College of Science and Health > Academics > Psychology > Graduate Programs > Clinical Psychology (MA/PhD) > Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

MA/PhD Degree Requirements

The Clinical Psychology MA/PhD is a combined degree. The MA is non-terminal and, therefore, only students intending to confer the PhD are admitted.

MA Course Requirements

The MA portion of the combined degree program requires a minimum of 64 quarter hours beyond the completion of a bachelor’s degree, including four quarter hours of thesis research.

Core Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 406PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES4
PSY 461ETHICS & HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY SEMINAR4
PSY 499INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL SKILLS, CONSULTATION, AND SUPERVISION (3 quarters)0
Select one of the following:4
PSY 404
PERCEPTION AND COGNITION
PSY 426
LANGUAGE AND COGNITION
PSY 473
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF JUDGMENT AND DECISION- MAKING
Select one of the following:4
PSY 430
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY OF THE SELF
PSY 556
PREJUDICE AND INTERGROUP RELATIONS
PSY 560
SOCIAL COGNITION
Select one of the following:4
PSY 439
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
PSY 554
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
PSY 555
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

Statistics and Methodology Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 410ADVANCED STATISTICS I4
PSY 411ADVANCED STATISTICS II4
PSY 420QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN4
Select one of the following:4
PSY 418
MULTIVARIATE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
PSY 419
FACTOR ANALYSIS AND STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING

Additional Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 481CHILD ASSESSMENT4
PSY 482ADULT ASSESSMENT4
PSY 486ADVANCED PSYCHOPATHOLOGY4
PSY 488PRINCIPLES OF PSYCHOTHERAPY AND BEHAVIOR CHANGE4
PSY 493ADVANCED COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY4
PSY 520PRINCIPLES OF HUMAN DIVERSITY4
PSY 565PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR (3 quarters)0
PSY 590THESIS RESEARCH SEMINAR (3 quarters)0

Clinical Practicum

Three quarters of clinical practicum need to be successfully completed. The Director of Clinical Training must approve the practicum placement in advance. All practicum courses are zero credit hours.

During year two, students should enroll in the following practicum courses:

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 577PRACTICUM IN CLINICAL ASSESSMENT (autumn quarter)0
PSY 578PRACTICUM IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY (winter quarter)0
PSY 579PRACTICUM IN CHILD CLINICAL PROCEDURES (spring quarter)0

Master's Thesis Requirements

Research Course

  • PSY 597

Master’s Thesis

Complete a thesis on a topic approved by the department.

Master’s Thesis Examination

The examination is a defense of the student’s thesis.

PhD Course Requirements​

The PhD portion of the combined degree program requires a minimum of 28 quarter hours beyond the completion of the master’s degree, including four quarter hours of dissertation research. The following requirements must be completed to confer the PhD.

Core Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 565PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR (3 quarters) 10
PSY 596INTERNSHIP IN CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY (5 quarters)0
PSY 598DISSERTATION RESEARCH SEMINAR0
1

Students are required to complete a total of 6 quarters of PSY 565 for the MA/PhD requirements.

Area of Emphasis

At least three additional courses consistent with an area of emphasis are required to reach minimum number of hours required for the PhD.

Additional Required Courses for Clinical-Child (may be used as general electives for Clinical-Community)

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 491TREATMENT METHODS WITH CHILDREN4
PSY 562SEMINAR IN FAMILY THERAPY4
PSY 570SEMINAR IN PSYCHOTHERAPY RESEARCH4

Additional Required Courses for Clinical-Community (may be used as general electives for Clinical-Child)

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 492PRINCIPLES OF CONSULTATION4
PSY 495GRANT WRITING IN PSYCHOLOGY4
PSY 569SEMINAR IN PROGRAM EVALUATION4
PSY 585FIELDWORK IN COMMUNITY SETTINGS (3 quarters)0

General Electives

Students must complete three general electives to reach the minimum number of hours required for the PhD.

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 416METHODS IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH4
PSY 483ADVANCED ASSESSMENT4
PSY 489ADVANCED TOPICS IN PSYCHOTHERAPY4
PSY 511HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY4
PSY 567SPECIAL TOPICS IN COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY4
PSY 568SEMINAR IN PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION4

Clinical Practicum

Six quarters of clinical practicum need to be successfully completed. The Director of Clinical Training must approve the practicum placement in advance. All practicum courses are zero credit hours.

During year three, students should enroll in the following practicum courses:

Course Title Quarter Hours
PSY 582ADVANCED PRACTICUM-CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY (autumn quarter)0
PSY 583PRACTICUM IN COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH (winter quarter)0
PSY 584ADVANCED PRACTICUM IN EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE IN PSYCHOLOGY (spring quarter)0

If students choose to complete additional years of practicum beyond year four, students should enroll in PSY 574 (taken separately in AQ, WQ, and SQ). 

  • PSY 574 (taken separately in AQ, WQ, and SQ)

Doctoral Candidacy Examination (Comprehensive Examination or Review Paper)

Designed to assess the student’s general knowledge of clinical psychology and the student’s area of emphasis (clinical-child or clinical-community). The examination is given in two sections. One section consists of an examination in the areas represented by the required courses in clinical psychology. A second section consists of an examination in the student’s area of emphasis -- clinical-child or clinical-community psychology. An alternative to the Doctoral Candidacy Examination is to complete a major comprehensive review paper based on the literature within an area relevant to the field of clinical psychology. This paper must be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed clinical psychology journal.

Admission to Doctoral Candidacy

Formally given to the student with satisfactory coursework performance who has successfully completed the master’s thesis and passed the Doctoral Candidacy Examination; the candidate has no more than five years from this date to complete the PhD requirements or dismissal from the program will ensue.

Students denied candidacy will be required to withdraw from the program or withdraw after completion of the MA.

Internship

One-year supervised internship in an approved doctoral training site. Students typically intern during the fifth or sixth year in the program.

Doctoral Dissertation Requirements

Research Course

  • PSY 599

Doctoral Dissertation

Departmental committee approval and acceptance of topic and outline of dissertation given only after admission to doctoral candidacy.

Doctoral Dissertation Examination

Student to defend dissertation and to show competence in the general field of psychology and in the area of specialization of the dissertation.

Residency Requirement

​The clinical psychology program requires a minimum of three full-time academic years of graduate coursework and residency, a master's thesis and dissertation, comprehensive exam/project, and completion of an internship prior to awarding the doctoral degree. The program's residency requirement is addressed through the requirement that students complete their coursework (in all courses, but one) in face-to-face classes during the first three years in the program, and complete their required graduate assistantship and teaching assistantship roles. Students are required to complete the internship before the degree is awarded.

Time Limitations

  • No more than four years between admission to the MA/PhD program and admission to doctoral candidacy.
  • No less than eight months and no more than five years between admission to doctoral candidacy and the final doctoral oral examination; or dismissal from the program will ensue.

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