The program at AU is strongly committed to training practitioners and scientists.

To gain a firm grounding in each, there is fieldwork and a research orientation experience.

Beginning in the first semester, each student works as an apprentice to a faculty member. Through this orientation, the student gains experience in planning and conducting research, analyzing data and writing studies.

The dissertation is the culminating student research experience. Through this experience, students conduct an independent research project on a topic they select related to the practice of psychology with children and families. This project is supervised by a sponsoring committee of faculty.