psychology

 

Home : Degree Programs : Graduate – Clinical Ph.D. : Clinical Program Desc.

Clinical Program Description

The program is designed to be completed in five years of full-time program participation. The core curriculum includes training in assessment, psychotherapeutic intervention, professional and ethical issues, quantitative analysis, research methods, psychopathology, biopsychology, and health psychology (more details are available in the catalog and program handbook). Beginning In the second year students also engage in year-long clinical practicum experiences at a variety of clinical settings in the Kansas City area. These sites include medical centers, community-based health centers, schools, and private practice settings. Supervisors have a variety of theoretical orientations; however, the training philosophy of the program is grounded in a scientifically supported understanding of human behavior and principles of intervention. In the 5th year students complete a full-time clinical internship to round out their clinical training.

Research training is a major emphasis and is based on a mentorship model in which each incoming student is paired with a faculty member with shared interests (more details regarding faculty members are available on the clinical program faculty page). Students are encouraged and expected to present their research at national and international conferences and to publish their work in scientific journals. The department provides a rich research environment for students including state of the art psychophysiology research laboratories; varied collaborations with colleagues at community- based organizations, medical centers, and other Kansas City institutions; national and international research collaborations; and opportunities to participate in cutting-edge grant funded research. The department’s research portfolio has included prestigious awards from the National Institutes of Health including the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

Typically the program admits 4 students from a pool of over one hundred applicants each year (more details are available on the Full Disclosure page). The program is relatively new, having received 7 years of full accreditation from the APA at the first opportunity in 2004. While funding cannot be guaranteed, the program’s goal is to provide 4 years of funding for students who progress successfully. It is typical for first year students to receive a teaching or research assistantship that includes a 9-month stipend (currently approximately $9 000) as well as a tuition waiver (9 credit hours per semester) that covers most of the cost of tuition. Students are typically able to obtain funding for an additional three years through research assistantships, teaching assistantships, or teaching positions. There are usually also opportunities for receiving funding over the summer.

The Department of Psychology is located in mid-town Kansas City, adjacent to the beautiful Country Club Plaza one of the city’s most stylish and vibrant shopping and dining locations. We are in close proximity to the city’s premiere medical centers including UMKC’s own Medical School at Truman Hospital, St. Luke’s Medical Center, the University of Kansas Medical Center, and the Kansas City VA. As an urban campus UMKC’s mission is to serve the ethnically diverse community that surrounds it and this is reflected in many of the Department’s activities. Kansas City, "The City of Fountains", has a metro-area population of nearly 2 million people with gracious boulevards, beautiful parks, and a rich cultural life that includes world class art museums, a thriving community of artists, the Lyric Opera, the Kansas City Symphony, and major league sports.