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University of Montana Catalog 2024-2025

Psychology Ph.D. - Clinical Psychology

General Graduate Program Requirements

Graduate School policies and standards can be found on the Graduate School Policies page

The minimum GPA for any graduate program is 3.0. Individual programs may require more than a 3.0 to remain in good standing. 

The minimum grade for a course to be accepted toward any requirement is C. Individual programs may require higher grades for specific courses.

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY - PSYCHOLOGY; CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY CONCENTRATION

  • This program requires a minimum grade of B-. 
  • A Master of Arts degree is conferred on route to the terminal doctoral degree based on credits and completion of the MA Thesis Project.
  • In the first year, and in addition to Psychopathology, Statistics, and Ethics, students take a course in Clinical Interviewing as well as a two-course sequence of Psych Eval I & Psych Eval II, where they learn intelligence testing, the use of objective tests, and begin report-writing
  • In the second year, and in conjunction the study of clinical interventions, students begin direct clinical therapeutic contact & practice at the Clinical Psychology Center
  • Each semester, on a rotating basis, faculty offer Interventions or Special Topics courses in their specific treatment specialty, research area or methodology.  Topics include:  Multicultural Psychology, Family Psychology, DBT, Substance Misuse, Integrated Behavioral Health, Motivational Interviewing, and LGBTQ Issues.
  • Clinical Training
    Training for our students includes both classroom instruction and direct clinical experience.  Our students work with people of diverse backgrounds, lifestyles, and experiences and are trained to adapt to a rapidly changing service-delivery environment in mental health and human service arenas.  
    Much of our students’ clinical training is done at the Clinical Psychology Center (CPC) on the UM campus.  In the second year of training, clinical PhD students enter practicum and begin seeing clients.
    • The CPC is a training clinic, offering assessment, consultation, intervention, and psychotherapy services to the general Missoula community; clients receive services on a sliding fee scale 
    • Staffed by Clinical and School doctoral students, the CPC is the primary training site for both programs
    • Clinicians are supervised by Department of Psychology clinical and school faculty members & licensed community psychologists
    • Students take practica from a variety of supervisors and are exposed to a range of theoretical and applied points of view
    • Some schools of thought represented in the techniques and approaches are:  Cognitive-Behavioral, Psychodynamic, Emotion-Focused, Interpersonal Therapy, Functional Analytic
    • Our student clinicians carry fairly small caseloads (typically 3 – 5 clients) in order to provide optimal care and have close supervision
    • As they progress, student clinicians assume increasing responsibility for the care of their clients; they are encouraged in their development of case conceptualizations and treatment plans
    • The CPC has therapy rooms for individual, group, family, child therapy, as well as assessment

Course Requirements

Complete all of the following courses:
PSYX 501Teaching of Psychology3
PSYX 511Professional Issues1
PSYX 520Advanced Psychological Statistics I3
PSYX 521Advanced Psychological Statistics II4
PSYX 523Research Design3
PSYX 525Psychological Evaluation I3
PSYX 526Psychological Evaluation II: Objective Approaches and Applications3
PSYX 530Clinical and Diagnostic Interviewing3
PSYX 531Principles of Psychological Intervention3
PSYX 532Advanced Psychopathology3
PSYX 534Applied Clinical Methods17
PSYX 551Advanced Personality3
PSYX 555Advanced Social and Developmental Psychology3
PSYX 565Advanced Cognition3
PSYX 571Advanced Physiological Psychology3
PSYX 630Ethics, Professional & Cultural Issues3
PSYX 599Thesis/Research Project3
PSYX 631Intervention12
or PSYX 632 Current Clinical Topics
or PSYX 535 Child Interventions
or PSYX 536 Advanced Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
or PSYX 537 Child Assessment
PSYX 638Clinical Psychology Internship3
PSYX 699Dissertation6
Total Hours85

Master of Arts - Psychology; Clinical Psychology Concentration

The University of Montana Department of Psychology does not admit students seeking only a master's degree; however, a Master of Arts degree is is conferred on route to the terminal doctoral degree based on credits and completion of the MA Thesis Project and the requirements listed below.

Course Requirements

Complete all of the following courses:
PSYX 501Teaching of Psychology3
PSYX 511Professional Issues1
PSYX 520Advanced Psychological Statistics I3
PSYX 521Advanced Psychological Statistics II4
PSYX 523Research Design3
PSYX 525Psychological Evaluation I3
PSYX 526Psychological Evaluation II: Objective Approaches and Applications3
PSYX 530Clinical and Diagnostic Interviewing3
PSYX 531Principles of Psychological Intervention3
PSYX 532Advanced Psychopathology3
PSYX 534Applied Clinical Methods8
PSYX 630Ethics, Professional & Cultural Issues3
PSYX 599Thesis/Research Project3
PSYX 631Intervention3
or PSYX 632 Current Clinical Topics
Complete 2 of the following courses:6
Advanced Social Psychology
Advanced Personality
Advanced Social and Developmental Psychology
Advanced Cognition
Advanced Physiological Psychology
Total Hours52

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