Potential Careers
- Health care consultant
- Rehab clinic director
- Hospital administrator
- Clinical manager
Dual Degree Program
PsyD & Health Care Management MBA Dual Degree
With a dual degree in clinical psychology and health care management, you'll prepare for success in health care leadership.
At a Glance
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Offered as
Dual Degree
Format
Hybrid (Online & On Campus)
Credits
PsyD: 120
MBA: 36
Avg. Time to Completion
5 years
College/School
Campus Location
- Chester, PA
Explore Our Clinical Psychology & Health Care Management Dual Degree
Widener's dual degree in clinical psychology and health care management opens doors to a wide range of rewarding careers in psychology, health care, and business. Here, you'll elevate your career—and save both time and money—by simultaneously earning an MBA in health care management and a doctor of clinical psychology (PsyD) degree.
You'll train to become a clinical psychologists while developing a deep understanding of the health care system in which you will practice. By pairing clinical psychology expertise with competencies related to the business of health care, you’ll graduate ready to run your own practice or take on leadership roles in a variety of health care settings.
Training will begin in our PsyD program, where you'll develop expertise across a range of clinical applications, from applied psychology to program evaluation. In-class learning will be strengthened with a practicum, field placement, and other clinical experiences.
Along the way, you'll study the business side of health care through our MBA in health care management program and both a clinical experience and administrative residency will provide on-the-job training and leadership development experience.
Here, you'll go further than you ever imagined.
Our doctoral degree in clinical psychology program and exclusively-affiliated internship are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002, 202-336-5979).
Our MBA in health care management is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
PsyD/MBA Program Information
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) in health care management. Along the way, you'll gain on-the-job training in both clinical psychology and health care administration. Didactic and experiential components of the instructional program are combined in a curriculum that is designed to achieve a balance between classroom instruction and practical applied experience.
Throughout the PsyD/MBA in Health Care Management curriculum, you'll complete courses that integrate the study of health care management with the study of clinical psychology. You'll be exposed to the nine areas of competency which, according to the APA model, which represent the scope of contemporary professional psychology: research; ethical and legal standards; individual and cultural diversity, professional values, attitudes and behaviors; communication and interpersonal skills; assessment; intervention; supervision; consultation and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills.
MBA HCM courses range from foundational business courses like accounting, decision making, marketing, and analytics to health care specific courses in strategic financial management, managing business processes, and managerial economics.
View the Loading... for curriculum and coursework requirements.
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.
Clinical experience schedule:
- Years 1-3: Practicum Training
- Years 4 & 5: Internship Training Program with Clinical Rotations
Most doctoral students in clinical psychology enter the Association for Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC) match process to find a pre-doctoral internship. In contrast, our PsyD program offers a unique and fully integrated internship that is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, 202-336-5979).
This means that rather than enter the APPIC match to find an internship; our students are guaranteed a local internship placement through our in-house network of outstanding internship rotations.
In addition to the clinical experiences offered in the PsyD program, you'll complete a health care residency specific to the MBA in Health Care Management curriculum. Your residency will place you in a leadership role with a health care organization, where you'll attend executive meetings, address organizational challenges, and complete management projects.
Here you'll demonstrate management competencies by applying your knowledge and skills to real-world issues in health care organizations and learn the ins and outs of the workplace. Before you graduate, you'll complete at least 360 hours of part-time or full-time experience.
With support from Widener faculty, you'll identify an organization for your residency. Past students have worked with Penn Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and other leading health care systems.
If you plan to work in a health care management role while you complete the MBA program, you may fulfill the residency requirement with your current organization. Or, if you enter the program with health care management experience, you may request a residency waiver.
PsyD & MBA Dual Degree Outlook & Outcomes
Why Study Psychology and Health Care Management at Widener?
Fast Track Your Training
You'll hit the ground running with high-impact, real-world experiences. As you study both clinical psychology and health care management, you'll earn thousands of hours of professional training, thanks to a health administration residency, clinical psychology practicum, and other hands-on experiences.
Accelerate Your Career Growth
In the time it takes to earn a PsyD alone, you will:
- Complete training in clinical psychology
- Acquire business skills and theories specific to the health care industry
- Hone your leadership abilities
You'll graduate ready to work as a health care administrator from day one.
Program Highlights
Our Faculty
The clinical training and supervision that you're most likely to receive here could be invaluable to your development as a clinician. The partnerships that you could make in the tri-state area and beyond would be lifelong, diverse, and in line with your future areas of focus or expertise.
"I want to inspire students to see the world from a global perspective. Business students need to be aware of the opportunities that open up when they learn a new language or immerse themselves in a culture that is different from their own."
Recent News
After COVID Hardships, PsyD Alumni Sponsor Hoods for Graduating Class
After trying final semesters during COVID-19, alumni from the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology offer their support for students through sponsoring doctoral hoods for each graduate.
Widener Small Business Development Center Helps Launch Silvercare Health Center in Chester
Fueled by students with a passion for helping entrepreneurs thrive, Widener’s Small Business Development Center helped open Everest Urgent Care in Chester, part of the $42 million Silvercare Campus Project coming to the city.
Admissions & Aid
Our admissions and financial aid teams are here to support you every step of the way. Have a question? Ask away!
Admissions Information
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.
Deadline:
The online application for the PsyD program opens September 15. An online application, including all supporting credentials, must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST, December 10 to be considered for acceptance into the program. All final admission decisions are made by April 1.
Supplemental Materials:
All supplemental materials must be submitted through the online PSYCAS (Psychology Centralized Application Service) system:
- Essays
- 3 letters of recommendation
- Transcripts
- Optional scholarship essays
If you are selected as a top candidate for the PsyD program, you will receive an invite to one of four Admissions Interview Days, which will include an individual interview.
Financial Aid
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.
Applying For Financial Aid as a Graduate Student
In order to receive your part of the financial aid pie, all you have to do is submit your FAFSA. "FAFSA" stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and helps identify whether you are eligible for aid awarded by Widener, the government, and other sources.
Graduate Assistantships
Widener offers a limited number of graduate assistantships to enrolled students. GAs receive tuition assistance for their work. Once you're a student, contact your program director for more information.
Widener Scholarships
A limited number of university-based scholarships are made available to enrolled graduate students made possible directly from our academic department or thanks to the generosity of university donors. No extra steps are needed to be taken prior to admission. Once enrolled, contact your program director to learn more.
Employer Discounts & Tuition Reimbursement
Widener University also partners with many local organizations and corporations to offer discounted tuition and other incentives to their employees. Don't see your company on the list? Ask them to become a partner. In addition, employers often offer educational reimbursement benefits. We encourage you to explore these opportunities and will be glad to provide any necessary documentation.
20% Discount for Widener Alumni
(some restrictions apply)
If you graduated with a degree from Widener, you may qualify for a 20% tuition discount. The first step to see what you qualify for is to submit your application. Widener offers students many paths to savings, and while we don't offer "double discounts", we'll make sure you'll get the biggest financial benefit you're eligible for. Only students who have completed an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree are eligible. Students who have pursued a 4+1, 4+2, or 3+3 pathway, graduate assistantship, Widener-funded scholarship, or other tuition discount may not be eligible if the financial discount granted surpasses 20%.
Program Cost
Students enrolled in a PsyD dual degree program only pay for PsyD tuition and the dual enrollment fee, but will not be charged the tuition for their second program.
Graduate Admissions Office
-
Hyatt Hall
14th St
Chester, PA 19013 - 610-499-4282
- gcs@widener.edu
Kat LeConey
Assistant Director of Admissions & Enrollment
-
Hyatt Hall, Office #320
- (610) 499-1388
- ksleconey@widener.edu