Program and Departmental Procedures

If a student has a grievance with some aspect of the Clinical Psychology program, and wishes to have it addressed, they should approach the Director of Clinical Training, the Graduate Program Director, or the Department Chair for guidance and support.  In the context of this discussion, the parties should consult the Program Handbook and the PBS Graduate Program Policies and Procedures.  As just one example, PBS has an Advisor Reassignment Policy.

Graduate School Procedures

If the grievance precipitates involvement by the Graduate School, the parties should consult the UMass Amherst Graduate School Bulletin Grievance Procedure Information.

APA Procedures

If the student feels that the program is not in compliance with APA’s Standards of Accreditation (SoA) and their Implementing Regulations (IRs), the student may file a complaint with the Commission on Accreditation of APA .  It should be noted that the procedures for handling complaints against accredited programs are intended to deal only with complaints based on purported lack of program consistency with the SoA.  It is not a mechanism for adjudication of disputes between individuals and programs.  The APA Commission on Accreditation (CoA) cannot, for instance, direct a program to change a grade, readmit a student, or reinstate a faculty member.  Students who have a complaint about the program’s adherence to APA’s SoA for accredited programs are encouraged to discuss the complaint with departmental and university administrators prior to making a formal complaint to APA.