The Master of Science (MS) in Clinical Psychology program will offer students a 63-semester credit hour curriculum over a 24-month period that integrates didactic learning and clinical training to prepare them for a career as both a Licensed Psychological Associate (LPA) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). There are multiple benefits to students in being prepared to become an LPA and/or an LPC. As a Licensed Psychological Associate, graduates can conduct psychological assessments and evaluations while under the supervision of a licensed psychologist, a unique ability for a master's level mental health provider. Graduates who pursue licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor can independently provide individual, group, family, and/or couples counseling. Because graduates will be prepared for both license types, they will be able to choose among them or even pursue both upon completion of the program.
Students will receive didactic instruction encompassing relevant topics ranging from evidence-based practices in mental health to ethics and consultation in psychology. The program provides the benefits of learning via various teaching modalities such as problem-based learning discussions, applied practicum settings, seminars, and traditional lectures. Students will be educated in a wide variety of state-of-the-art inpatient and outpatient treatment settings for behavioral health. Students will complete a minimum of 100 direct contact hours in patient care during their 300 total hours of clinical experience in various healthcare environments with training in evidence-based treatments by leading experts in behavioral health. The program will also require a rigorous research-based thesis to be completed prior to graduation.
The primary educational objective of the MS in Clinical Psychology is to provide high quality, scientifically-based training in psychological intervention, assessment, and research to prepare students for careers as mental health practitioners and for continued education at the doctoral level.
The MS in Clinical Psychology is not yet accredited by the APA Commission on Accreditation. Any questions about accreditation status may be addressed to:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
American Psychological Association
750 1st St. NE, Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 336-5979
Email: apaaccred@apa.org
Admission requirements and required prerequisite courses for the Master of Science in Clinical Psychology include:
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education
- If bachelor's degree is in Psychology, no additional prerequisites will be required
- If the bachelor’s degree does not include a major in Psychology, the following prerequisite courses (15 SCH) must be demonstrated:
- Introduction to Psychology (3 SCH),
- Abnormal Psychology (3 SCH), and
- Three additional courses of upper-level psychology (9 SCH) including some combination the following:
- Social Psychology (3 SCH),
- Theories of Personality (3 SCH),
- Developmental Psychology (3 SCH),
- Research Methods and Statistics (3 SCH)
- Students with international college transcripts must submit a course-by-course evaluation report by either World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). Final transcript credential evaluation results must be submitted with the application through PSYCAS.
- The program will use a holistic approach when reviewing applications, with the following components:
- Preference will be given to applicants with prerequisites completed and an undergraduate overall GPA of 3.5 or higher.
- Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) results are requested only if the undergraduate GPA is less than 3.5, but will be weighed in the context of the totality of the application and will not serve as a stand-alone measure of potential success in a graduate program.
- Personal essay (500-1,000 words) describing the applicants’ goals for pursuing this degree and how the education and training acquired will allow them to meet their professional goals while meeting the growing need for additional mental health providers in the state of Texas.
- Three professional letters of recommendation from academic faculty and/or work supervisors who are in a position to evaluate the applicant’s qualifications for graduate study.
Academic Requirements
The program comprises 63 semester credit hours (SCH) and 300 clinical hours, encompassing core, elective, practicum, thesis and research courses.
Semester 1 - Fall
CPSY 5101 Psychotherapy: Theories and Research (3 SCH)
CPSY 5102 Developmental Psychology & Developmental Disabilities (3 SCH)
CPSY 5103 Learning and Cognition (3 SCH)
CPSY 5104 Psychopathology (3 SCH)
Semester 2 - Spring
CPSY 5201 Psychotherapy Skills and Techniques (3 SCH)
CPSY 5202 Applied Ethics (3 SCH)
CPSY 5253 Research Design and Methodology (3 SCH)
Assessment Elective I (3 SCH - students take an assessment elective course)
Semester 3 - Summer
CPSY 5309 Professional Issues and Consultation (3 SCH)
Sociocultural Elective (3 SCH - students take a sociocultural elective course)
CPSY 6101 Clinical Practicum (3 SCH)
Semester 4 - Fall
Assessment Elective II (3 SCH - students take an assessment elective course)
CPSY 5401 Statistics (3 SCH)
CPSY 6401 Advanced Clinical Practicum I (3 SCH)
CPSY 5454 Research Thesis I (3 SCH)
Semester 5 - Spring
Biological Bases Elective (3 SCH - students take a biological bases elective course)
CPSY 5501 Addictions: Research and Practice(3 SCH)
CPSY 6402 Advanced Clinical Practicum II (3 SCH)
CPSY 5550 Research Thesis II (3 SCH)
Semester 6 - Summer
CPSY 5502 Lifestyle and Career Development (3 SCH)
CPSY 5503 Group Psychotherapy (3 SCH)
Elective Courses
Assessment Electives (students must take two)
CPSY 5901 Intellectual Assessment (3 SCH)
CPSY 5902 Personality Assessment (3 SCH)
CPSY 5903 Clinical Mental Health Assessment (3 SCH)
CPSY 5904 Neuropsychological Assessment (3 SCH)
Sociocultural Electives (students must take one)
CPSY 5905 Social, Cultural, and Systemic Bases of Behavior (3 SCH)
CPSY 5906 Gender and Cultural Factors in Clinical Practice (3 SCH)
Biological Bases Electives (students must take one)
CABS 6301 Biological Basis of Behavior (3 SCH)
CPSY 5907 Clinical Neuropsychology (3 SCH)
Based on the American Psychological Association's (APA) Profession Wide Competencies and associated learning elements, students will be proficient in mastering the following learning objectives for the Master of Science in Clinical Psychology upon graduation:
- Integration of Psychological Science and Practice: Students will be able to critically evaluate scientific information and utilize it to inform patient interventions.
- Ethical and Legal Standards: Students will abide by ethical principles and laws governing mental health practice, utilize ethical decision-making models to resolve ethical dilemmas, and conduct themselves in an ethical manner.
- Individual and Cultural Diversity: Students will learn to develop scientifically informed and self-reflective approaches for working effectively with a wide array of diverse populations.
- Assessment: Students will be able to utilize various evaluation and assessment methods to formulate accurate diagnoses, case conceptualizations, and recommendations.
- Intervention: Students will be able to effectively develop, implement, and adapt evidence-based intervention plans to address a variety of clinical presentations.
- Consultation and Interprofessional/Interdisciplinary Skills: Students will be able to work collaboratively as part of integrative teams to better serve patients and communities.
- Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Students will be able to effectively communicate and build professional relationships with a variety of individuals, including patients, colleagues, and organizations.
- Professional Values and Attitudes: Students will behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology, including integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, commitment to integration of science and practice, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others.
- Supervision: Students will understand supervision roles and requirements and effectively utilize supervision and consultation in the development of clinical skills.