The USF PsyD Program Receives Ten Year Accreditation
SAN FRANCISCO (Nov. 30, 2023) – The University of San Francisco (USF) School of Nursing and Health Professions (SONHP) has announced their Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program (PsyD) has received ten years of accreditation from the American Psychological Association (APA), effective October 28, 2023. The ten-year term is the highest level of accreditation given by the association.
APA accreditation recognizes that the program meets the rigorous standards set by the Commission on Accreditation and that students receive training from a diverse group of expert faculty within a well-resourced program committed to training students for preparation for entry into the field of health service psychology.
In June 2018, the USF Clinical Psychology PsyD Program was successfully awarded the accreditation status of accredited, on contingency; this accreditation status may be granted to new programs only if the program meets all standards except for the inclusion of the required outcome data on students in their final internship year in the program and graduates after program completion. The Program then sought full accreditation in 2022 through an extensive and intensive multi-year accrediting review process, which required a comprehensive self-study report and a two-day site visit. For the self-study, the program faculty provided a detailed description of the program’s mission, aims, and goals, a summary of the last ten years of annual reporting data, an explanation of admissions requirements and recruitment efforts, assessment strategies, continuous quality improvement methods, and graduate feedback. The campus site visit took place June 12 and 13, 2023.
“Meeting the standards set by the American Psychological Association’s Commission on Accreditation is a significant accomplishment,” said Dr. Megan O’Banion, senior associate dean, USF School of Nursing and Health Professions. “Receiving affirmation of ten years of accreditation highlights the exceptional training our program continues to provide students, and faculty and staff’s engagement with and dedication to our students and their training to serve marginalized populations in interprofessional contexts.”
In response to the accreditation decision, Dr. Dhara Meghani, program director, USF Clinical Psychology PsyD Program Director shared, “Since the program’s inception in 2013, our faculty have been committed to developing a robust and mission-driven program aligned with the highest standards of doctoral training in health service psychology. The program curriculum, intensive clinical training experiences, and applied research that our students engage in contribute to the preparation of competitive graduates who are uniquely positioned to serve diverse, marginalized populations in a range of professional settings. Our faculty are thrilled to have the APA’s Commission on Accreditation recognize our program’s quality, adherence to standards of accreditation, and strong emphasis on diversity, social justice, advocacy, and interprofessional practice.”
Learn more about APA accreditation.
About the USF School of Nursing and Health Professions
The School of Nursing and Health Professions advances the mission of the university by leading in innovative solutions to health inequities and transforming healthcare using evidence-informed approaches. For more information, visit usfca.edu/nursing.
About the University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco is a private, Jesuit Catholic university that reflects the diversity, optimism, and opportunities of the city that surrounds it. USF offers more than 230 undergraduate, graduate, professional, and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, law, education, and nursing and health professions. At USF, each course is an intimate learning community in which top professors encourage students to turn learning into positive action, so the students graduate equipped to do well in the world — and inspired to change it for the better. For more information, visit usfca.edu.
