The School of Professional Psychology at the Forest Institute in Springfield, Missouri is a private non-profit academic institution that was founded in 1979 to provide, "an alternative to the traditional teaching Ph.D. programs of education".[1]
The school's focus is more on practical applications of psychology in the care of patients in the community rather than pure research, theory, and academia. It claims to emphasize a holistic approach to mental health that is still well-grounded in established scientific research, and offers the following degrees: the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.), the Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology (MACP), the Post-Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy, the Postdoctoral Residency Program, and the Re-specialization in Clinical Psychology. It is associated with the Robert J. Murney Clinic which allows graduate students to acquire clinical experience directly on campus. It is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).
In 2007 its enrollment totaled 221 students (nearly 75% of whom were women), and it awarded 66 doctoral degrees that year.[2] In 2003 its national rank as a doctoral program in psychology in the United States was 171 out of 200.[3]