Ph.D. Program Curriculum

Residency

During the residency period, students engage in 3 summers of academic coursework on the Smith campus and two intervening 8-month periods of clinical practice and research in a clinical internship site. Each session must be successfully completed before enrollment in the next subsequent session, except under special circumstances.

First Summer (Session 1)
June-August
Smith College campus

First Internship Placement (Session 2)
September-April
Sites around the country

Second Summer (Session 3)
June-August
Smith College campus

Second Internship Placement (Session 4)
September-April
Sites around the country

Third Summer (Session 5)
June-August
Smith College campus

Post-Residency

Upon satisfactory completion of Sessions 1 through 5, students enter the period of Post-Residency during which the dissertation is developed. The School has established a 5-year limit for completion of the dissertation.

In the case that students have not completed the doctoral requirements within 5 years after coursework, students may petition for a 1-year extension. Students may petition for a total of three 1-year extensions. The Ph.D. director may approve these extensions based on the student’s progress in the program. Students who do not complete the program requirements within the stated timeframe may be terminated from the program.

Students pay an annual advising fee during this Post-Residency period.