Doctoral Degree in Psychology
OVERVIEW
Who is this program for?
Our doctoral program in psychology is ideal for individuals passionate about understanding human behavior, cognition, and emotion, with a focus on areas such as clinical psychology, behavioral research, or neuropsychology. Graduates can pursue careers in academia, mental health services, healthcare, or research, contributing to advancements in therapy, psychological assessments, or the understanding of neurological disorders.
Program Overview
The department offers the PhD degree in psychology in two programs: clinical psychology and experimental psychology, the latter subdivided into (1) cognitive neuroscience, and (2) developmental, social, and health psychology. The major goal of the clinical program is to train clinical scientists with a focus on the integration of science and clinical applications, while the major goal of the experimental program is to prepare the student for a career in research in both academic and non-academic settings and in teaching. Doctoral training takes place in the context of research and training clusters that reflect prominent themes, levels of analysis, and methodologies within psychology. Each cluster comprises faculty members whose primary identification is with the cluster and faculty members who have interests relevant to the cluster but whose primary identification is with another cluster.
Our Accreditation
The PhD program in clinical psychology is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of American Psychological Association and by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System, and is a member of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science.
Questions related to the program’s APA-accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:
American Psychological Association
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 1st Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 336-5979
E-mail: apaaccred@apa.org
Questions related to the program’s PCSAS-accredited status should be directed to the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System:
Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS)
Joseph Steinmetz, PCSAS Executive Director
1101 E. 10th St.
Bloomington, IN 47405
Phone: 479-301-8008
E-mail: jsteinmetz@pcsas.org
Related Careers
There are many career paths open to scientific clinical psychologists; many of our graduates receive medical center and university psychology department faculty appointments. Both types of appointments involve clinical research, and many medical center appointments also involve clinical service delivery. Ongoing conversations between students and their mentors, other faculty members, other scientists, and other professional psychologists assist students in clarifying their professional goals and tailoring their training to support them. It is our goal to train students to bring an empirical, science-based approach to all of their professional activities, regardless of their ultimate career path.
Plan to Pursue Licensure Outside of Kentucky?
If you plan to obtain professional licensure outside of Kentucky, please refer to the Licensure page to confirm whether the program meets the educational requirements for professional licensure in your state of interest.
Admission Requirements
Please view the Graduate School's Admission Requirements. If there are Program Specific Requirements listed below, those will also apply.
Application Requirements
Please view the application requirements for the Graduate School. If there are Program Specific Requirements listed below, those will also apply.
Program Specific Requirements
- CV
- Personal Statement
- Three letters of recommendation
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What You'll Learn
The curriculum provides not only breadth of coverage in traditional and contemporary science-based aspects of clinical psychology, but also freedom in choice of electives by the student beyond the first year. The program emphasizes broad exposure to the major areas of clinical psychology; beyond this, the student and the student's doctoral committee outline a plan of study most relevant to the student's interest, both within and outside the department. Students may concentrate in such areas as research methodologies, individual psychotherapy, neuropsychology, psychopathology, mental health administration, community psychology, health psychology, or clinical child psychology.
Read more about the program, available concentrations and curriculum on the Psychology Department's webpage.
Degree requirements, course descriptions and academic policies for all programs are detailed in the University Catalog.
Explore Funding Options
As a graduate student, there are additional opportunities for student funding. Once you are admitted into a degree-bearing graduate program at UK, you can apply for a wide variety of financial assistance, including assistantships and fellowships. These opportunities can be tied to your program’s availability, so you should inquire with your program director about opportunities available within your program!
Program Specific Funding Opportunities
Students are accepted from all areas of the nation and have diverse backgrounds. The program has a long history of providing financial support to all students in the form of grant-funded research fellowships, graduate school fellowships, psychology department fellowships, minority student fellowships, research assistantships, teaching assistantships, and training stipends from clinical practicum placements. For admissions information, click here: UK Psychology Graduate Admissions. Please note that all prospectively admitted students may undergo a criminal background check.
Fellowship awards include full remission of tuition, and out-of-state tuition is waived for those students on research assistantships or clinical traineeships; students serving as teaching assistants typically receive additional in-state tuition scholarships. Historically, financial aid has been made available for all clinical students during the four or five years they are typically on campus; financial support for the last year of doctoral training is provided by the internship agency wherever the student is matched. Every effort is made to facilitate students' completion of the doctoral program; as a result, attrition by students has been very low, averaging about one student or less per year for several years. For current information about tuition and fees, please go here. More information about financial support and student graduation and attrition rates can be found on the Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data website which is available here. Click on this link for more information about financial aid: UK Psychology Financial Aid. Other key information related to student funding can be found throughout our website as well as in the current handbook.
Get Involved!
Students who get involved in activities outside of the classroom tend to do better academically and develop meaningful relationships with others at UK. Our network of student organizations and activities has something for everyone, from academic to professional to fun!
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