Arlington, Virginia -- The Institute for the Psychological Sciences´ (IPS) is working to make its educational programs “even more robust in terms of training and employment opportunities after graduation.”

IPS is a Catholic graduate school of psychology offering master´s and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology and a master´s degree in general psychology.  The Institute´s distinctive curriculum integrates the science of psychology with the Catholic understanding of the person, marriage and the family.

According to a recent IPS press release, the institute’s Board of Directors unanimously approved significant changes to the master´s program.  In response to feedback from IPS students, graduates and faculty, the clinical psychology program will be compressed into two years and two summers, including a full-year externship.  Currently the externship adds a third year to the program.  (Students already enrolled at IPS will not be impacted.)

Over the last few years, IPS has been enhancing this program, making continual improvements to the MS-Plus Practicum Option. These new changes will allow students to pursue their careers in the mental health profession a year earlier.

Stephen Hamel, Ph.D., ABPP, Director of the Master´s Program in Clinical Psychology, said, "We believe these new changes to our program will result in even better trained graduates with credentials for possible licensure in a variety of mental health fields."

"This is a very propitious step for our 12-year-old institution,” said IPS President Fr. Charles Sikorsky, L.C., J.D., J.C.L.  “We´re committed to making our students´ experience here -- and after graduation -- a very positive one."

The revised program will offer broad-based clinical training combined with academic, practical and personal knowledge.  The goal is for each student to become competent in diagnosis, treatment planning and psychological intervention with children, adults, couples, and families through the Catholic anthropological lens.