Doctor of Philosophy: Psychology - Clinical Psychology Option
The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Option is a full-time program of graduate study designed to train health service psychologists who are competent scientist-practitioners with expertise in clinical psychology. The program seeks to enhance the health of our communities, broadly defined, through: providing rigorous training of students (education mission); serving our communities through the integration of behavioral sciences, health research and health service (service mission); developing knowledge and enhancing health outcomes through empirical research (research and evaluation mission); and incorporating integrity and respect for human diversity in all our activities (human mission). Based on a scientist-practitioner model, the program's clinical training and services are grounded in a commitment to the integration of science and practice. Consistent with the mission of our University to lead in the life and health sciences, our program faculty and students are actively involved in research, communities, and health service systems to promote a high quality of life for all.
Admission Criteria
Our doctorate is designed for applicants with a prior bachelor's or master's level degree. New students are admitted in fall semester only. Because we receive applications from many more qualified individuals than can be admitted, admission is highly competitive (see links to detailed information below). All application materials must be received by December 5 to be considered for admission the following fall. Visit the Clinical Psychology Option web page for current application procedures and links to other helpful application resources.
The following are minimum criteria recommended for admission:
- A bachelor's degree in Psychology, Counseling, Special Education or other health-related discipline such as Pre-Med or Nursing. Satisfactory completion of prior coursework in Introductory/General Psychology, Experimental Methods/Research Design and Statistics/Quantitative Methods is required. Satisfactory completion of prior coursework in at least two of the following areas is also strongly recommended: Abnormal Psychology, Personality, Biopsychology, Sensation and Perception, Cognitive Psychology, Motivation, Social Psychology.
- Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or graduate GPA of 3.5. Alternative criteria may be accepted at the discretion of the admissions committee if there is good reason to believe the regular criteria do not adequately portray the student’s potential to do quality work in the doctoral degree. However, admission to the doctorate is highly competitive, and we seek to admit students with a general history of excellence. A disclosure of the average GPA of students recently admitted to the program can be accessed through the doctorate's web page.
- Competitive Graduate Record Examination scores from the general test (GRE Math + Verbal greater than 300; Analytical Writing score of at least 4.5). Students whose scores fall below this recommended minimum may present additional evidence of their capacity to do quality doctoral-level work. Such additional evidence will be considered and accepted at the discretion of the Clinical Admissions Committee. A disclosure of the GRE scores of students recently admitted can be accessed through our web page.
- Demonstrated evidence of interest in clinical psychology research. Our training follows a mentorship model. Therefore, applicants whose research interests are similar to those of the faculty will be given higher consideration. A listing of faculty interests and research can be accessed through the Department of Psychology Faculty Research web page.
- History of personal conduct consistent with the ability to adhere to high standards of student conduct, as outlined in the UMKC Standard for Student Conduct, and professional conduct as outlined by the American Psychological Association and state licensure boards.
Because clinical psychology is an empirically-based discipline, our training emphasizes continuous involvement in research and practice. For this reason, students primarily interested in psychotherapy and clinical or counseling practice without a strong interest in the scientific aspect of the scientist/practitioner model would be better served by other programs.
Typically four students are accepted each year. Applicants are evaluated based on the following dimensions:
- Academic potential
- Research potential
- Interpersonal skills and other indications of potential for clinical work
- Professional identity and involvement
- Evidence of high ethical standards
Our training follows the American Psychological Association Guidelines for Graduate School Offers and Acceptances.
Admission Procedure
New students are admitted in fall semester only. Because we receive applications from many more qualified individuals than can be admitted, admission is highly competitive. A disclosure of relevant data for students recently admitted can be accessed through the Clinical Psychology Option web page. All application materials must be received by December 5 to be considered for admission in the following fall. Please see the Clinical Psychology Option web page for current application procedures.
Our training follows the American Psychological Association Guidelines for Graduate School Offers and Acceptances.
Student Learning Outcomes
The Clinical Psychology Option is organized around the following training goals and student learning outcomes:
Training Goal 1: To provide students with knowledge and skills in the evaluation, conduct, and dissemination of general psychological and clinical health related research
Student Learning outcomes:
- Students will demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate literature relevant to the science and practice of psychology
- Student will demonstrate the ability to conduct empirically sound research, including research design and implementation and statistical analysis
Training Goal 2: To provide students with entry-level skill in the delivery of evidence-based psychological and clinical health services
Student Learning outcomes
- Students will demonstrate the ability to select, administer, and interpret assessment and diagnostic tools in the context of clinical service delivery
- Students will demonstrate the ability to select, administer, and evaluate evidence-based psychological and clinical health interventions
Training Goal 3: To provide students with knowledge of ethical and professional principles and to promote ethical conduct and high professional standards in research and clinical situations
Student Learning outcomes
- Student will demonstrate the ability to identify and appropriately respond to ethical issues raised in research contexts
- Student will demonstrate the ability to identify and appropriately respond to ethical issues raised in clinical contexts
Training Goal 4: To provide students with knowledge and skills in working with diverse groups of individuals in professional contexts
Student Learning outcomes
- Student will demonstrate the ability to identify the nature and impact of diversity on the administration and interpretation of assessments and the delivery of health services
- Student will demonstrate the ability to identify the nature and impact of diversity in the conduct of research and its dissemination
Program Requirements
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | Spring Semester | Credits | Summer Semester | Credits |
| CPCE 5503 | 3 | PSYCH 5510 | 3 | PSYCH 5650 (optional)2 | 1 |
| PSYCH 5509 | 3 | PSYCH 5517 | 3 | ||
| PSYCH 5516 | 3 | PSYCH 5590 or 55991 | 1 | ||
| PSYCH 55803 | 1-3 | PSYCH 5601 | 3 | ||
| PSYCH 5590 or 55991 | 1-9 | ||||
| 11-21 | 10 | 1 | |||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall Semester | Credits | Spring Semester | Credits | Summer Semester | Credits |
| Psych 0000 Core Psychology5 | 3 | PSYCH 0000 Core Psychology5 | 3 | PSYCH 5650 (optional)2 | 1 |
| PSYCH 55383 | 3 | PSYCH 0000 Core Psychology5 | 3 | ||
| PSYCH 56502 | 3 | EDUC-R&P 5611 or 5613 | 3 | ||
| PSYCH 5580 or 56323, 4 | 3 | PSYCH 5590 or 55991 | 2 | ||
| PSYCH 5590 or 55991 | 2 | PSYCH 56502 | 3 | ||
| 14 | 14 | 1 | |||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall Semester | Credits | Spring Semester | Credits | Summer Semester | Credits |
| PSYCH 0000 Core Psychology5 | 3 | PSYCH 0000 Core Psychology or Diversity Requirement5 | 3 | PSYCH 5650 (optional)2 | 1 |
| PSYCH 5586 or 5580 | 3 | PSYCH 56502 | 1 | ||
| PSYCH 56502 | 1 | PSYCH 56966 | 2 | ||
| PSYCH 56966 | 2 | ||||
| 9 | 6 | 1 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall Semester | Credits | Spring Semester | Credits | ||
| PSYCH 0000 Core Psychology or PSYCH 55865 | 3 | PSYCH 0000 Core Psychology5 | 3 | ||
| PSYCH 56502 | 1 | PSYCH 56502 | 1 | ||
| PSYCH 56996 | 2 | PSYCH 56996 | 2 | ||
| 6 | 6 | ||||
| Fifth Year | |||||
| Fall Semester | Credits | Spring Semester | Credits | ||
| PSYCH 56607 | 1 | PSYCH 56607 | 1 | ||
| PSYCH 56998 | 1 | PSYCH 56998 | 1 | ||
| 2 | 2 | ||||
| Total Credits: 83-93 | |||||
| 1 | Students are required to officially enroll and accumulate 6 hours of research credit over their first 2 years in the program (6 credit hours of graduate level research credit are required to receive the M.A.). If the master’s thesis project has been waived or completed, formal enrollment in directed research is still required. It is expected that all students will be actively involved in research and evaluated on their research performance every fall and winter semesters. Students who have had the M.A. requirement waived need only take 1 credit hour of research in each semester of the second year. However, students will still need to accumulate the additional 8 research credit hours required over and above the master’s thesis requirement to reach the graduate school minimum of 12 research credit hours for the Ph.D. |
| 2 | The program requires that students enroll in practicum each regular Fall and Spring semester of the second, third, and fourth years. Students may complete additional clinical hours in summer practicum to improve their competitiveness for internships. Official enrollment is optional, although documentation of supervised hours is required for those to be included. |
| 3 | This may be taken during the third year (same semester) instead of the second year. |
| 4 | Some courses will offered in alternate years |
| 5 | There are 5 core course requirements (see list at the bottom of the table). In some areas (e.g., Developmental) alternative courses may be used to fulfill the requirement. |
| 6 | The graduate school requires at least 12 hours of graduate research credit to graduate with a Ph.D. Our program requires a total of 8 research credit hours (pre-dissertation and dissertation) beyond the 6 required for the master’s thesis for graduation. You may accumulate these hours in any way you wish as long as you complete the additional 8 hours prior to graduation. However you must first pass comps before enrolling in dissertation units. |
| 7 | Due to variable internship start and end dates you may only officially complete you internship after the end of the Spring semester. In these cases an incomplete grade will be given until official completion of the internship. Note that the university generally requires students to be enrolled in the semester that they graduate. However, providing all other program requirements have been completed by the end of the spring semester (such as the dissertation) the DCT will request that summer enrollment be waived for students graduating in the summer. If all other requirements are not completed you will be required to enroll in at least one credit (for example, if you dissertation is not yet defended you will enroll in 1 credit of research for the summer semester). |
| 8 | Students who defend their dissertations prior to the 5th year do not register for continuing dissertation hours. Students, fifth year or beyond, who have not successfully defended the dissertation are required to enroll in 1CH of Dissertation each semester until it is completed. |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSYCH 5521 | Advanced Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 5507 | Cognitive Psychology | 3 |
| or PSYCH 5505 | Motivation | |
| PSYCH 5518 | Advanced Biopsychology | 3 |
| PSYCH 5515 | Advanced Systems And History Of Psychology | 3 |
| Developmental Requirement, for example: | ||
| Advanced Developmental Science Across the Lifespan | ||
| Adult Development And Aging | ||