Overview of Program
A complex and fast changing world demands new and creative approaches in a wide variety of professional areas including counseling, business, coaching, education, government, health on and social transformation. Understanding the dynamics of creativity can enhance professional growth and personal well-being. There is a vital role for creativity studies in making the most of our self-awareness and furthering our human potential. The Creativity Studies Certificate is designed to understand the history, research, and to apply creativity studies to the student's professional field of study. The Creativity Studies Certificate will give students a broad understanding of creativity research and allow students and non-degree individuals to pursue specific areas of interest.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Certificate, students will be able to…
- Delineate their own conceptions about creativity based on the literature and their own experience.
- Discuss their individual creative process and factors that have stimulated or inhibited their creativity in the past.
- Discuss potential factors (e.g., personal, social, transpersonal) that might encourage or discourage creativity.
- Give examples of biological, psychological, and social factors that play a role in what society calls “creatives,” and how creative one can be.
- Explain differences between creativity in everyday life and eminent creativity.
- Describe whether creativity has a distinctly different quality in different domains of activity (e.g., arts vs. sciences).
- Demonstrate knowledge of ways in which questions of interest on creativity have been researched, including through qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Explain several ways in which students might enhance creativity in their own particular area of interest at both the individual and societal level.
- Teach basic information about creativity to individuals or groups.
- Conduct a theoretical exploration of a particular area of creativity studies, and defend one’s approach and conclusions.
- Know how to create a peer group for sharing, support, or engaging in group creative activities.
- Design, implement, and evaluate an application of what has been learned in a particular area.
- Discover new and unexpected things about the nature of creativity and about oneself.
- Take a creative risk and have some fun!
Specializations
College, Degree Program, or Specialization change
Students who wish to change their degree program will be reevaluated by the Department Chair as to the appropriateness of admission to that new program of study. If admitted, those students will be held accountable to the degree program requirements as specified for the academic year in which such a change of enrollment is granted. For those wanting to change their specialization, the new Specialization Coordinator will review the student’s objectives for acceptance and the Department Chair approve the change. In all cases, where possible, current Saybrook completed courses will be considered for application toward the new degree program and/or specialization. Students who change degree programs will have their transfer credit evaluated again by the Department Chair of the new program. Transfer credit awarded is not guaranteed to apply to the new program.
M.A. in Psychology to Ph.D. in Psychology
While in the M.A. in Psychology degree program at Saybrook University, students may decide to apply to continue to the Psychology doctoral program. Once such students have completed the modified admissions process to the doctoral program, they may be accepted on the condition of completion of the M.A. degree requirements (i.e., successful completion of the thesis or project and all other degree requirements). Students that are accepted on the condition of completion of the M.A. degree may take an additional 9 credits of coursework while completing the thesis or project. If the student is admitted to the doctoral program, these 9 credits will be considered toward the Ph.D. degree. If the student does not continue to the doctoral program, those additional credits completed are awarded toward the M.A. degree. That is, admission into the doctoral program does not commence until the M.A. is complete. Such students will be required to adhere to the University catalog that is in place when they matriculate into to the doctoral program (i.e., after completion of the thesis/project), not the catalog in place at the time of their conditional acceptance into the doctoral program. In terms of transfer credits for students once they have attained the master’s degree in Psychology, a maximum of 30 credit hours may be applied toward the Ph.D. in Psychology.
Career Opportunities
Graduates of the Ph.D. Psychology program with specializations in Creativity, Innovation, & Leadership (CIL), Consciousness, Spirituality, and Integrative Health (CSIH), and Existential and Humanistic Psychology (EHP) are well-positioned for diverse and impactful career opportunities. With a Ph.D. in Psychology, students can pursue academic positions as professors or researchers in universities and research institutions, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in their specialized areas. They can also work as consultants, trainers, or leaders in organizations, utilizing their expertise in creativity, innovation, and leadership to foster positive change and growth. In the realm of consciousness, spirituality, and integrative health, graduates can pursue careers as integrative health practitioners, spiritual counselors, or wellness coaches, supporting individuals in their holistic well-being journeys. The EHP specialization opens doors to careers as humanistic researchers, psychology educators, or consultants, providing compassionate and existential guidance to individuals seeking personal and professional growth and fulfillment. Additionally, Ph.D. holders may choose to establish their own private practice, offering specialized services in their respective areas of expertise. With their advanced knowledge, research skills, and specialization-specific training, graduates of the Ph.D. program are equipped to make significant contributions to the field of psychology and positively impact individuals, communities, and organizations.
Our Ph.D. in Psychology program is intended for professionals who wish to pursue nonclinical careers or expand on their existing licenses. This program is not designed to prepare graduates to qualify for clinical licensure or certification.
Admissions Requirements
Degree Requirements: Master’s degree
At a minimum, you must have received, or anticipate receiving prior to the start of the semester you are applying into, a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university before applying for a doctoral degree at Saybrook.
The minimum expected grade point average (GPA) requirement is 3.0 from the last degree-granting institution, though exceptions may be made.
Residential Orientation (RO)
All new students in the M.A. Psychology degree program begin their studies with our one-time, two-day Residential Orientation (RO). Residential Orientations are held two days ahead of the University Learning Experience at the start of the fall and spring semesters in California. Attendance at the entire RO is an academic requirement.
At the RO, students become familiar with the Saybrook culture and academic and support services, including online resources, and the library research services and databases. The challenges of distance and peer learning are also discussed during this time. At the RO, students:
Consult with the Psychology Department chair, specialization coordinators, and an academic adviser to organize their degree plan process.
Develop a rationale for the scope and sequence of their proposed plan of study.
Plan what consultation they will need from other faculty.
Transfer Credit
Transfer credits based on equivalent graduate courses taken at another regionally accredited institution in the same or similar discipline where the student received a grade of B or better may be transferred and will reduce the number of course credits required to be completed at Saybrook. Allowable transfer credits must be suitable for transfer to the intended degree as determined by the Psychology Department chair. Transfer course credits do not affect the minimum number of credits required for the degree.
Transfer credit to be applied toward required electives:
Ph.D. in Psychology - May include up to 12 transfer credits completed in the Psychology discipline, 6 of these credits may be from cognate fields, non-degree Saybrook Certificate credits, Saybrook CE credits, or other non-degree credits taken at Saybrook University within the last seven years.*
*Exception to the amount of transfer credits may be made when students complete the M.A. Psychology program within Saybrook (with specialization (CSIH, Creativity Studies, and EHP) and without specialization) within the last one year.
Residential / University / Virtual Learning Experience
Virtual Learning Experience (VLE)
Starting with the fall 2022-2023 academic year, all psychology students will be required to attend only the five-day fall VLE each academic year. Although you may complete most of your courses through distance learning, all our psychology degree programs have residential requirements. Virtual Learning Experience (VLEs) are academic requirements, and their completion is important for your successful academic progress: they allow you to meet with faculty and co-learners in a stimulating and supportive face-to-face environment. Our VLEs are an important part of your learning experience as they nurture intellectual and relational creativity, enrich the educational environment, and foster faculty and peer interactions. There are courses being launched, workshops, independent learning activities, peer learning opportunities, community events, and other hands-on experiences intended to nurture professional development, skill building, and transformative change. All students must be on-site on the registration day and remain in residence until the end of the last day of each required conference.
Doctoral students attend until they have advanced to doctoral candidacy (upon satisfaction of essay orals).
No academic credit is given for attendance at the VLE Students who attend a seminar at an VLE and wish to study the topic further may, with the permission of the seminar instructor and department chair, register for an independent study course (ALL 8100) following the VLE and receive 1 academic credit upon completion. Each course is individually designed and negotiated with the seminar instructor. Not all VLE workshops, courses, and seminars are eligible for the follow-up independent study credit. Students will need to review their program plan to confirm the 1 credit independent study will satisfy degree requirements.
VLE Approved Absence Policy
If a student must miss an VLE due to extenuating circumstances that include but are not limited to documented medical hardship or family emergency, attendance at an VLE must be made up at a later date, even if that date is when the student would normally not be required to attend RCs. In such cases, the student needs to notify the Psychology Department Chair prior to the missed conference and request an approval. Refer to the Student Refund Policy for additional information.
VLE Substitution Process
If students would like to substitute attendance at a professional conference for attendance at one of the VLEs, they need to identify a faculty member who will sponsor them in this request. The conference must be at least five days, in accordance with Saybrook’s VLE. Students must complete the “Authorization Request to Substitute for Residential Conference” form and submit it for approval no fewer than 30 days before the RC to be substituted.
Following the conference, students must complete the “Confirmation of Attendance at Substitute Conference” form and send to their faculty sponsor. After review and approval, the faculty sponsor will then forward it to the Psychology Department Chair, who will complete the recording process. Tangible documentation of attendance for the entire event is required, along with a copy of the completed Authorization Request signed by the supervising faculty member and any other required academic work or learning product required by the supervising faculty member.
Credits/Hours
The program requires a total of 66 earned credits, which may vary based on the specialization chosen. These credits encompass a rigorous curriculum that includes core courses, specialized coursework in the chosen area of focus, research methodology and analysis, and the completion of a capstone project or thesis. Through a combination of theoretical exploration, experiential learning, and research opportunities, students gain the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for success in their future careers or further doctoral studies. The credit units and hours invested in the Ph.D. degree ensure that students receive a comprehensive and well-rounded education, empowering them to make significant contributions to the field of psychology.
Length of Program
The degree completion time for a full-time student enrolled in the Ph.D. in Psychology program following the default course sequence will range from 5 - 6 years. Any breaks in enrollment and/or reduced enrollment may impact completion time.
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