Any material that students should be aware of by virtue of their participation in clinical practica. In addition, in constructing the exam, an attempt will be made to distribute questions across several content domains. Most commonly, questions address issues in assessment and diagnosis, psychopathology, and treatment. Consistent with our goals for the exam, preliminary examinations will be evaluated according to several criteria, including quality of writing, breadth of knowledge, and level of creativity. In assessing breadth of knowledge, attention will be paid to the accuracy and specificity of the information provided, the depth of understanding demonstrated, and the student's overall perspective on the question.
Creativity is difficult to define but involves the ability to work with ideas.
Examples of this ability may include thoughtful critique, identification of critical issues, suggestions for new approaches to old problems, and research strategies for furthering knowledge. If a student fails the major preliminary examination, the student may retake it only if the student's major professor and the clinical psychology area group grant permission to take the examination a second time. If a student fails the preliminary examination a second time, permission for a third and final attempt must be based on unusual circumstances and must be approved by the major professor, the major area group, and the department. Having failed the examination, if a student does not obtain permission to attempt the preliminary examination a second or third time, the student will be dropped from the graduate program at the end of the semester in which the examination was failed. Faculty will discuss every question of every exam in a meeting of the clinical psychology area group.