PSY7015 is the gateway course for all PhD in Psychology students at Capella — completed during the very first quarter of doctoral enrollment and not transferable from any other institution. The course ensures every incoming doctoral student can navigate the virtual learning environment effectively, understands what their specific specialization requires to reach degree completion, is familiar with the profession's ethical standards and key professional organizations, and has begun the critical work of articulating their own professional identity as a doctoral-level psychologist.
Orienting to doctoral psychology study
Core topics
- Navigating the doctoral learning environment: Developing competency with Capella's virtual campus, library resources, writing center support, career services, and the academic tools students will rely on throughout their doctoral program
- Program requirements and doctoral pathway: Understanding the specific degree requirements, course sequencing, milestones (qualifying exams, prospectus, dissertation), and timeline expectations for the student's chosen specialization within the PhD in Psychology
- Specialization context: Surveying the professional landscape of the student's chosen specialization — the roles applied psychologists perform, the settings in which they work, the professional organizations (APA divisions, state associations) that define the field, and the scope of practice relevant to the specialization
- Ethics and professional guidelines: Introduction to the APA's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct — the core principles (beneficence, nonmaleficence, fidelity, justice, respect for autonomy) and how they govern research, practice, and professional conduct at the doctoral level
- Professional identity development: Beginning the ongoing process of synthesizing academic training, personal values, theoretical preferences, and career goals into a coherent professional identity — articulating who one is as a doctoral psychologist and what one aims to contribute to the field
PSY7015 assignments include professional identity statements, program planning documents, and ethics reflections
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Frequently asked questions
PSY7015 is specifically designed to orient students to Capella's doctoral environment, program structure, and resources — content that is inherently institution-specific rather than discipline-content that could equivalently be covered at another university. The course ensures that every PhD in Psychology student at Capella begins their doctoral journey with a common foundation: knowledge of the program's specific milestones and requirements, familiarity with the institutional resources available, exposure to the professional organizations and ethical standards of their specialization, and the beginnings of a doctoral-level professional identity. Transfer credit from a foundations course at another institution cannot provide this Capella-specific orientation, which is why the restriction exists. Being required in the first quarter also ensures that students encounter these foundational elements early enough to inform how they approach subsequent coursework.