The Department of Psychology offers course work and dissertation supervision for a Doctorate of Philosophy degree. The program is designed to produce researchers and practitioners in adult clinical psychology with an emphasis in the normal and abnormal psychological processes that accompany aging (Geropsychology). The program trains students in mental health assessment and intervention for adults and older adults, and basic and applied research on the psychological functioning of adults and aging individuals. Upon completion of the program, students will be trained to work in a range of settings, including mental health clinics and clinical practices, hospitals, nursing homes, colleges and universities, state offices, research institutes, and as consultants to a wide variety of housing and social service providers to adults and older adults. For more information on faculty and their area of specialization, http://www.uccs.edu/~psych/ faculty/index.htm.
Goals and Objectives, Clinical Psychology PhD Program with Curricular Emphasis in Geropsychology
Goal 1: Identification with Psychology as an integrated basic and applied science
- Objective 1-A: Demonstrate broad knowledge of psychology
- Objective 1-B: Understand the scientific, methodological, and theoretical foundations of clinical practice
- Objective 1-C: Demonstrate integration of science and practice
Goal 2: To produce graduates who have the knowledge and skills in the theory and practice of clinical psychology, its techniques, procedures and ethical application
- Objective 2-A: Demonstrate knowledge and increasing competence in clinical assessment
- Objective 2-B: Demonstrate knowledge and skill in the practice of psychological interventions
- Objective 2-C: Demonstrate competence in the ethics and professional standards of clinical practice
- Objective 2-D: Demonstrate clinical supervision and consultation skills commensurate with level of training
Goal 3: Produce graduates who can contribute to knowledge and practice in psychology
- Objective 3-A: Develop attitudes and skills essential for lifelong learning, scholarly inquiry, and professional problem-solving
- Objective 3-B: Develop a professional identity as a psychologist and acquire the knowledge and skills to participate actively in the profession
Goal 4: Demonstrate competence in knowledge and skills of Geropsychology
- Objective 4-A Develop attitudes appropriate to practice of Geropsychology
- Objective 4-B: Demonstrate knowledge and skills in professional practice consistent with competencies associated with graduate training within the Pikes Peak Model of Training in Geropsychology
- Objective 4-C: Demonstrate knowledge and skills needed to conduct applied and basic research in Geropsychology
Program Requirements
This program adheres to the scientist-practitioner model of training in clinical psychology, commonly referred to as the Boulder model. Under this model, professional psychologists are trained to be both scientists and practitioners with the goal of enhancing the interplay between science and practice. In an emerging field, such as geropsychology, it is of utmost importance that practitioners add to the existing knowledge base regarding effective application strategies and that scientists be informed of applied issues in shaping their pursuit of knowledge. Throughout content and applied areas of training, the program encourages awareness of and respect for diversity of culture, language, national origin, race, gender, age, disability, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, lifestyle, and other individual differences.
Although the curricular emphasis of the PhD clinical program is in geropsychology, the students must have a solid foundation in the general knowledge of psychology. Thus, students must demonstrate competence in basic psychology, as well as geropsychology. Students entering this program are essentially agreeing to complete the equivalent of a required minor in adult development and aging rather than sampling the variety of populations and problems that might form the elective offerings in another program.
The curriculum will require at least six years of post-baccalaureate work to accomplish requirements of the doctoral degree. Students complete 131 hours of required and elective courses, a comprehensive exam, a thesis and a dissertation of original scholarship, clinical practica, and a 12-month clinical internship (off-site). The clinical curriculum is designed to meet Colorado requirements for licensure as well as American Psychological Association accreditation standards. Students who enter the program with a BA or BS degree will earn an MA en route to the doctoral degree through the mechanism of the existing MA program.
Completion of the Clinical Psychology PhD program from the BA or BS starting point will typically take five years residence on campus with the sixth year allocated for internship. Students should expect this as the general rule pending unusual exceptions.
Accreditation
Accreditation of this program is being sought from the Committee on Accreditation that is sponsored by the American Psychology Association (www.apa.org). Students enrolled at the time of a successful site visit will graduate from an accredited program.
Admissions Requirements
Applicants should have the following credentials:
- A BS or BA degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or university.
- An overall average of 3.0 (“A” is equivalent to 4.0) or above in all undergraduate courses, and 3.5 or better on all graduate course work.
- Graduate Record Exam scores of at least 1200 cumulative on the verbal and quantitative sections. The advanced psychology test is strongly recommended.
- An adequate undergraduate program in psychology including college-level mathematics, statistics, experimental psychology, and some background in the biological, physical, and social sciences.
- Applicants should have career goals consistent with the program emphasis in geropsychology.
Promising students who do not meet all the requirements may be considered as applicants. Applicants with previous graduate course work or degree may request a review of their transcript and related materials to determine whether specific courses or thesis requirements may be waived.
Application Material and Deadlines
The application deadlines for fall admission each year is January 1st. See the following Web site for an online application: http://www.uccs.edu/~psych/pages/phd_apply.htm.
Contact Information
Questions concerning the Clinical Psychology PhD Program with curricular emphasis in Geropsychology can also be addressed by calling (719) 262-4500 or e-mailing ddubois@uccs.edu.
All written correspondence and credentials should be mailed to:
Clinical Psychology PhD Program with curricular emphasis in Geropsychology
Department of Psychology
UCCS
1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7150
Return to: