Admission | Program Goals & Objectives | Academics | Clinical Training
Research Training | Clinical Psychology Respecialization Certificate Program

The primary goal within the research domain of the Clinical Psychology PhD program is the development of scholarly skills and attitudes sufficient to enable our graduates to access and participate in the scholarly culture of the discipline. This includes the ability to participate as producers, critics, and consumers/utilizers of knowledge. It also includes the development and strengthening of an orientation toward finding, critically evaluating, and appropriately utilizing evidence in asking and answering questions. Graduates of the Clinical Psychology PhD program will be able to:

• Understand and utilize the principal methodological tools of psychological research, including sophistication with regard to the ethical and philosophical aspects of these modes of inquiry.
• Design, carry out, and communicate independent scholarly research, which makes an original contribution to the discipline of psychology.

Research training in Psychology begins at the New Student Orientation (NSO), where students are exposed to research models and oriented to the program's research requirements. Each student's learning plan defines how the program’s research requirements will be met.

Academic preparation for research skills is covered in the knowledge areas including: Research Design and Methodology (PSY 701) and Basic and Intermediate Statistics (PSY 716 and PSY 717).

A 200-hour applied research practicum is required for students to acquire the necessary skills to complete a scholarly doctoral dissertation. Students may complete the hours through a variety of opportunities including Hands-On Training Labs (HOT Labs) at regional events, or working with experienced researchers in qualitative and/or quantitative research projects. Regional research sessions assist students in developing research skills and conducting dissertation research.

Students complete a proposal and theoretically-grounded dissertation as part of their doctoral requirements. The dissertation is aimed at contributing new knowledge to the literature of psychology and should represent original and significant research. Dissertation work is supported by the student's dissertation committee. The program encourages imaginative inquiry and recognizes a variety of methodologies.

A complete list of graduation requirements is available within the Policy Bulletin.

Last Updated: 6/29/08