Mission of the Fairleigh Dickinson University M.S. Program in Clinical Psychopharmacology

The M.S. Program in Clinical Psychopharmacology is housed in the School of Psychology of Fairleigh Dickinson University. The School of Psychology has a long tradition of graduate-level training in psychology that emphasizes the applied, conceptual, and scientific components of professional psychology. Among other programs, the School also offers an APA-accredited Ph.D. scientist-practitioner program in Clinical Psychology as well as a Psy.D. program in School Psychology.

The M.S. Program in Clinical Psychopharmacology is dedicated to enhancing licensed psychologists' ability to interact and collaborate with other health professionals in the management of patients with mental and behavioral disorders. The program is also committed to training psychologists to the level of competence appropriate for independent prescriptive authority. The didactic program uses a combination of distance and online teaching methods, emphasizing applied learning via case formulation, to achieve these goals. Participants are also eligible to participate in a supervised clinical experience, which prepares the participant for independent practice. This clinical experience uses a mentoring model geared to the mastery of core clinical competencies. The format of the program allows for a rigorous and demanding learning environment, as is appropriate given the goals of the program, while providing the flexibility needed for busy professionals to complete the training. The program adopts a learner-centered approach that builds on the tradition and excellence of the scientist-practitioner training model, enhancing scientific and professional knowledge by delivering high-quality education through the latest technology and peer-interaction techniques.

The program provides a strong knowledge base in psychopharmacology and medical conditions relevant to the treatment of mental disorders. This knowledge can immediately facilitate your collaborative practice skills. The program requirements meet or exceed requirements outlined in the APA Recommended Postdoctoral Education and Training Program for Prescriptive Authority. In addition to the elective supervised clinical experience, the program includes virtual clinical application through case studies incorporated into each of the ten didactic courses.