American Psychological Association Awards Accreditation on Contingency for Holy Family University’s Doctor of Psychology in Counseling Psychology (Psy.D.) Program
The Doctor of Psychology in Counseling Psychology (Psy.D.) degree program at Holy Family University’s School of Arts & Sciences has been awarded accreditation on contingency by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA). The accreditation is effective as of March 18, 2022.
APA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with more than 133,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students as its members. The APA Commission on Accreditation (APA-CoA) is the primary programmatic accreditor in the United States for professional education and training in psychology. Holy Family University’s accreditation process site visit took place virtually in spring 2022. Upon completion of the vigorous review of the Psy.D. degree program, the APA Commission on Accreditation determined that the University’s Psy.D. program meets the accreditation on contingency standards of APA.
The University’s Psy.D. program will have until May 1, 2025, to provide outcome data for students in the program and program graduates, upon which the program will be reviewed for full accreditation status. At Holy Family’s 2022 Commencement, the University’s first graduating cohort of four Psy.D. students was awarded their degrees. The program is currently accepting applicants for Fall 2022 and is based at the University’s Newtown campus in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.
“The Holy Family University community is honored that our Doctor of Psychology in Counseling Psychology degree program has received accreditation on contingency by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association,” said Anne Prisco, Ph.D., President of Holy Family University. “This recognition confirms that our Psy.D. program offers our students the highest quality education in doctorate-level counseling psychology and that our esteemed faculty are exceptional educators and practitioners in the field. Holy Family University’s Psy.D. degree program will now be even further recognized as among the foremost programs nationwide. I would like to thank the Commission on Accreditation for their assistance through the accreditation process.”
“Preparing Psy.D. students to address the mental health needs of our communities and individuals requires substantial high-level education and clinical work in the field,” said Shelley Robbins, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at Holy Family University. “This accreditation on contingency by APA signifies the depth and quality of a Holy Family University education in Counseling Psychology. I would like to commend our faculty for their extraordinary efforts in working towards achieving accreditation for our Psy.D. program.”
“While working with the Commission on Accreditation through the accreditation process, we were pleased to share what the students of our Psy.D. program learn in our classroom and their accomplishments while engaged in the program,” said Diane Menago, Psy.D., Associate Professor and Program and Clinical Training Director of the Psy.D. program at Holy Family University. “With this accreditation, the faculty of the Psy.D. program look forward to welcoming more students to Holy Family University and providing them with an education that will profoundly impact lives and communities through their extraordinary work.”