Graduate School of Professional Psychology Records

In 1975, three professors — Nelson Jones, Evelyn Paley, and Joe Dodds — laid the foundation for what would become the Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) at the University of Denver. In September 1976, the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (PsyD) program launched as only the third of its kind in the nation, earning APA accreditation in 1979. With a groundbreaking approach that emphasized both scientific rigor and immediate hands-on clinical training, the program set a new standard for professional psychology education.

In 1991, Peter Buirski was recruited by DU to lead the School of Professional Psychology (SPP). Under his leadership, the school gained independent graduate status, officially becoming the Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) in 1993. As GSPP’s longest-serving dean (1993–2012), Buirski broadened its academic scope, launching master’s programs in Forensic Psychology (1999), International Disaster Psychology: Trauma and Global Mental Health (2005), and Sport and Performance Psychology (2007), further solidifying GSPP’s reputation as a leader in professional psychology education.

Building on this foundation, Shelly Smith-Acuña (Dean 2012–2022) advanced GSPP’s mission by establishing specialty focus areas in military psychology, health/oncology psychology, substance use disorder psychology, and infant/early childhood mental health. She also oversaw the launch of the online Master’s in Sport Coaching (2015), professional certificates in Strength and Conditioning, Fitness Coaching (2018), and Psychology of Coaching (2019), and a minor in Kinesiology and Sport Studies (2021).

As of 2025, under the leadership of Dean Torrey Wilson (since 2022), GSPP has been evolving into a holistic hub for health and behavioral sciences, integrating mental and physical health disciplines. The school has introduced an undergraduate major in Kinesiology and Sport Studies (2023), a multidisciplinary program exploring the psychological, sociological, historical, and biomechanical aspects of human movement. With an ambitious vision, GSPP is working toward incorporating programs such as physical therapy and speech pathology in the coming years.

Further history and important dates about the Graduate School of Professional Psychology at DU can be found on the page for the 50th anniversary celebration of the school (https://psychology.du.edu/50th-anniversary#history).