NIU’s clinical psychology program might have its’ full accreditation from the American Psychological Association restored this fall following the first probationary period in the graduate program’s existence.

The program was put on probation in May 1987 after not changing policies by the May 31, 1987, deadline.

Five areas of policy change were requested by the APA in its January 1988 report to the psychology department. The first change involves the lack of required courses in the history and ethics of psychology.

Joseph Grush, psychology department chairman, said a psychology history course for graduate credit now will be required. A graduate seminar in ethics not currently offered by the department will be added to the required curriculum next year.

Grush said there is a specific number of courses in the undergraduate catalog graduate students are required to take, “but the manual did not specify what courses are required.”

A second change is the wording in the clinical brochure stating students are admitted to the clinical program on the basis of individual faculty selection. Grush said that decision now will be made by a faculty committee.

A third policy change stems from student complaints about their freedom of choice of a faculty mentor. Students are required to complete a research apprenticeship and the APA is concerned about relationships between students and faculty, Grush said.

A new policy reworked by clinical faculty and students gives students more freedom in their selection of a faculty adviser.

The fourth area of concern was personal and ethical conflicts among department faculty. Grush said this area was “less than cohesive” and there was disagreement among faculty about how much academic guidance graduate students need.

“Some (faculty members) believe they have to tell students what to do and others think that students in graduate school can do this themselves,” Grush said.

The fifth policy change resulted in the hiring of additional faculty members “to shoulder the administrative burden of the department,” Grush said. The APA was concerned with the number of clinic faculty involved in administrative roles. The psychology department hired a new clinic director in July 1987.

“We were aware of these problems and most of the changes have already been accomplished,” Grush said. The APA report stated the department has attempted to “correct the failures to comply with the criteria for approval.”

There are 60 requirements necessary for APA accreditation in the areas of faculty, facilities and curriculum. “It is easy to get the wrong impression (about accreditation). People need a sense of how much is involved,” Grush said.

Of the 400 to 600 psychology graduate programs in the country, only about 125 are APA accredited, Grush said.

The APA conducts investigations every five years, when site visitors interview faculty and students and indicate areas of concern. “It is a judgment call on how serious it is,” Grush said.