The Master of Arts Clinical Psychology Program is a terminal master's program offered at the UCF Sanford/Lake Mary Campus. The Research/Thesis Track is designed for students who wish to focus on clinical research and/or are interested in pursuing entry into a doctoral program following the completion of their Master's degree. Students who complete this option are not eligible to become Licensed Mental Health Counselors upon graduation. Please visit the program's website for more information, including a list of program faculty members and frequently asked questions (FAQs): https://sciences.ucf.edu/psychology/graduate/ma-clinical/faqs/.
The Clinical Psychology MA Research/Thesis Track program requires a minimum of 38 credit hours beyond the bachelor's degree, including 32 credit hours of required courses, and 6 thesis hours. The curriculum emphasizes the development of research experience and skills. Further, the curriculum is designed to be flexible, with numerous elective courses to help the student pursue specific interests and to work towards specific goals. Students in this track work closely with a faculty mentor.
Note: This track is for students who wish to focus on clinical research and/or preparation for doctoral-level study upon graduation. Students who complete this track will not be license-eligible when they graduate. Completion of this track does not guarantee admissions into a doctoral program.
Total Credit Hours Required: 38 Credit Hours Minimum beyond the Bachelor's Degree
Track Prerequisites
A bachelor's degree in Psychology or a related area. A minimum of 15 semester hours of undergraduate psychology courses are required as a prerequisite for applicants with a degree in a field other than psychology. Completion of courses in abnormal psychology (or psychopathology) and research methods and/or statistics is strongly recommended. Other recommended courses include clinical psychology, developmental psychology, personality theory, physiological psychology, and psychology of diversity.
Degree Requirements
Required Courses
9 Total Credits
- Complete the following:
- CLP5166 - Advanced Psychopathology (3)
- CLP6195C - Introduction to Psychotherapy (3)
- CLP6932 - Ethical and Professional Issues in Mental Health Practices (3)
General Clinical Elective Courses
15 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- In addition to the requirements associated with the Clinical Psychology Core, select 5 additional courses (advisor permission required)
- Complete at least 5 of the following:
- CLP6181 - Psychological Theories of Substance Abuse Treatment (3)
- CLP6191 - Multicultural Psychotherapy (3)
- CLP6321 - Psychotherapy in Community Settings (3)
- CLP6441C - Individual Psychological Assessment I (3)
- CLP6449C - Career and Lifestyle Assessment (3)
- CLP6457C - Group Psychotherapy (3)
- CLP6459C - Human Sexuality, Marriage, and Sex Therapies (3)
- CLP6460C - Introduction to Child, Adolescent, and Family Therapies (3)
- CLP6461 - Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (3)
- CYP6942 - Practicum in Psychological Counseling (3)
- DEP5057 - Developmental Psychology (3)
- PSB5005 - Physiological Psychology (3)
Research Courses
14 Total Credits
- Complete all of the following
- Complete the following:
- CLP6527c - Measurement, Research Design, and Statistical Analysis in Clinical Psychology I (4)
- CLP6528C - Measurement, Research Design, and Statistical Analysis in Clinical Psychology II (4)
- Earn at least 6 credits from the following:
- PSY6971 - Thesis (1 - 99)
Grand Total Credits: 38
Application Requirements
Financial Information
Graduate students may receive financial assistance through fellowships, assistantships, tuition support, or loans. For more information, see the College of Graduate Studies Funding website, which describes the types of financial assistance available at UCF and provides general guidance in planning your graduate finances. The Financial Information section of the Graduate Catalog is another key resource
Fellowship Information
Fellowships are awarded based on academic merit to highly qualified students. They are paid to students through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on instructions provided by the College of Graduate Studies. Fellowships are given to support a student's graduate study and do not have a work obligation. For more information, see UCF Graduate Fellowships, which includes descriptions of university fellowships and what you should do to be considered for a fellowship.
Additional Program Requirements
For all students in the Clinical MA program, successful completion requires demonstration of academic excellence. Students who receive grades lower than B (including B- and grades of U in courses graded satisfactory/unsatisfactory) in six semester hours or more will be dismissed from the program. It is a program requirement that all course work with a grade lower than B be retaken and completed successfully, although both grades are still calculated in the GPA.
In addition to academic excellence, students are expected to demonstrate skills and personal resources that are up to the demands of the program. At the end of each semester, students will receive written feedback from the faculty on the extent to which they are meeting the programs requirements and performance expectations. Student progress will be rated as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Students who receive an unsatisfactory rating will be asked to complete remediation as determined by the faculty. If the identified problems are not remedied and/or a second unsatisfactory rating is received, the student will be dismissed from the program.
Summer Enrollment
Summer enrollment may be required for completion of the program.
Independent Learning
There are several independent learning experiences built into the programs of study that help to individualize the training program. Students who pursue the research thesis track engage in independent learning through the design and implementation of original research in collaboration with faculty. They will work closely with a faculty mentor in relation to research and selection of electives. Further, although not required, students have the opportunity to take a clinical practicum to gain clinical experience.
Can you provide an overview of the research/thesis track? Is this the right track for me to apply to?
The faculty developed this track for students who are interested in focusing on research and/or are interested in gaining entry into a research-focused doctoral program. This track is a great fit for students who are not particularly interested in clinical practice at the master’s level upon graduation. In addition to an empirical thesis, we encourage students in this track to engage in other research projects. Students in the thesis track have a reduced course load relative to the prelicensure track, which allows more time for engagement in research. The tradeoff is that students in this track will not be eligible for licensure at the mater’s level when they graduate. We anticipate admitting no more than 4 to 6 students into the thesis track each year.
Is it possible to get clinical experience in the research/thesis track?
Yes. It is possible for students in the research/thesis track to choose to do a practicum. This experience would be approximately 10 hours/week during one spring semester.
Am I guaranteed admission into a Ph.D. program if I am in the research/thesis track?
No. The program has the potential to increase a student’s competitiveness when applying to research-focused doctoral programs; however, we cannot guarantee admission into a doctoral program.
