Psychology - Clinical (PhD)
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology - Clinical
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences (GA)
Program Website
Academic Plan Code(s): CPSYPHD
Program Information
Mission Statement
The mission of the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at the University of Louisville is to produce scientist-practitioners who are:
- Competent to conduct and evaluate research;
- Competent in implementing research-supported practice;
- Ethical and professional in their relationships with clients, students, and colleagues; and
- Prepared to be professionals in a diverse world.
General Information
The Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, in the university's College of Arts and Sciences, offers PhD programs in Experimental Psychology and Clinical Psychology. We do not offer any terminal master's degree programs in our department.
The Clinical Psychology PhD program usually requires four years of full-time coursework, research, and clinical activities. Each student must also complete a one-year approved internship. Students are required to complete a Master's Research Portfolio. After completion of the Master's Portfolio, students write the preliminary examination and then move on to dissertation work. A dissertation proposal must be defended before a student may apply for an internship.
Financial support for graduate students in the PhD program is available in the form of teaching and research assistantships, University Fellowships, and placements in community service settings.
Accreditation
The Clinical Psychology PhD program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association, Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation:
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
Phone: (202) 336-5979
Fax: (202) 336-5978
Admission Requirements
The Clinical Psychology PhD Program application deadline is December 1.
Completed graduate applications should be submitted online to the University of Louisville, Graduate School. Interested students may also call the Graduate School at (502) 852-6495 for more information.
Our PhD programs admit students to begin in the fall semester, with a usual start date of July 1. Applicants must provide the following:
- The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. All applicants for whom English is a second language must also submit official TOEFL scores of 79 or higher on the internet-based test, 213 or higher on the computer-based test. English proficiency can also be met by submitting official IELTS scores of at least 6.5 overall band score from the academic module exam or official Duolingo overall score of 105. Students holding a bachelor's or advanced degree from an accredited institution in the United States may be exempt from this requirement.
- Transcripts of college records from all schools attended must be submitted to the Graduate School. Students must have earned an undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university.
- Three letters of recommendation from academic sources are required and must be submitted to the Graduate School.
Application materials are available online. For additional information, contact Maggie Leahy, (502) 852-4364.
The Clinical Psychology PhD curriculum contains two basic sets of core courses: department/general core and clinical core. The curriculum closely follows guidelines for accreditation established and maintained by the American Psychological Association's Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation.
General Core
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Area A | ||
| PSYC 620 | Human Learning | 3 |
| or PSYC 621 | Cognitive Processes | |
| Area B | ||
| PSYC 642 | Behavioral Neuroscience | 3 |
| or PSYC 643 | Principles of Neuroscience | |
| Area C | ||
| PSYC 670 | Advanced Social Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 661 | Advanced Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 673 | Advanced Personality Theory | 3 |
| Area D | ||
| PSYC 610 & PSYC 611 | Advanced Statistics I Advanced Statistics II | 6 |
| Minimum Total General Core Hours | 21 | |
Clinical Core
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 656 | Legal, Professional, and Ethical Issues in Clinical Psychology | 3 |
| PSYC 679 & PSYC 680 | Introduction to Assessment and Clinical Skills Intellectual and Cognitive Assessment | 6 |
| PSYC 683 & PSYC 684 | Psychology Interventions I: Clinical Research Psychological Interventions II | 6 |
| PSYC 685 | Clinical Psychology Practicum (multiple semesters) 1 | 11 |
| PSYC 689 | Clinical Psychopathology | 3 |
| PSYC 693 | Interviewing Skills Practicum | 1 |
| Minimum Total Clinical Core Hours | 30 | |
Other Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PSYC 601 | History of Modern Psychology | 3 |
| Seminars 2 | 9 | |
Students are required to complete a minimum of three graduate seminars offered within the department. Seminars offered in other departments may be considered to fulfill this requirement with the consent of the Director of Clinical Training. | ||
Culture & Diversity | ||
Students are required to complete a graduate course in culture and diversity. This may count as one of the three seminars required. | ||
| Research | 6 | |
| Minimum Total Other Hours | 18 | |
| MINIMUM TOTAL HOURS | 69 | |
| 1 | A total of eleven (11) cumulative credit hours are required for the PhD; students are expected to have an annual minimum of 160 direct contact hours in order to fulfill this requirement. |
| 2 | Recent seminars include: Geropsychology Assessment, Cultural Neuroscience, Career & Professional Development in Clinical Psychology, Cultural Diversity in Psychology, Geropsychology, Functional Analytic Psychotherapy, Child Psychopathology, Forensic Assessment, and Clinical Neuropsychology. |
The Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology program prepares students to meet the requirements for certification and/or licensure. If you plan to pursue professional licensure or certification you should first determine your state’s criteria for examination and licensure to see how/if our program meets those requirements prior to enrollment. We recommend that you also contact your state’s licensing board directly to verify that the requirements have not changed recently and to answer any questions especially those regarding additional requirements beyond the degree.
More information about certification or licensure is available at the following website: https://louisville.edu/oapa/licensure-information (you may search by school or by the name of the program then click on 'View Details' to display the information).
For programs with an online option, more information about certification or licensure is available here: http://louisville.edu/online/About-Us (please scroll down near the bottom of the page and click on the licensing disclosures tab).
