The PsyD in Clinical Psychology is a 98-credit hour, five-year doctoral program designed to prepare students for licensure as clinical psychologists and for careers in direct clinical service, leadership, and applied research. Emphasizing a practitioner-scientist model, the program integrates advanced coursework, supervised clinical training, and an applied dissertation.
Clinical training begins in the second year and includes rotations in diverse outpatient and inpatient settings across UTHealth Houston and affiliated institutions. In the final year, students complete a full-time, American Psychological Association (APA) accredited or APPIC-member internship.
The curriculum is designed to meet the APA’s Standards of Accreditation and includes training in evidence-based assessment and intervention, ethics, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Students also complete a comprehensive examination and a dissertation that may emphasize the application of research to clinical services and/or settings.
Graduates will be eligible for licensure in Texas and prepared to serve in a variety of healthcare, community, and academic settings. The program addresses the growing demand for doctoral-level mental health providers and is committed to producing skilled, compassionate, and individually responsive clinical psychologists.
The PsyD 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 PsyD 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, 18 SCH in the following areas must be demonstrated:
- Introduction to Psychology (3 SCH),
- Abnormal Psychology (3 SCH),
- Social Psychology (3 SCH),
- Theories of Personality (3 SCH),
- Developmental Psychology (3 SCH), and
- 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 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.
- A statement (500 - 1,000 words) expressing interest in the program, including a description of the motivations for pursuing a PsyD in Clinical Psychology at SBHS. The statement should outline the anticipated contributions to the community as a future psychologist and explain how the education and training received through the program will support the achievement of professional goals. Additionally, it should address how this preparation aligns with the increasing demand for 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.
PsyD in Clinical Psychology Curriculum
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Hours | |
| CPSY 5102 | Developmental Psychology & Developmental Disabilities | 3 |
| CPSY 5901 | Intellectual Assessment | 3 |
| CPSY 5104 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CPSY 5202 | Applied Ethics | 3 |
| CPSY 5902 | Personality Assessment | 3 |
| CPSY 5201 | Psychotherapy Skills and Techniques | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| CPSY 5302 | Cognitive/Affective Basis of Behavior | 3 |
| CPSY 5304 | Integrative Psychological Assessment | 3 |
| CPSY 5301 | History and Systems of Clinical Psychology | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| CPSY 6111 | Assessment Practicum and Seminar | 1 |
| CABS 6301 | Biological Basis of Behavioral Disorders | 3 |
| CPSY 6302 | Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy | 3 |
| CPSY 5401 | Statistics | 3 |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CPSY 6111 | Assessment Practicum and Seminar | 1 |
| CPSY 7919 | Community Psychology | 3 |
| CPSY 7915 | Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) | 3 |
| CPSY 5253 | Research Design and Methodology | 3 |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| CPSY 7914 | Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) | 3 |
| CPSY 6111 | Assessment Practicum and Seminar | 1 |
| CPSY 7303 | Theories of Measurement | 3 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| CPSY 7302 | Assessment and Treatment of Severe & Persistent Mental Illness | 3 |
| CPSY 9201 | Research Thesis I | 2 |
| CPSY 7112 | Intervention Practicum and Seminar | 1 |
| CPSY 7301 | Psychopharmacology | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CPSY 6322 | Advanced Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy | 3 |
| CPSY 7112 | Intervention Practicum and Seminar | 1 |
| CPSY 6303 | Supervision and Consultation | 3 |
| CPSY 9202 | Research Thesis II | 2 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| CPSY 5503 | Group Psychotherapy | 3 |
| CPSY 7112 | Intervention Practicum and Seminar | 1 |
| CPSY 7918 | Trauma Focused Approaches to Intervention | 3 |
| CPSY 9203 | Research Thesis III (as needed) 1 | - |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| CPSY 8113 | Advanced Practicum and Seminar | 1 |
| CPSY 8200 | Dissertation | 2 |
| CPSY 6306 | Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CPSY 5501 | Addictions: Research and Practice | 3 |
| CPSY 8113 | Advanced Practicum and Seminar | 1 |
| CPSY 8200 | Dissertation | 2 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| CPSY 8113 | Advanced Practicum and Seminar | 1 |
| CPSY 5906 | Cultural Considerations in Clinical Practice | 3 |
| CPSY 8200 | Dissertation (as needed) 2 | - |
| Hours | 4 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| CPSY 8122 | Internship | 1 |
| CPSY 8200 | Dissertation (as needed) 2 | - |
| Hours | 1 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CPSY 8122 | Internship | 1 |
| CPSY 8200 | Dissertation (as needed) 2 | - |
| Hours | 1 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| CPSY 8122 | Internship | 1 |
| CPSY 8200 | Dissertation (as needed) 2 | - |
| Hours | 1 | |
| Total Hours | 98 | |
- 1
Students may enroll in CPSY 9203 Research Thesis III if needed to complete the requirements of the research thesis.
- 2
Students are required to enroll in CPSY 8200 Dissertation on a continuous basis until the dissertation is successfully defended.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Electives (optional) | ||
| CPSY 7912 | Advanced Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy | 3 |
| CPSY 7913 | Couples and Family Therapy | 3 |
| CPSY 7916 | Forensic Psychology | 3 |
| CPSY 7917 | Human Sexuality Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| CPSY 7920 | Neuropsychological Assessment and Conceptualization | 3 |