Clinical Psychology (MA)

CIP Code

42.2801.00

Overview

The School of Psychological Sciences offers two master's degrees for students interested in graduates studies in psychology. The Master of Arts (MA) in Clinical Psychology and the MA in Experimental Psychology. Students who complete either program are prepared to continue a doctoral psychology program.

The MA in Clinical Psychology is a 60-hour program and includes coursework that prepares students for licensure as a Licensed Professional Associate (LPA).

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the graduate program in MA 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:

  1. Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution in the United States or a recognized international equivalent in psychology or related field.
  2. Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 in the last 60 semester credit hours.
  3. A minimum of 18 credit hours of psychology. Although a variety of psychology courses are acceptable, applicants will ideally have obtained a grade of B or higher in general psychology, statistics, research methods, and abnormal psychology/psychopathology.
  4. Three letters of recommendation from professional or academic sources.
  5. Submit a 500-word essay that outlines your educational and professional goals and your qualifications for graduate study. Include the following:
    • Discuss your fit with the program as well as your short-term and long-term academic and professional goals.
    • Describe any previous fieldwork and research experience or interests, and explain how these align with specific faculty work in our department.
  6. Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV).`

Application for admission must be submitted prior to the published deadline. The application is available at www.utrgv.edu/gradapply.

Note: This program leads to a profession which requires an occupational license as defined under Texas Occupations Code 58.001. This requires that all applicants seeking to become licensed must undergo a criminal background check prior to licensure.

Program Requirements

Required Courses - 36 Hours

PSYC 6301Statistics for Psychological Research I

3

PSYC 6305Advanced Studies in Psychopathology

3

PSYC 6306Social Psychology

3

PSYC 6330Developmental Psychology

3

PSYC 6332Research Design

3

PSYC 6336Advanced Psychological Measurement

3

PSYC 6340Cross Cultural Psychology

3

PSYC 6354Individual Psychotherapy

3

PSYC 6356Group Psychotherapy

3

PSYC 6363Contemporary Professional Issues and Ethics in Psychology

3

PSYC 6364Clinical Practicum I

3

PSYC 6368Internship

3

License Preparation - 18 hours

Psychological Associate Requirements

PSYC 6311Advanced Studies in Personality Theory

3

PSYC 6315Applied Behavior Analysis

3

PSYC 6320Neuropsychology

3

PSYC 6325Conditioning and Learning

3

PSYC 6344Learning, Memory and Cognition

3

PSYC 6352Personality Assessment

3

Non-thesis Option - 6 Hours

Choose two from the following:

PSYC 6304Multivariate Statistics

3

PSYC 6321Contemporary Topics in Psychology

3

PSYC 6334Single Subject Designs

3

PSYC 6350Behavioral Assessment

3

PSYC 6351Behavior Change

3

PSYC 6355Behavior Change and Supervision

3

PSYC 6362Contemporary Professional Issues and Ethics in Applied Behavior Analysis

3

REHS 6335Addictions Counseling in Clinical Rehabilitation

3

REHS 6385Couple and Family Counseling

3

With program coordinator’s approval, students who have been accepted into the Applied Behavioral Analysis Certificate can take 6 hours from the certificate. PSYC 6321 may be taken twice when topic varies.

Capstone Requirement

Written Comprehensive Exam

Thesis Option - 6 Hours

PSYC 7300Thesis I

3

PSYC 7301Thesis II

3

Total Credit Hours: 60