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Program Curriculum

Program Requirements

The Clinical Health Psychology PhD Program has six components: Core Courses & Electives, Master's Thesis, Clinical Practica, Comprehensive Clinical Competency Evaluation (CCCE), Doctoral Dissertation, and Pre-Doctoral Internship. Each component contributes to developing the scientist-practitioners who are the hallmark of clinical health psychology training.  It is possible to complete the program in five years.  The CHP PhD program is a full-time, residency-based program. Educational activities are completed on-campus for didactic, research, and clinical training. PhD students are required to complete their training on campus for no less than 3 years prior to their full time APA accredited internship.  Click here for CU Denver and Anschutz Medical Center course descriptions.

The Clinical Health Psychology PhD program at the University of Colorado Denver is an APA accredited program that is compliant with national standards to prepare students to practice clinical psychology.  However, the practice of psychology is regulated at the state level.  State licensing authorities determine specific educational and training requirements for licensure in their state.  Of note, most States require post-doctoral training as well as examinations beyond pre-doctoral educational and training requirements. As such, a PhD degree from our program (or any PhD program) in Clinical Psychology is not sufficient, in and of itself, to meet licensure requirements in most states.  However, our program does meet the pre-doctoral training requirements for most states which can be found here: CU Denver State Authorization page.  

Required Courses

  • Personality Assessment
  • Cognitive Assessment
  • Advanced Psychopathology
  • Advanced Cognition & Emotion
  • Advanced Developmental Psychology
  • Diversity in Clinical Psychology
  • Advanced Biological Bases of Behavior
  • Clinical Research Methods
  • ​Clinical Behavioral Medicine
  • Clinical Practica
  • Master's Thesis
  • Advanced Social Psychology
  • Psychotherapy I
  • Psychotherapy II
  • Health Psychology I
  • Health Psychology II
  • Ethics & Professional Issues
  • Advanced Statistics
  • ​Multivariate Statistics
  • ​Dissertation
  • Pre-Doctoral Internship

Sample PhD Curricula

Sample curriculum for students entering in odd or even years

 

Learning Outcomes

 

Goal #1: Prepare students to be entry-level clinical psychology scientists.

Objectives for Goal #1:
  • Students will acquire knowledge of research methods in clinical psychology.
  • Students will acquire basic understanding of statistical analytic methods in clinical psychology.
  • Students will be able to conduct empirical research to contribute to the knowledge base in clinical psychology.
Competencies for Goal 1 Objectives:
  • Demonstrate entry-level ability to review, integrate, and critically evaluate research in clinical psychology.
  • Demonstrate entry-level ability to design and conduct empirical research.
  • Demonstrate entry-level ability to disseminate research findings.
  • Demonstrate critical and integrative thinking skills as well as intellectual curiosity.

 

Goal #2: Students will be trained to be capable entry-level practitioners of clinical psychology.

Objectives for Goal #2:
  • Students will acquire knowledge of theory and research to understand psychological disorders.
  • Students will acquire knowledge of theory and research and related skills to conduct effective evidence-based psychological assessment and psychotherapeutic interventions.
  • Students will acquire knowledge regarding the application of ethical concepts and awareness regarding professional activities.
  • Students will be knowledgeable and sensitive to individual, group, and cultural differences in clinical practice.
Competencies for Goal 2 Objectives:
  • Demonstrate entry-level knowledge of psychological disorders.
  • Demonstrate entry-level ability to diagnose psychological disorders.
  • Demonstrate entry-level ability to conduct psychological assessment.
  • Demonstrate entry-level ability to select and deliver empirically-supported and evidence-based psychological interventions.
  • Understand ethical principles and demonstrate ethical behavior in the application of clinical practice.
  • Demonstrate sensitivity to cultural and diversity issues and adapt clinical practice accordingly.

 

Goal #3: Students will be trained to be competent as entry-level clinical psychology professionals with knowledge and skills in clinical health psychology.

Objectives for Goal #3:
  • Students will acquire basic knowledge of biopsychosocial principles and research relevant to clinical health psychology.
  • Students will acquire basic, entry-level skills to conduct research on health. psychology topics and provide clinical psychological services in clinical health psychology settings. 
Competencies for Goal #3 Objectives:
  • Demonstrate knowledge of biopsychosocial principles.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of clinical health psychology research.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and entry-level skill in application of clinical psychological skills in clinical health psychology settings.