The PhD program in clinical psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association and is a member of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science. Clinical science is defined as "a psychological science directed at the promotion of adaptive functioning; at the assessment, understanding, amelioration, and prevention of human problems in behavior, affect, cognition, or health; and at the application of knowledge in ways consistent with scientific evidence."

In particular, MU's Clinical Training PhD Program is designed to provide

1. Training in the major substantive areas and methodology of the science of psychology,
2. Intensive training in the subject matter of clinical psychology as well as in empirically supported assessment and intervention approaches,
3. Research competence and background in theoretical and applied problem areas of clinical psychology, and
4. A clinical scientist orientation that embraces both an appreciation of and a commitment to the advancement of clinical psychology as a science.

The program seeks to prepare students for careers in clinical science including research, teaching, and service in universities, medical centers, clinics, hospitals, and similar agencies. Students receive training in research skills and in empirically supported approaches to assessment, prevention and intervention. This training occurs via course work, involvement in research labs from the very start of the program, weekly brownbag seminars where faculty and students present research findings, and clinical practica beginning in the second year. Although extensive training in both basic and applied aspects of clinical psychology is emphasized, the major goal is the training of clinical scientists. Therefore, students whose primary interest is applied training would not be a good match with our program.

Clinical faculty have either an emphasis on child psychopathology (child track) or adult psychopathology (adult track). Several adjunct faculty and faculty from other departmental areas (developmental, social/personality, cognition & neuroscience and quantitative) also participate in the training of clinical students.

The Psychological Services Clinic, located in the Psychology Building, is a community-based outpatient facility that serves as the primary clinical practicum training site for the clinical program. A variety of psychological services (assessment, consultation, and individual, group and family therapy) are provided to people and agencies in the University and Columbia communities, largely by students in the program under the close supervision of the clinical faculty and psychologists on staff at the Clinic (currently four doctoral-level clinical psychologists). In addition, clinical training is available at various off-site placements (e.g., Fulton State Hospital).

Admission to the Clinical Program

Our major goal is the training of clinical scientists. Therefore, we admit students who have a strong interest in conducting research and applying this knowledge to clinical problems. Applicants whose primary interest is applied training (i.e., primarily or only interested in seeing clients, but not in research) would not be a good match with our program.

The Clinical program adheres to a mentorship model whereby students are admitted who have research interest that are similar to the research interests of one or more of the Clinical faculty. Therefore, applicants are urged to provide detailed information regarding research background and interests on their application. A formal interview, either in person or by telephone, is required for finalists.

Financial support is available to students in the form of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and clerkships, which are paid clinical experiences through the University and community agencies.

For statistics on application rates, student activities, internship placement, time to degree, completion rates and program costs, please see the attached Public Disclosure Data.

Dual Emphasis Degree Program in Child Clinical and Developmental Training

Students who wish to pursue a graduate degree with training in both clinical (child track) and developmental psychology may do so through the pursuit of the Dual Emphasis option. Students in this program will be involved in training that bridges the two areas of developmental psychology and child-clinical psychology. This program will be the equivalent of training in the area of developmental psychopathology with the added benefits of training and practice in child-clinical psychology. To pursue the joint program, students must be officially admitted into both the clinical and developmental training areas within the Department of Psychological Sciences and notification must be made to the Graduate School.