Clinical Psychology (PhD)
Overview
The Clinical Psychology training program offers the Doctor of Philosophy degree through integrated academic, scientific, and professional training. The program provides students with intensive instruction in the theoretical framework of psychology and broad experience in methods of practice in clinical psychology.
Our program is defined by the scientist-practitioner model. We believe that clinical psychologists should be both scientists – knowledgeable in formulating and solving scientific problems – and practitioners – experienced in the use of empirically supported clinical techniques. To this end, the core courses are organized as integrated theory-research-practice units with a problem-solving emphasis.
Within the context of a general clinical psychology program, the Department of Psychological Science offers specialized training in neuropsychology, integrated primary care, and the study and treatment of trauma/anxiety. The training emphasis of the program involves both a neuropsychological and a behavioral approach to the understanding and treatment of human distress and dysfunction. The major program areas prepare students for teaching and research in medical, mental health, and academic settings, as well as for clinical service. Students receive training in a broad range of assessment procedures and intervention approaches with an emphasis on empirically supported interventions. Students gain experience with a range of medical, neurological, psychiatric, and neuropsychiatric populations through clinical and research activities. Our graduates will be well-prepared clinicians and researchers because of the solid grounding in theory, practice, and research that our faculty will provide. The training ensures the development of broad-based clinical skills and encourages close, cooperative work with other healthcare specialists, such as pediatricians, internists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, geriatricians, and psychiatrists.
The Clinical Psychology PhD Program strives to maintain a balance between academic course work, research training, and supervised clinical practice. In designing the core curriculum, the department has followed the recommendations of the Committee on Accreditation for Health Service Psychology. The course curriculum includes a sequence of required courses that address discipline-specific knowledge and profession-wide competencies as required by the American Psychological Association ensuring students develop competencies in these areas:
- Biological aspects of behavior
- Cognitive and affective aspects of behavior
- Social aspects of behavior
- History and systems of psychology
- Psychological measurement
- Research methodology
- Techniques of data analysis
- Ethics and legal standards
- Individual and cultural diversity
- Professional values attitudes and behavior
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Assessment
- Intervention
- Consultation
- Supervision
A sequence of clinical practice and participation in research round out the pre-internship years.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the graduate program in clinical psychology, prospective candidates must first meet all requirements for graduate admission to UT Rio Grande Valley, as well as the other requirements listed below:
- A bachelor's degree from a college or university accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency or foreign equivalent.
- A minimum of 18 credit hours of psychology. Although a variety of psychology courses are acceptable, applicants will ideally have completed courses in Statistics, Research Methods, Abnormal Psychology, Personality, and Biological/Physiological Psychology.
- A minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for undergraduate coursework. Applicants who have completed graduate courses must also have a GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- GRE scores for both the GRE General Test (verbal, quantitative, and analytical) and the GRE Psychology Subject Test. The GRE General Test score is due by the December 1st deadline and proof of registration for the GRE Psychology Subject Test is due by January 31st.
- Official transcripts.
- Current resume/CV.
- A 1-2 page personal statement that addresses their professional goals, why they are interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and what interests them about our program in particular. Applicants should state whether they are bilingual English/Spanish with respect to written and spoken language. Applicants should submit a rank order clearly identifying their top three faculty they are interested in working with and why.
- Writing sample that best demonstrates their scholarly writing skills in psychology or a related field. This can be a class paper, thesis, conference paper, published article, or other written scholarly paper.
- Three letters of recommendation from academic or professional sources, familiar with the applicant's professional or educational capabilities. At least two of these letters must come from faculty who have taught and/or have provided research mentorship to the applicant.
Application for admission must be submitted prior to the published deadline. The application is available at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply.
Program Requirements
Foundation Courses - 48 Hours
| PSYC 6301 | Statistics for Psychological Research I | 3 |
| PSYC 6302 | Statistics for Psychological Research II | 3 |
| PSYC 6309 | Adult Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSYC 6312 | Child Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSYC 6332 | Research Design | 3 |
| PSYC 6346 | Assessment and Measurement in Adults | 3 |
| PSYC 6347 | Assessment and Measurement in Children and Families | 3 |
| PSYC 6353 | Individual Therapy/Clinical Fundamentals | 3 |
| PSYC 8303 | Advanced Statistics for Psychological Research III | 3 |
| PSYC 8320 | Neuropsychological Models of Cognition and Emotion | 3 |
| PSYC 8330 | Emotions and Cognitions: A Developmental Perspective | 3 |
| PSYC 8340 | Cross Cultural Psychology with an Emphasis on Studies of Hispanic/Mexican American Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 8341 | Assessment and Treatment in Mexican American Cultural Contexts | 3 |
| PSYC 8361 | Empirically Supported Treatment with Adults and Children | 3 |
| PSYC 8363 | Professional Issues and Ethics in Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 8372 | Supervision and Consultation | 3 |
Practicum - 22 Hours
Thesis/Research - 6 Hours
Dissertation - 12 Hours
Internship - 2 Hours
PSYC 8100 is a 12-month internship that must be taken twice.
Electives - 6 Hours
Choose two from the following:
| PSYC 8322 | Psychology of Stress and Health | 3 |
| PSYC 8328 | Health Psychology: Cognitive, Affective & Physiological Bases for Behavior | 3 |
| PSYC 8329 | Health Psychology: Psychological Comorbidities of Physical Illness | 3 |
| PSYC 8356 | Group Psychotherapy | 3 |
| PSYC 8362 | Foundations of Integrated Behavioral Health Care | 3 |
| PSYC 8366 | Advanced Issues in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | 3 |
| PSYC 8370 | Direct Experiences in Clinical Psychology across Cultures | 3 |
| PSYC 8371 | Neuropsychological Assessment | 3 |
| PSYC 8373 | Neuropathology: A Primer for Aspiring Neuropsychologists | 3 |
| PSYC 8375 | Trauma | 3 |
| PSYC 8376 | Family Violence | 3 |
| PSYC 8387 | Clinical Skills for the Behavioral Health Consultant | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 96