose of disseminating standards of education and training to be developed within sub-disciplines.

 

G.    That, given strong approval by the Conference of standards of master’s training in applied psychology, Conference participants upon return to their institutions should:

 

  1. Urge institutional compliance with these standards;
  2. Provide program descriptions and mission statements to the appropriate task force;
  3. If their program meets CAMPP standards, publicize this in their program literature and in the “Comments” section of APA’s Graduate Study in Psychology and Associated Fields;
  4. Establish contact with institutions in their region to publicize CAMPP standards.

 

H.     The following recommendations relate to education and training issues in the public sector. Conference participants, upon return to their institutions, should:

 

  1. Share information from the NIMH panel discussion regarding needs for training for service in the public sector, especially to underserved populations;
  2. Report feedback on institutional response to the appropriate task force;
  3. Share specific information regarding potential funding opportunities for training associated with P.L. 99-660.
  4. Establish a liaison with their state Human Resources Development offices.

 

 

II.                  DATA BASE ESTABLISHMENT

 

A.      It is recommended that programs institute a systematic survey of graduates concerning current position, job history since completion of degree, relevance of degree, and other relevant items.

 

B.     It is recommended that a task force be established to study current national data needs concerning applied master’s programs and their graduates, and to recommend actions to remedy deficiencies in data.

 

C.    It is recommended that, through COGDOP, systematic input on master’s issues be established to APA/ODEER for the annual Survey on Graduate Departments of Psychology.

 

D.    It is recommended that a CAMPP/COGDOP committee be established to review existing ODEER employment data relative to master’s graduates and to recommend additional data needs.

 

 

III.                RECOMMENDATION ON TITLE

 

Conference participants recognize that professional identity of graduates of applied master’s programs and communication about the issues affecting their training and employment are hindered by the lack of a widely accepted term for such professionals. A Conference recommendation follows from that recognition.

 

It is essential that graduates of applied master’s programs in psychology have a title that appropriately identifies them.