Psychology Doctor Course

Lesson 1 • Biological Bases of Behavior

Examines neuroanatomy, neurotransmitter systems, and genetics as substrates of behavior. Links biological mechanisms to psychological phenomena studied throughout the program.

Lesson 2 • Developmental Psychology Across the Lifespan

Surveys cognitive, emotional, and social development from infancy through late adulthood. Establishes normative benchmarks essential for clinical assessment and intervention.

Lesson 3 • History and Major Schools of Thought

Traces psychology from structuralism through behaviorism, humanism, and cognitive revolution. Provides the conceptual lineage needed to evaluate modern theories critically.

Lesson 4 • Ethical Principles in Psychology

Introduces professional ethics codes, informed consent, and confidentiality standards. Ethical reasoning is integrated as a non-negotiable foundation for all clinical and research activities.

Lesson 1 • Descriptive and Inferential Statistics

Teaches central tendency, variability, and hypothesis testing logic. Provides the statistical vocabulary required for all quantitative doctoral research.

Lesson 2 • Research Design Fundamentals

Covers experimental, quasi-experimental, and correlational designs. Students select appropriate designs to answer specific psychological research questions.

Lesson 3 • Multivariate Statistical Techniques

Extends analysis to regression, factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. Equips students to handle complex, multi-variable psychological datasets.

Lesson 4 • Measurement and Psychometrics

Addresses reliability, validity, and item response theory for psychological tests. Students evaluate and construct measurement instruments used in research and practice.

Lesson 1 • Philosophical Foundations of Qualitative Inquiry

Contrasts phenomenology, constructivism, and critical theory as epistemological stances. Prepares students to justify their methodological choices in doctoral work.

Lesson 2 • Core Qualitative Methods

Covers grounded theory, thematic analysis, and narrative inquiry procedures. Students conduct and report qualitative studies meeting doctoral rigor standards.

Lesson 3 • Mixed Methods Integration

Presents convergent, explanatory, and exploratory mixed designs. Students integrate quantitative and qualitative strands to answer complex research questions.

Lesson 4 • Data Collection in Qualitative Research

Teaches interviewing, focus groups, and observational techniques. Connects data collection choices to the epistemological stance adopted in the study.

Lesson 1 • Models of Psychopathology

Compares biomedical, biopsychosocial, and dimensional models of disorder. Establishes the theoretical lens through which diagnostic categories are evaluated.

Lesson 2 • Mood and Anxiety Spectrum Disorders

Covers depressive, bipolar, and anxiety disorder presentations, etiology, and course. Builds clinical recognition skills for the most prevalent disorder clusters.

Lesson 3 • Diagnostic Classification Systems

Examines current categorical diagnostic manuals and their revision history. Students use classification systems reliably while understanding their limitations.

Lesson 4 • Psychotic, Personality, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Addresses schizophrenia spectrum, personality disorder clusters, and neurodevelopmental conditions. Prepares students for complex presentations encountered in advanced clinical settings.

Lesson 1 • Personality and Projective Assessment

Covers objective personality inventories and projective techniques. Students evaluate the psychometric strengths and limitations of each approach.

Lesson 2 • Integrated Psychological Report Writing

Teaches synthesis of multi-source data into a coherent, actionable report. Students produce reports that communicate findings clearly to referral sources and clients.

Lesson 3 • Cognitive and Neuropsychological Assessment

Teaches administration and interpretation of intelligence and neuropsychological batteries. Students link cognitive profiles to diagnostic hypotheses and intervention recommendations.

Lesson 4 • Clinical Interviewing and Behavioral Assessment

Develops structured and semi-structured interviewing skills alongside behavioral observation methods. Connects interview data to the diagnostic frameworks from Chapter 4.

Lesson 1 • Psychodynamic and Relational Therapies

Covers short-term psychodynamic therapy, attachment-based approaches, and relational techniques. Provides theoretical contrast to behavioral models and broadens clinical flexibility.

Lesson 2 • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Foundations

Covers the cognitive model, behavioral activation, and exposure principles. Establishes CBT as the benchmark evidence-based framework for subsequent therapy comparisons.

Lesson 3 • Humanistic and Integrative Approaches

Addresses person-centered therapy, motivational interviewing, and integrative frameworks. Equips students to tailor treatment to client values and readiness for change.

Lesson 4 • Third-Wave Behavioral Approaches

Examines acceptance and commitment therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions. Extends CBT skills to transdiagnostic and emotion-regulation applications.

Lesson 1 • Case Conceptualization Frameworks

Teaches theory-driven formulation linking presenting problems to maintaining factors. Integrates assessment data from Chapter 5 with therapy models from Chapter 6.

Lesson 2 • Managing Risk and Crisis Intervention

Teaches suicide risk assessment, safety planning, and crisis stabilization protocols. Prepares students for high-stakes clinical decisions encountered in practicum settings.

Lesson 3 • Therapeutic Alliance and Rupture Repair

Examines alliance formation, rupture detection, and repair strategies. Addresses the relational foundation that predicts therapy outcome across all modalities.

Lesson 4 • Clinical Supervision and Reflective Practice

Covers supervision models, self-of-therapist work, and reflective journaling. Develops the metacognitive habits essential for lifelong professional growth.

Lesson 1 • Dissertation Defense and Dissemination

Prepares students for the oral defense and post-defense publication pathway. Connects doctoral work to the broader scientific community and professional identity.

Lesson 2 • Analysis, Interpretation, and Writing

Covers results reporting, discussion framing, and scholarly writing standards. Students transform raw findings into a publication-ready dissertation manuscript.

Lesson 3 • Identifying and Refining a Research Problem

Covers gap analysis, literature mapping, and research question refinement. Builds directly on research methods from Chapters 2 and 3 to frame an original study.

Lesson 4 • Data Collection and Project Management

Addresses participant recruitment, data management, and timeline adherence. Applies quantitative and qualitative methods from earlier chapters to real dissertation data.