Psychology (PhD)

Program Overview

The mission of the doctoral program in Counseling Psychology at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) is to offer “broad and general doctoral education and training that includes preparation in health service psychology (HSP)” (APA, 2018).

The aims of the program are that its students –

• Develop a counseling psychology identity based upon a commitment to serving others through positive interpersonal relationships and professional competence.
• Acquire skills as generalists in the practice of psychology in diverse settings while being mindful of the contextual and multicultural aspects of human existence.
• Develop skills as scientifically-minded professionals who engage in evidence-based practice and as researchers capable of contributing to the knowledge-base of the field.

Graduates in the Counseling Psychology Program (CPP) are prepared to act as counseling psychologists who are competent to practice in healthcare systems and related settings appropriate to their training, such as academia. Graduates respect and encourage diversity and are trained as generalists able to integrate the worlds of science and practice in promoting health while serving the whole person in a variety of clinical community contexts.

The Integration of Science and Practice

The program is designed to foster the integration of science and practice in all aspects of professional behavior. The theoretical perspectives of the core faculty are similar regarding the necessity of evidence-based decision making in practice and research. While students are exposed to a variety of theoretical perspectives within the department, the over-riding theme is that our professional behavior should be informed by research. Further, specific course work, a required dissertation, and required research and practical experiences that integrate theory, practice, and research ensure the synthesis of science and practice.

Training is Sequential, Cumulative, and Graded in Complexity

Our 5-year curriculum (see course sequence below) shows how to progression of courses is sequential, cumulative, graded in complexity, and designed to prepare students for further organized training.

The Program is Committed to a Respect For and Understanding of Cultural and Individual Differences

The program values diversity and multiculturalism, as indicated by its commitment: “The program values cultural and individual diversity, which includes personal and demographic characteristics, as well as including (but not limited to) age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, national origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, and social economic status. The program considers these aspects as valuable in recruitment and hiring, in teaching and training, and in providing practicum and internship experiences. At the core of these values lies respect for the person, and we are dedicated to insuring that the program supports this approach.

Need for Psychologists

The need for quality counseling psychological services has been strongly felt throughout the state of Arkansas, the United States, and beyond. The doctoral emphasis in counseling psychology responds to this need in a pragmatic manner by preparing graduates to competently perform a variety of counseling psychology functions.

Values

The philosophy of the doctoral program in Counseling Psychology is operationalized through the following specific values. In turn, it is hoped that graduates will adopt and incorporate these values. The Counseling Psychology Emphasis values:

1. Respect for each person.
2. A community of individuals.
3. Strength in diversity.
4. Service to others.
5. A science-practitioner foundation.
6. Giving back to the profession.
7. Giving back to the community.

Consumer Information Disclosure

• The Counseling Psychology doctoral program is designed to meet program eligibility requirements for licensure as a psychologist in Arkansas. The program has not determined whether graduates would meet licensure requirements for any other state.

Program Outline

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAM

The following are the Goals and Objectives of our program, and should give the current or prospective student a better idea of the types of things you will learn and the approach of the program. It is anticipated that graduates will exhibit the following knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors:

(Research.)

• Demonstrate the substantially independent ability to formulate research or other scholarly activities (e.g., critical literature reviews, dissertation, efficacy studies, clinical case studies, theoretical papers, program evaluation projects, program development projects) that are of sufficient quality and rigor to have the potential to contribute to the scientific, psychological, or professional knowledge base.
• Conduct research or other scholarly activities.
• Critically evaluate and disseminate research or other scholarly activity via professional publication and presentation at the local (including the host institution), regional, or national level.

 (Ethical and legal standards.)

• Be knowledgeable of and act in accordance with each of the following: (a) the current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct; (b) relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels; and (c) Relevant professional standards and guidelines.
• Recognize ethical dilemmas as they arise, and apply ethical decision-making processes in order to resolve the dilemmas.
• Conduct self in an ethical manner in all professional activities.

(Individual and cultural diversity.)

• An understanding of how their own personal/cultural history, attitudes, and biases may affect how they understand and interact with people different from themselves.
• Knowledge of the current theoretical and empirical knowledge base as it relates to addressing diversity in all professional activities including research, training, supervision/consultation, and service.
• The ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles (e.g., research, services, and other professional activities). This includes the ability apply a framework for working effectively with areas of individual and cultural diversity not previously encountered over the course of their careers. Also included is the ability to work effectively with individuals whose group membership, demographic characteristics, or worldviews create conflict with their own.
• Demonstrate the requisite knowledge base, ability to articulate an approach to working effectively with diverse individuals and groups, and apply this approach effectively in their professional work.

(Professional values, attitudes, and behaviors.)

• Behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology, including integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others
• Engage in self-reflection regarding one’s personal and professional functioning; engage in activities to maintain and improve performance, well-being, and professional effectiveness.
• Actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision.
• Respond professionally in increasingly complex situations with a greater degree of independence as they progress across levels of training.

(Communications and interpersonal skills.)

• Develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals, including colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervisees, and those receiving professional services.
• Produce and comprehend oral, nonverbal, and written communications that are informative and well-integrated; demonstrate a thorough grasp of professional language and concepts.
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to manage difficult communication well.

 (Assessment.)        

• Demonstrate current knowledge of diagnostic classification systems, functional and dysfunctional behaviors, including consideration of client strengths and psychopathology.
• Demonstrate understanding of human behavior within its context (e.g., family, social, societal and cultural).
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the knowledge of functional and dysfunctional behaviors including context to the assessment and/or diagnostic process.
• Select and apply assessment methods that draw from the best available empirical literature and that reflect the science of measurement and psychometrics; collect relevant data using multiple sources and methods appropriate to the identified goals and questions of the assessment as well as relevant diversity characteristics of the service recipient.
• Interpret assessment results, following current research and professional standards and guidelines, to inform case conceptualization, classification, and recommendations, while guarding against decision-making biases, distinguishing the aspects of assessment that are subjective from those that are objective.
• Communicate orally and in written documents the findings and implications of the assessment in an accurate and effective manner sensitive to a range of audiences.

 (Intervention.)

• Establish and maintain effective relationships with the recipients of psychological services.
• Develop evidence-based intervention plans specific to the service delivery goals.
• Implement interventions informed by the current scientific literature, assessment findings, diversity characteristics, and contextual variables.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply the relevant research literature to clinical decision making.
• Modify and adapt evidence-based approaches effectively when a clear evidence-base is lacking.
• Evaluate intervention effectiveness, and adapt intervention goals and methods consistent with ongoing evaluation.

 (Supervision.)

• Demonstrate knowledge of supervision models and practices.

 (Consultation and inter professional/interdisciplinary skills.)

• Demonstrate knowledge and respect for the roles and perspectives of other professions.
• Demonstrates knowledge of consultation models and practices.

Program Curriculum: Required Coursework (120 hours)

• PSYC 7360 Foundations of Counseling Psychology
• PSYC 6398 Legal and Ethical Issues in Counseling and Psychology
• PSYC 6354 Theories of Psychotherapy
• PSYC 6330 Advanced Psychological Statistics
• PSYC 6331 Research Design
• PSYC 6370 Advanced Developmental Psychology
• PSYC 6314 Psychopathology
• PSYC 6356 Group Therapy
• COUN 6350 Counseling Process and Skills
• COUN 6342 Career Counseling
• PSYC 7315 General Linear Models
• PSYC 6393 Marriage and Family Therapy
• COUN 6381 Counseling Practicum I
• PSYC 6313 Psychoeducational Assessment I
• PSYC 7V41 Doctoral Research Seminar*
• PSYC 7361 Psychological Treatments and Methods
• PSYC 7320 Regression and Multivariate Analysis
• COUN 6382 Counseling Practicum II
• PSYC 6379 Personality Assessment
• PSYC 7312 Learning and Cognition
• PSYC 6355 Multicultural Counseling
• ELECTIVEPSYC or COUN elective at 6000 level or above
• PSYC 7V65 Doctoral Practicum in Counseling Psychology*
• PSYC 6350 History of Psychology3PSYC 8320Integrated Health Care in the Community
• PSYC 6363 Foundations of Social and Affective Psychology
• PSYC 7325 Physiological Psychology
• PSYC 9V10 Dissertation*
• PSYC 6373 Consultation and Supervision in Psychology
• COUN 6334 Analysis and Measurement of the Individual
• PSYC 9605 Doctoral Internship in Professional Psychology
• PSYC 9606 Doctoral Internship in Professional Psychology

*PSYC 7V41 is taken for a total of 3 semester hours; PSYC 7V65 is taken for a total of 12 semester hours; PSYC 9V10 is taken for a total of 9 semester hours.

All students in the Counseling Psychology Track who have not previously earned a master’s in counseling or a counseling-related field will earn a master’s in Mental Health Counseling after the completion of the appropriate 60 hour coursework and comprehensive examination. For such students, the following substitutions will be made in the Mental Health Counseling program:

Substitute PSYC 6313, 7360, 7361, and 6379 for COUN 6334, COUN 6V41, PSYC 6325, and PSYC 6372.

Doctoral students earning the MS in Mental Health Counseling will not be eligible for licensure by the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling unless they complete COUN 6V41 (Internship in Counseling) and PSYC 6372 (Psychopharmacology).

Students receiving three Cs in graduate courses will not be permitted to continue in the program, nor will they be permitted to enroll in any other program in the Department of Psychology and Counseling. In addition, for students in the Counseling Psychology track, grades below B will not be accepted toward completion of the degree.

Distal Student Learning Outcomes

Other more distal outcomes include:

1. Graduates will be able to demonstrate having met core requirements necessary to be licensed in Arkansas as a psychologist.
2. Graduates will be able to demonstrate successful entrance into the mental health profession by obtaining employment.