Clinical Health Psychology
The Master of Science in Clinical Health Psychology is a graduate degree offered by the Behavioral Sciences Department in the College of Arts Sciences, and Letters (CASL) at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.
This two-year, 48-credit program trains mental health care providers to work in primary care settings, as well as more traditional clinical psychology settings. The curriculum of the program, in conjunction with 1 year of supervised postgraduate experience in an organized health care setting, is designed to fulfill the course requirements for the Michigan Limited License in Psychology.
The 48-credit program consists of eleven required courses (36 credits) in core areas of Clinical Health Psychology. Six credit hours will be devoted to practicum in a community setting. Students will take either two elective courses or complete a master's thesis under the supervision of program faculty.
More about the MS program in Clinical Health Psychology
The MS program in Clinical Health Psychology is designed for the full or part-time student who has an undergraduate degree and wishes to obtain a degree in the Behavioral Sciences leading to the Michigan Limited License in Psychology. Graduates of the program are prepared to provide evaluation, counseling and therapy services to clients in a variety of clinical settings with an emphasis on using psychological interventions in the treatment of medical problems.
I've always had an intense interest ... how people work and why people behave the way they do.— Chantel Ulfig, MS In Clinical Health Psychology '14
Degree Requirements & Policies
Students will be required to complete a Plan of Work during their first year in the MS in Psychology: Specialization in Clinical Health Psychology Program. The Plan of Work requires discussion between students and their program advisors. Copies will be retained by the student, the Program Director (or program advisor) and the CASL Graduate Office.
The graduate grading system is intended to reflect higher standards of critical and creative scholarship than those applied at the undergraduate level. To receive a graduate grade in courses open to both undergraduate and graduate students, the graduate student is expected to do work of superior quality and is required to do additional work specified by the instructor. Graduate students are required to earn a ‘B’ (3.0) average or higher to satisfy degree requirements.
Grades of ‘C+’ and below are considered unsatisfactory for graduate level work and could constitute valid cause for dropping a student from the graduate program.
To be awarded a MS in Psychology: Specialization in Clinical Health Psychology, a student must have achieved at least a 3.0 grade point average (a ‘B’ average). ‘C’ grades in the core classes, PSYC 545, 547, 548, 549, 552, 565, 593, and 698 will not be applied toward the MS in Psychology: Specialization in Clinical Health Psychology degree. A grade of ‘B-’ or higher is required in each of these classes. Additionally, a grade of B- in a core clinical class will require remediation to ensure adequate skill mastery. If the student receives a grade of B- in a core clinical course, the student and the instructor will meet to discuss skill deficits and together will develop a contract that outlines the plan for remediation activities. A student will not be allowed to continue with the core clinical course sequence without successful completion of remediation activities. Students may re-take a class one time to raise the grade to an acceptable level.
Furthermore, no more than two grades of ‘C’ in elective or non-core courses may be applied toward the MS in Psychology: Specialization in Clinical Health Psychology degree; grades of C- or lower will not be applied toward the MS in Psychology: Specialization in Clinical Health Psychology degree. Students who fail to maintain a 3.0 average or have more than two ‘C’ or lower grades will be placed on academic probation for the term following the lapse. When a student is placed on academic probation the student and the program director will meet to develop a contract that will outline expectations for academic performance. Students who fail to meet these expectations may be denied permission to register or may be required to withdraw from the program.
Students will be required to obtain malpractice insurance and will need to provide proof of insurance before being permitted to take practicum classes. Instructions regarding how to obtain the insurance will be provided in clinical classes during the second year.
All requirements for the master’s degree must be completed within a 7-year time period. The 7-year time period will begin with the term of admission to the master’s program.
Because of the nature of clinical practice, a variety of situations or conditions, other than academic failure or lack of progress, may impinge on competency to pursue graduate training in clinical health psychology.
The following situations/conditions have been identified as potential for concern:
- Major APA ethics violation.
- Commission of felonious or other significant illegal activity.
- Impaired performance in clinical practice or training, due to significant substance abuse or other reasons (e.g., unsafe behavior).
The clinical faculty will use the probation procedures described above in situations where students experience one or more of these situations/conditions. In each case where such a situation/condition is identified, where possible the clinical faculty will attempt to remediate the deficiencies in collaboration with the student and the Program Director. If remedial efforts are not appropriate or fail to improve the situation/condition, the student may be denied permission to register or may be required to withdraw from the program.
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Psychotherapy Skills Acquisition: To train students in the skills and knowledge necessary to be an effective and ethical psychotherapist. This includes the ability to treat a variety of psychopathologies employing a clear theoretical perspective, and apply behavioral medicine therapies for medical conditions. |
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Assessment Skills Acquisition: To train students in the skills and knowledge necessary to accurately and efficiently determine a broad range of functioning and health including psychological assessment and diagnosing psychopathology. This includes assessing the role of psychological processes as contributing factors to traditional medical concerns. |
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Testing Skills Acquisition: To train students in the application and use of personality and cognitive testing. This includes the administration, scoring, and interpretation of common psychological tests. |
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Research Methods: To train students to understand and apply research on disease/disorder etiology and treatment to their clinical practice. |
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Professional and Ethical Development: To indoctrinate students into their role and identity as professional healthcare providers. |
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Professional Report Writing: To train students in professional communication and report writing including intake assessment reports and psychological testing reports. |
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Knowledge of Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine: Students will be able to demonstrate basic knowledge of the major concepts used in health psychology and behavioral medicine. This includes a general understanding of basic theories, research findings, and medical knowledge used within these disciplines. |
Recommended Schedule of Classes
The following schedule provides the sequence of courses that students in the MS in Psychology: Specialization in Clinical Health Psychology program will be expected to take. Although it is possible to take some of the courses out of the sequence, most build on previous courses, and all course schedules will require approval by the Program Director.
Year 1: Fall (9 credits)
PSYC 557: Advanced Health Psychology (3 credits)
PSYC 5825: Basic Methods and Statistics in Health Psychology (3 credits)
PSYC 545: Advanced Psychopathology (3 credits)
Year 1: Winter (10 credits)
PSYC 5835: Advanced Methods and Statistics in Health Psychology (3 credits)
PSYC 547: Theories and Techniques of Therapeutic Intervention (lecture and lab; 4 credits)
PSYC 575: Biological Foundations of Health Psychology (3 credits)
Year 1: Summer I/Summer II (7 credits)
PSYC 548: Psychological Assessment I (lecture and lab; 4 credits)
PSYC 552: Advanced Techniques of Therapeutic Intervention (3 credits)
Year 2: Fall (10 credits)
PSYC 593: Professional and Ethical Issues (3 credits)
PSYC 549: Psychological Assessment II (lecture and lab; 4 credits)
PSYC 565: Individual and Group Techniques in Clinical Health Psychology (3 credits)
Year 2: Winter (6 credits)
PSYC 698: Practicum in Clinical Health Psychology (3 credits)
Elective (3 credits) OR PSYC 697: Thesis (3 credits)
Year 2: Summer I/Summer II (6 credits)
PSYC 698: Practicum in Clinical Health Psychology (3 credits)
Elective (3 credits) OR PSYC 697: Thesis (3 credits)
Students are required to have 6 credits in approved elective courses if they do not elect to complete a Masters Thesis. Three of these credits could be an independent project. Information about specific elective courses that will fulfill these requirements should be discussed with your program advisor or the Program Director each semester.
Students may elect to complete a Masters Thesis during the second year of the program. Students selecting this option will take 3 credits in an approved elective course and 6 thesis credits. Contact the program director for more information.