About Program

General Goals:

The main objective of the Master’s Program in Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology is to create an academic environment that will foster the development of a professional community of Clinical Psychologists in Palestine that can effectively meet the mental health needs of the local population. This program entails two central elements:

• First, a developed curriculum that is modeled according to international standards and adapted to specific cultural characteristics of the population in the region. 

• Second, offering enhanced training to increase the expertise of Palestinian and International Mental Health professionals in Psychology and related fields by supporting their professional development with the provision of both continuous theoretical training and professional supervision.  

The specific goals of the program are:

• Prepare Master’s level professionals to select, implement, and evaluate psychological interventions consistent with current ethical, evidence-based, and professional standards, within a theoretical framework, and with sensitivity to the interpersonal processes of the therapeutic relationship and the diverse characteristics and needs of clients.

  1. Objective 1.1: Explore the foundations of clinical psychology, including psychopathology, human development, diagnosis, diversity, ethics, and various therapeutic models in clinical applications.
     Objective 1.2: Select, plan, and implement ethical and evidence-based interventions with sensitivity to the diverse characteristics and needs of clients.
     Objective 1.3: Demonstrate knowledge, skills, and attitudes to effectively implement and participate in psychological consultation and supervision.
     Objective 1.4: Demonstrate personal development and self-reflective capacity, including growth of interpersonal skills, and therapeutic relationships.
      

• Prepare Master’s level professionals to analysis the complexity and multidimensionality of human diversity, and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to understand diverse worldviews and the potential meaning of social, cultural, and individual differences for psychological services.

• Prepare Master’s level professionals to critically evaluate the current and evolving body of scholarly literature in psychology to inform professional practice.

• After completing this Master’s Program, students will be adequately equipped to move directly into the field of Clinical Psychology and practice in hospitals, private health clinics, nurseries, schools, colleges, government health facilities, and prisons across Palestine fulfilling many needed tasks and positions in currently underserved areas. 

• This Program will also support a Palestinian-based professional psychology community, increase the capabilities and skills of related mental health professionals in Palestine and will ensure a future national sustainability of the Mental Health Sector, according with Strategic Operational Plan of the Mental Health Policy Development in the State of Palestine.

• After completing the two-year Master’s Program in Child and Adolescent Clinical Psychology students may choose to complete a PhD in Clinical Psychology or a School of Psychotherapy internationally through the system of Scholarship of AAUP.