1. Competence in the evaluation, conduct, and dissemination of research.
2. Entry-level skill in the delivery of empirically-supported clinical services, including science-practice integration in assessment, treatments, and preventive interventions.
3. Ethical conduct and high professional standards in research and clinical situations, including sensitivity to issues of diversity in research and practice.
4. Knowledge in the theoretical and scientific foundations of clinical health psychology and skill in clinical health psychology research and evidence-based, entry-level practice, as it is integrated within the broader context of clinical psychology.
5. Understanding of the breadth areas of scientific psychology and their application to clinical and clinical health psychology.

The following are minimum criteria recommended for admission:

1. 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.
2. 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 program. However, admission to the program 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 program Web page.
3. Competitive Graduate Record Examination scores from the general test (GRE Math + Verbal greater than 1100; 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 to the program can be accessed through the program Web page.
4. Demonstrated evidence of interest in clinical health research. The program follows a mentorship model. Therefore, applicants whose research interests are similar to those of the faculty will be given higher consideration. A listing of program faculty interests and research can be accessed through the Clinical Psychology program Web page.
5. 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.

The program typically accepts four students each year. Applicants are evaluated based on the following dimensions:

1. Academic potential
2. Research potential
3. Interpersonal skills and other indications of potential for clinical work
4. Professional identity and involvement
5. Evidence of high ethical standards

The program follows the American Psychological Association Guidelines for Graduate School Offers and Acceptances.

First Year

Fall Semester                                  Hours
PSYCH 5509   Assessment I: Intellectual &
              Cognitive Assessment               3
PSYCH 5516   Quantitative Analysis I:          
              Regression & Analysis
              of Variance                        3
PSYCH 5533   Psychopathology                     3

PSYCH 5625   Evidenced based Clinical Practice
 -or-
PSYCH 5632   Health Psychology Interventions     3
PSYCH 5590   Directed Research                     
  -or-
PSYCH 5599   Thesis(1)                           1
Total Hours                                     13

Spring Semester                                Hours
PSYCH 5510   Assessment Methods in                           
              Professional Counseling            3
PSYCH 5517   Quantitative Analysis II:    
              Advanced Topics in Regression   
              & Multivariate Data Analysis       3
PSYCH 5580   Intro to Clinical Skills            3
PSYCH 5590   Directed Research                     
 -or-
 PSYCH 5599   Thesis(1)                          1
 PSYCH 5601   Experimental Methods in Design     3
Total Hours                                     13

Summer Term                                    Hours
PSYCH 5650   Clinical Practicum(optional)(2)     1

Second Year

Fall Semester                                  Hours
PSYCH 5580   Structural Equation Modeling
 -or-
PSYCH 5580   Hierarchical Modeling               3
PSYCH 5590   Directed Research                     
   -or-
PSYCH 5599   Thesis(1)                           2
PSYCH 5625   Evidenced Based Clinical Practice
 -or-
PSYCH 5632   Health Psychology Interventions (3) 3
PSYCH 5631   Theoretical Foundations of 
              Health Psychology                  3
PSYCH 5650   Clinical Practicum                  1
Total Hours                                     12

Spring Semester                                Hours
PSYCH 5538   Development & Evaluation of 
              Assessment Tools                   3
PSYCH 0000   Core Psychology (4)                 3
PSYCH 0000   Core Psychology (4)
-or-
PSYCH 5580   Special Topics in Health Psychology 3
PSYCH 5590   Directed Research                     
  -or-
PSYCH 5599   Thesis(1)                           2
PSYCH 5650   Clinical Practicum                  1
Total Hours                                     12

SummerTermHours
PSYCH 5650   Clinical Practicum(optional)(2)     1

Third Year

Fall Semester                                  Hours
PSYCH 0000   Core Psychology (4)                 3
PSYCH 5580   Supervision                         3
PSYCH 5650   Clinical Practicum                  1
PSYCH 5696   Pre-Dissertation(5)                 2
Total Hours                                      9

Spring SemesterHours
PSYCH 0000 Core Psychology (4) or Special 
                Topics in Health Psychology      3
PSYCH 5650   Clinical Practicum                  1
PSYCH 5696   Pre-Dissertation(5)                 2
Total Hours                                      6

Summer Term                                    Hours
PSYCH 5650   Clinical Practicum(optional)(2)     1

Fourth Year

Fall Semester                                  Hours
PSYCH 0000   Core Psychology (4)                 3
PSYCH 5650   Clinical Practicum                  1
PSYCH 5699   Research & Dissertation (5)         2
Total Hours                                      6

Spring Semester                                Hours
PSYCH 0000   Core Psychology (4)                 3

PSYCH 5650   Clinical Practicum                  1

PSYCH 5699   Research & Dissertation(5)          2
Total Hours                                      6

Fifth Year

Fall Semester                                  Hours
 PSYCH 5660   Clinical Health Psychology
              Internship (6)                     1
 PSYCH 5699   Research & Dissertation(7)         1
Total Hours                                      2

Spring SemesterHours
PSYCH 5660   Clinical Health Psychology
              Internship (6)                     1
PSYCH 5699   Research & Dissertation(7)          1
Total Hours                                      2


Core Psychology = PSYCH 5521 Advanced Social; PSYCH 5507 Cognitive Psychology OR
PSYCH 5505 Motivation; PSYCH 5518 Advanced Biopsychology; PSYCH 5515 Advanced Systems
and History of Psychology; Developmental Requirement (e.g., PSYCH 5522 Contemporary
Issues in Developmental Psychology; PSYCH 5543 Adult Development/Aging)

Note: This represents the currently recommended sequencing of courses. Students may be allowed to alter this sequencing, with prior approval of the faculty adviser and DCT. This sequencing is also subject to change based on course availability in a given semester as determined by the program.

(1) Students are required to officially enroll in 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 still is required. It is expected that all students will be actively involved in research and evaluated on their research performance every fall and spring semester. 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 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) Evidenced Based Clinical Practice and Health Psychology Interventions are both required, however, these courses will be offered in alternate years.

(4) There are 5 core course requirements (see list at the bottom of the core curriculum). In some areas (e.g. Developmental) alternative courses may be used to fulfill the requirement.

(5) The School of Graduate Studies 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.

(6) Due to variable internship start and end dates you may only officially complete your 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 graduation in the summer. If all other requirements are not completed you will be required to enroll in at least one credit hour (for example, if your dissertation is not yet defended you will enroll in 1 credit of research for the summer semester.

(7) Students who defend their dissertations prior to the fifth 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 1 credit hour of Dissertation each fall and spring semester until it is completed.