Benefits of a Graduate Certificate in Health Psychology
Health psychology is involved in many professions, including psychology, educational psychology, allied health professions, exercise science, sociology, social welfare, and many others. Today’s health care is an inter-professional approach to service and health psychology is part of patient contact and research being conducted in all health areas. Researchers and providers that have education and training in health psychology are in high demand with the changes in health care emerging. Our graduate certificate supplies broad and specific education in health psychology theory, research, and clinical applications. For more information regarding our program, please visit our graduate certificate program website.
From the very beginning, health psychology has always been a “hybrid” discipline. Following from those interdisciplinary roots, the health psychology certificate would welcome students from a broad range of programs who have a variety of educational goals.
Students in Health Service Delivery Programs. Course offerings provide students the option of selecting classes that could be used to inform practice with patients with chronic or acute health problems. Practicum training is NOT offered, but didactic work can be used to inform training offered in other programs that prepare students to deliver mental or physical health related services (e.g., counseling psychology, social welfare, physical therapy, and nursing).
Students interested in Health Promotion. Course offerings provide students the option of selecting classes that could be used by students interested in careers related to health promotion or primary prevention, or careers that involve communication about health care (e.g., health, sport, and exercise science, public policy, health care administration).
Students interested in Transdisciplinary Research. Course offerings provide students the option of selecting classes with an applied focus in other domains of social science (e.g., social psychology, cognitive psychology, quantitative psychology, philosophy/ethics).
Admission to Graduate Studies
An applicant seeking to pursue graduate study in the College may be admitted as either a degree-seeking or non-degree seeking student. Policies and procedures of Graduate Studies govern the process of Graduate admission. These may be found in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.
Please consult the Departments & Programs section of the online catalog for information regarding program-specific admissions criteria and requirements. Special admissions requirements pertain to Interdisciplinary Studies degrees, which may be found in the Graduate Studies section of the online catalog.
Current Department of Psychology Graduate Students
Psychology department graduate students who wish to pursue a Health Psychology Graduate Certificate should consult with Dr. Nancy Hamilton. The Department will then request that the College/school add a certificate to a graduate degree-seeking student’s plan.
Current KU Graduate Students Outside of the Department of Psychology
Current KU graduate students outside the Department of Psychology who wish to pursue the certificate will complete an application through Graduate Studies. This application is separate from the regular application for admission to a Degree-Seeking program. Students must be in good standing with their graduate degree program in order to participate in the certificate program. A graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher is required for admission.
Application requirements include:
- Statement of one’s interest in Health Psychology
- Current Degree Progress Report (DPR) or Advising Report; a current graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher is required
- Letter of support from home academic department
Non-KU Students
Non-KU graduate students must complete an application through Graduate Studies for admission to the certificate program. This application is separate from the regular application for admission to a Degree-Seeking program. Students must have earned a bachelor's degree.
Application requirements include:
- One letter of recommendation from persons familiar with your academic work or potential for graduate school
- Transcripts from all institutions from which a degree was obtained, or any institutions attended post-bachelors. Copies of official transcripts that you have opened may be uploaded to the application online and used for admissions consideration. If you are admitted, sealed, or official electronic transcripts showing degree conferral, if applicable, must be provided by the end of your first semester at KU. Send official, sealed transcripts to:
KU Graduate Admissions
1502 Iowa St.
Lawrence, KS 66045
OR
graduateadm@ku.edu
Application Deadline:
Applications for the program are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information on admission to a graduate certificate program, see the policy on Admission to Graduate Study. Questions? Please contact our graduate program coordinator.
Health Psychology Graduate Certificate Program Requirements
Students must maintain a 3.0 or higher GPA in courses taken in the certificate program and maintain good standing in any University program of study for which they are enrolled.
For more information regarding program requirements and a complete list of approved electives, please contact the graduate program coordinator. Non-approved elective courses should be chosen in consultation with the certificate Program Director within the department.
At least 50% of coursework counted towards the certificate must be 700 level or above.
Course Requirements:
To complete the health psychology graduate certificate, 12 credit hours of graduate work must be completed, including:
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
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| Clinical Health Psychology: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention | |
| Clinical Health Psychology: Acute and Chronic Illness | |
| Clinical Health Psychology: Physical Aspects of Health and Disease | |
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