Degree Requirements

MA Course Requirements

The MA degree requires a minimum of 76 quarter hours beyond the completion of a bachelor’s degree, including four quarter hours of thesis research.

Core Courses

Research Course

Master’s Thesis

Complete a thesis on a topic approved by the department. The finished thesis should reflect the research process which usually includes: identifying a problem, reviewing literature to find theoretical perspectives and research findings relevant to the problem, developing specific and testable hypotheses, developing methodology for the investigation, conducting the investigation, analyzing results of the investigation, and discussing the implications and limitations of these results.

Master’s Thesis Examination

The examination is an oral defense of the student’s thesis.

PhD Course Requirements​

The PhD degree requires a minimum of 16 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

Area of Emphasis

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

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

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

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.

If students choose to complete additional years of practicum beyond the required minimum, students should enroll in 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.

Internship

One-year supervised internship in an approved doctoral training site. Students typically intern during the final year of the program.

Doctoral Dissertation Requirements

Research Course

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 face-to-face classes during the first three years in the program, and complete their required graduate assistantship and teaching assistantship roles in person. 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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