Clinical Child Psychology Graduate Program

The Clinical Child Psychology Program (CCPP) at the University of Kansas is a graduate program leading to the doctoral degree (Ph.D.) in Clinical Child Psychology.  The program does not offer a terminal master's degree. However, students admitted to the Doctoral program without a master's degree will obtain a MA in Clinical Child Psychology en route to the Ph.D.

The CCPP is accredited by the American Psychological Association’s Commission on Accreditation as a clinical psychology doctoral training program with a special emphasis on children, adolescents, and families. To learn more about this doctoral program, please visit the PhD section of the catalog.

Admission to Graduate Studies

Admission Requirements

• All applicants must meet the requirements outlined in the Admission to Graduate Study policy. 

• Bachelor’s degree: A copy of official transcripts showing proof of a bachelor's degree (and any post-bachelor’s coursework or degrees) from a regionally accredited institution, or a foreign university with equivalent bachelor's degree requirements is required.  

• English proficiency: Proof of English proficiency for non-native or non-native-like English speakers is required. There are two bands of English proficiency, including Admission and Full proficiency. For applicants to online programs, Full proficiency is required. 

Please see the PhD section of the catalog for admission information.  

Masters of Arts Degree Requirements

Students must be admitted to the Ph.D. program to earn a masters of arts degree in Clinical Child Psychology. The Department of Clinical Child Psychology does not admit students interested in pursuing only a masters degree. Students will develop a unique plan of study with their faculty mentor and the Director of Clinical Training (DCT). 

At least 50% of coursework for the masters degree must be taken at the 700-level or above.  Students must also complete and successfully defend a thesis based on an empirical study. Coursework taken to earn the masters degree will be counted towards credits completion of the Ph.D. Degree in Clinical Child Psychology.

The Clinical Child Psychology Training Manual provides additional procedural information related to these requirements. Please visit the Department of Clinical Child Psychology Student Resources webpage to view a current edition of our department handbook.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Coursework		24
Select 24 credit hours from the following:
Psychology Core
ABSC 857	Biological Bases of Behavior
PSYC 870	Cognitive Development
ABSC/PSYC 825	Social Development
PSYC 805	History of Psychology
or EPSY 882	History and Systems of Psychology
ABSC/PSYC 888	Diversity Issues in Clinical Psychology
or EPSY 875	Understanding Cultural & Individual Differences in Professional Psychology
Psychopathology, Psychodiagnosis, & Psychological Assessment
ABSC/PSYC 905	Psychopathology in Children
ABSC/PSYC 803	Fundamentals of Psychological Assessment and Intervention with Children
ABSC/PSYC 811	Achievement and Intellectual Assessment in Clinical Child Psychology
ABSC/PSYC 812	Behavioral and Personality Assessment of Children
Intervention & Therapy Procedures
ABSC/PSYC 976	Therapeutic Interventions with Children
EPSY 956	Theory of Couples and Family Counseling
PSYC 946	Theories and Methods of Psychotherapy
Clinical Practica
ABSC/PSYC 846	Practicum in Clinical Child Psychology I
PSYC 847/847	Practicum in Clinical Child Psychology II
Professional Standards and Ethics
ABSC/PSYC 809	Professional Issues: Clinical Child Psychology
PSYC 975	Professional and Ethical Problems in Clinical Psychology
or EPSY 880	Ethical and Legal Issues in Psychology and Counseling
Consultation and Supervision
EPSY 945	Clinical Supervision and Consultation
or ABSC/PSYC 706	Special Topics in Clinical Child Psychology: _____
Research and Statistics
PSYC 815	Design and Analysis for Developmental Research
or PSYC 968	Research Methods in Clinical Psychology
PSYC 790	Statistical Methods in Psychology I
EPSY 810	Regression and ANOVA: General Linear Models
Masters Thesis		6
Completion of 6 hours of:
ABSC/PSYC 897	Master's Thesis in Clinical Child Psychology
Total Hours		30

Thesis Defense

The master's thesis must be based on empirical research (not literature reviews or purely theoretical or conceptual productions). The defense includes an oral presentation and questions from a faculty committee. Thesis committees must meet the criteria in the Master's Student Oral Exam Committee Composition Policy and include at least two core faculty of the Department of Clinical Child Psychology. Summer enrollment is required when faculty time is utilized for any supervision or while data gathering is being conducted for the students thesis. 

At the completion of this program, students will be able to: 

• critically evaluate and produce empirical research.
• demonstrate and deliver evidence-based psychological services for children, adolescents, and families.
• internalize and demonstrate the professional values, attitudes, and behaviors of psychology.
• demonstrate responsiveness to individual an cultural diversity across their professional roles.
• demonstrate communication and leadership skills to contribute to the field of clinical child psychology.