Requirements

Students are required to complete an empirical master’s thesis research project and typically do so within the first 2-3 years of the program. The master’s thesis requirement may be waived for students who previously completed a master’s degree in Psychology and an empirical thesis at another university. Once the thesis is completed, students begin work on the doctoral dissertation. Both projects are intended to be significant contributions to scientific understanding and/or treatment of an important psychological or medical health-related problem.

Although the master’s thesis and dissertation are the only two required projects, students are expected to be continuously involved in research and complete multiple projects for presentation at scientific and professional conferences and publication in the scientific literature.

Students are engaged in supervised clinical training beginning in the summer of the first year and continuing until the internship begins. Students will gain experience with adults and children, and with both mental health and medical populations, in clinical settings across the UAB Health System as well as affiliated institutions and health care facilities. Learn more about clinical training opportunities.

Required Curriculum

Students maintain full-time enrollment year-round. The required curriculum includes the following courses plus enrollment in credit hours associated with research, clinical practica, and the pre-doctoral internship:

Elective Courses

In addition to the required curriculum, students may take electives that relate to their specific areas of interest. Among elective courses offered recently or planned for the near future are:

Clinical Internship

Students must complete a one-year (or equivalent) APA-accredited clinical psychology internship. Program policies aim to ensure that students complete their dissertations before leaving for the internship. Examples of past internships can be found on the Alumni Outcomes page.