Program Overview

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PsyD & MBA Dual Degree

Our clinical psychology & business administration dual degree prepares you for success in organizational consulting and executive coaching.

At a Glance

• Offered as: Dual Degree
• Format: On Campus or Hybrid (Online & On Campus)
• Credits:
  • PsyD: 120
  • MBA: 20
• Avg. Time to Completion: 5 years
• College/School:
  • College of Health & Human Services
  • School of Business
• Campus Location: Chester, PA

Program Overview

As a PsyD/MBA dual degree student, you'll uniquely complete a doctorate of clinical psychology and a master of business administration at the same time.

This multidisciplinary program trains clinical psychologists to apply psychological principles and knowledge of change processes in business and organizational settings. You'll learn to integrate clinical psychology expertise with a deep understanding of business and organizational systems through:

• One-year field placements in consultation to business and nonprofit executives
• Professional development activities
• Specialized courses in leadership, executive assessment, and change management
• A concentration in either executive coaching or organizational consulting

You'll graduate ready to work as a qualified organizational consultant and executive coach.

Curriculum & Coursework Requirements & Program Sequence

In this dual degree program, you'll spend five years of full-time residence at the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology to earn your doctorate in clinical psychology. Starting in the summer of the first year of the PsyD program, you'll take additional evening and summer courses to earn your Master of Business Administration (MBA).

You'll take a core sequence of courses that integrates the psychology and business school curricula. These courses build on the general clinical psychology and business school curricula to instill the core competencies needed for psychologists to be successful in organizational settings:

• Consulting and organizational psychology
• Leadership development
• Executive assessment
• Executive coaching
• Organizational change management

You'll also gain hands-on, supervised experience through practicum placements, internship placements, or both with concentrations in executive coaching or organizational consulting. One of the primary placements for this program is Widener’s Organizational Development Services (ODS). At ODS, you'll provide leadership and personality assessments and leadership coaching services to Widener students, faculty and administrators, and organizational leaders in surrounding communities.

Your training will culminate in the production of a dissertation that integrates clinical psychology with organizational psychology and business.

Concentration in Executive Coaching

[Need description]

Concentration in Organizational Consulting

[Need description]

PsyD Licensure by State

Doctoral education alone is not sufficient for licensure in the United States. In addition to requiring specific educational criteria, all states require candidates for licensure to pass a national exam after completing graduate education (the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology [EPPP]), and many states also require additional experiences for licensure, including supervised post-doctoral experiences, criminal history background checks, and personal ethical/moral references. Specific requirements for each state vary, and are developed and monitored by State Boards of Psychology. A general list of State Boards and contacts can be found on the website of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards.

The curriculum provided by Widener’s Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology meets state educational requirements for licensure as listed below. It is strongly recommended that students who expect to pursue licensing in a particular state reach out to the licensing board to confirm specific licensing requirements. The information below is accurate, as best as could be determined based on published records of state licensing requirements, as of June 2021.

Widener’s PsyD curriculum meets educational requirements for licensing in the following states

• Alabama
• Alaska
• Arizona
• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Connecticut
• DC
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Montana
• Nebraska
• Nevada
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• New York
• North Carolina
• North Dakota
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• South Dakota
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Washington
• West Virginia
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming

It is still being determined whether Widener’s PsyD curriculum meets educational requirements for licensing in the following states

• Puerto Rico

Widener’s PsyD curriculum does not meet educational requirements for licensing in the following state

• California

PsyD/MBA Dual Degree Outlook & Outcomes

Industry Growth

Employment of industrial organizational psychologists is projected to grow 6% by 2030.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Recent Employers

• Disney
• Vanguard
• Integrated Leadership Consultants
• RSM Consulting
• Kaisen Consulting

Potential Careers

• Organizational consultant
• Organizational psychologist
• Executive coach

Avg. Salary

$113,320

mean annual salary of industrial-organizational psychologists

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Why Study Psychology and Business at Widener?

Gain Real-World Experience

Here, you'll complement your classroom experience with on-the-job training. During a one-year field placement—often completed with Widener's Organizational Development Services —you'll coach executives, conduct personality assessments, and drive clients toward greater leadership.

Engage with Faculty Mentors

You'll learn from leading practitioners and business insiders who understand what it takes to succeed in the field. Every step of the way, they'll drive you toward your own success. You'll feel their support as you prepare for life as a coach or consultant.

Business Program Highlights

Top Online MBA in Health Care Management

Ranked top 10 online MBA program in health care management nationwide.

Source: TheBestSchools.org

90%+ Five-Year Graduation Rate

for PsyD students

Program attrition data

Best PsyD/MBA Dual Degree

Based on reputation, cost, course offerings, and flexibility.

Source: Intelligent

Ranked 11 out of 50

On the list of Editors' Choice 50 Best Accredited PsyD Programs for 2022

Source: psydprograms.org

College of Distinction for Business

Recognized for top quality teaching and successful outcomes.

Source: Colleges of Distinction

Admissions & Aid

Admissions Information

Admission Requirements

To begin your journey toward a PsyD/MBA dual degree, you will apply to the PsyD program first. If you maintain good standing in the PsyD program, you may apply to the MBA program during the second semester of your first year.

PsyD admission requirements:

• Complete online application and pay application fee through PsyCAS.
• Please also pay the supplemental Widener application fee.
• Applicants must hold a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science degree from an accredited institution. A major in psychology is desirable, but not required.
• Transcripts are required from all attended institutions. A minimum GPA of a 3.0 is required; competitive applicants have a 3.5 GPA or higher.
• All entering students must have completed a course in statistics, abnormal psychology or psychopathology, and research design or experimental psychology by the time they matriculate in the fall.
• Personal character and attributes of emotional maturity and stability, as well as a capacity for relating to and working with other people, are also major factors in reviewing the credentials of applicants. Evidence for these attributes is sought from records of past performance, letters of reference, autobiographical statement, and work history.

Dual degree and MBA admission requirements:

We accept applications for the psychology and business dual degree program during the spring semester of the first year of the PsyD program. The application process includes:

• A review of the applicant's standing in the clinical psychology program.
• A short essay articulating a sound rationale for pursuing the dual degree.
• A consultation with the business school dual degree advisor.
• An in-person interview with the director of the dual degree program.

After applicants are accepted into the psychology in business program, they gain formal admission to the School of Business Administration by signing a release form to have their application materials copied and forwarded from the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology to the School of Business Administration.

We make every effort possible to accept all qualified individuals into the program. PsyD students rarely have difficulty being admitted to the School of Business Administration. Nevertheless, graduate student status in the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology does not guarantee admission into the psychology in business program. Throughout students' tenure in the program, they must maintain good standing in the clinical psychology program in order to take business courses.

Financial Aid

Because Widener is a private institution, we're able to offer financial assistance that brings our education within reach for individuals who might otherwise not be able to afford it.

You might be surprised how much we are able to offer.

Paths to Savings

Earn Your Second Degree for Free

Dual Enrollment & Other Student Fees Apply

It's possible at Widener! Students enrolled in a PsyD dual degree program ONLY pay for PsyD tuition and a dual enrollment fee. That means the second degree is on us!

85% of Full-Time Grad Students Receive Aid

Simply apply to Widener and complete the financial aid process to be automatically considered for scholarships and grants. Because Widener is a private institution, we are able to offer financial assistance that brings our education within reach for individuals who might otherwise not be able to afford it. You might be surprised at how much we are able to offer in assistance.

Program Cost

Clinical Psychology (PsyD)

$1,200 per credit 120 total credits $144,000 total cost

Dual Degree Program Fee

$934

PsyD Tuition by Cohort

Psychology (Full-Time Doctoral)	Per Semester	Annual
Psychology - First Year	$20,610	$41,220
Psychology - Fall 2024 Cohort	$19,932.50	$39,865
Psychology - Fall 2023 Cohort	$19,352	$38,704
Psychology - Fall 2022 Cohort	$18,697.50	$37,395
Psychology - Fall 2021 Cohort	$18,170.50	$36,341
PSY D Joint Program Fee (MBA, MCJ, HSED)	(no semester fee)	$995