Clinical Behavioral Medicine Curriculum

Coursework, Clinical, and Research Requirements

Health Psychology Ph.D. Program

The program is a five-year, full-time, post-baccalaureate program. The 99 semester hour program includes the following components:

Coursework

Courses focusing on the core doctoral competency areas of psychology: biological, social, cognitive and affective foundations, individual differences, developmental, and history and systems
Courses focusing on research methods and statistical analysis of data
Courses focusing on Health Psychology/Clinical Behavioral Medicine
Courses specific to clinical training
Courses specific to ethics and professional development

Research & Clinical Training

A series of research experiences culminating in an empirical dissertation
A series of supervised field experiences, practica, and/or externships

Internship

Completion of a one-year pre-doctoral internship meeting the requirements of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC).

Curriculum

Psychology doctoral core (minimum 15 hours)

Biological foundations: PSYC 8416 Psychopharmacology, PSYC 7412 Advanced behavioral neuroscience, or PSYC 7413 Pediatric clinical neuropsychology     (3 s.h.)
Social foundations: PSYC 6421 Social Psychology     (3 s.h.)
Cognitive and affective basis of behavior: PSYC 6406 Developmental, PSYC 6428 Cognitive psychology, PSYC 7427 Advanced principles of learning, or PSYC 6405 Educational Psychology     (3 s.h.)
Individual differences: PSYC 6450 Advanced Psychopathology, PSYC 6452 Child Psychopathology, or PSYC 6475 Theories of personality     (3 s.h.)
Human development: PSYC 6406     (3 s.h.)
History and systems: PSYC 6408     (3 s.h.)

Research methods and statistical analysis of data (minimum 27 hours)
Statistics and research design: PSYC 6430 Statistics and research design and PSYC 7431 Advanced research design     (6 s.h.)
At least one elective: BIOS 7021 Biostatistics for health professionals I, BIOS 7022 Biostatistics for health professionals II, BIOS 7501 Experimental design, BIOS 7550 Applied multivariate analysis,
BIOS 7560 Nonparametric statistical methods, NURS 6981 Qualitative methods and data analysis in health research, SOCI 6312-13 Multivariate techniques and analysis or other approved electives.     (3 s.h.)
PSYC 7000 Thesis; may be waived for post-MA students if approved by advisorycommittee     (6 s.h.)
PSYC 9000 Dissertation     (12 s.h.)

Health psychology core (minimum 15 hours)
PSYC 8002 Health psychology     (3 s.h.)
PSYC 8404 Pediatric school psychology     (3 s.h.)
PSYC 8994 Seminar in pediatric school psychology     (3 s.h.)
PSYC 7413 Clinical neuropsychology and PSYC 8416** Psychopharmacology (**already counted in Psychology core minimum requirements)     (6 s.h.)
HLTH 6013 Behavioral sciences and health education or other approved elective, such as SOCI 5200 Seminar in the sociology of health, SOCI 6100 Aging and health, RCLS 6001 Biofeedback: principles and practices, MPH 6005 African American health, MPH 6021 Epidemiology of chronic diseases, or other approved electives.

Clinical training core (minimum 27 hours)
Psychological interventions: PSYC 6466 Psychotherapy concepts and PSYC 6468 Psychotherapy theories     (6 s.h.)
Psychological assessment: PSYC 6484 Cognitive assessment and PSYC 6485 Personality assessment     (6 s.h.)
Practicum: PSYC 6460 Clinical practicum I, PSYC 6461 Clinical practicum II, PSYC 6462 Clinical practicum III, and PSYC 8460 Health psychology practicum (may be taken twice)
Externship: PSYC 7995 (may be repeated once)

Ethics and Professional development (9 hours)
PSYC 6465 Ethics and Professional Issues or PSYC 6404 Professional school psychology     (3 s.h.)
PSYC 800x Health psychology colloquium (1 hour, repeated at least 4 times)

Internship PSYC 8990     (6 s.h.)

The precise program to be followed will depend on the student’s past educational experiences. Students entering with a master’s degree may have already completed some of the required courses. In addition, in consultation with the student’s advisory committee, additional required
electives may be deemed critical to complete the program of study. These may involve additional coursework in statistics and research methods, or the completion of a certification offered at the University, such as applied behavioral analysis, biofeedback, gerontology, or other individually developed cognate areas. As in other research-focused programs of doctoral study, students in this program may expect to enroll in more than the minimum required credit hours and should be
aware that study opportunities that focus on particular areas are in addition to the basic program requirements. Additional study is individualized and depends on the student’s background and graduate preparation as well as the employment role identified as a career focus.

Course Sequence - Sample Program of Study>>>