The Ph.D. Program in Clinical Psychology at Texas A&M University

The Clinical program espouses a scientist-practitioner model integrating the full range of research, teaching, and applied skills in training doctoral students. We view research and applied skills as interwoven rather than as two discrete sets of skills. As a result, our graduates acquire the foundation for pursuing a strong clinical scientist career in an academic or research setting, as well as a robust clinician scholar career in a medical or other training institution or serving in an administrative role in a service delivery agency.

The program is designed for completion in five years, the last year of which is the clinical internship. The first two years are relatively course intensive, during which students complete basic courses in research methodology, scientific domains of psychological inquiry, and core clinical courses in psychopathology, assessment, and psychosocial interventions. Students become involved in faculty-led research teams during their first year, affording them the opportunity to collaborate with team members in developing research questions, designing empirical studies, collecting and analyzing data, writing manuscripts, and presenting scientific papers at national and regional conferences. By the end of their first year, students propose their master’s thesis research to be completed during their second year. The Clinical program emphasizes students’ involvement in collaborative research beyond their thesis research, providing a broad foundation in research methodology prior to formulating their dissertation research during their third year. We expect our students to have several scholarly publications and presentations at scientific meetings prior to applying for the predoctoral internship.

Students also acquire clinical skills in assessment and intervention beginning in their second year. All students serve as primary therapists for clients at our Department Clinic serving children, adolescents, and adults from the community (as individuals, couples, or families) under close faculty supervision. Advanced students may specialize in certain types of cases (e.g., eating disorders, chronic pain, substance abuse, attention-deficit disorders, or relationship problems) and may also involve themselves in one of the ongoing specialty training/research programs at the clinic, gaining intensive experience with a particular problem while participating in the design, conduct, and evaluation of a research project. The Clinical program has also developed training assistantships at various facilities in the local community including the community mental health center, a federal prison for women, the county jail, the county probation department, and similar agencies.

Our students are highly competitive for premier predoctoral internships nationally (e.g., university and VA medical centers in San Diego, Seattle, New Orleans, New York City, Baltimore, Chapel Hill, Houston, and San Antonio). The majority of our graduates from the Clinical program pursue research positions in academic or medical settings, or clinical training or administrative positions in medical centers or community agencies. The Clinical program at Texas A&M is not intended for individuals wishing to pursue a career primarily in independent clinical practice.

All graduate students admitted to the Department of Psychology are provided a fellowship or assistantship that pays a competitive monthly salary. Almost all students keep their fellowship or assistantship for their entire period of graduate studies, four or five years. Office space, computers, funds to travel to professional conventions, and free health insurance also are provided. The Clinical program supports an active speakers series that each year brings to campus distinguished faculty members from other universities. This series provides exposure to different perspectives on the field and the opportunity to network with professors at other institutions.

Additional Program Information

For additional information regarding program accreditation, contact the following: Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Phone 202.336.5979

Clinical Psychology Faculty

Dr. Gerianne Alexander - Ph.D., McGill University (1991)

Dr. Steve Balsis - Ph.D. Washington University (2008)

Dr. Antonio Cepeda-Benito - Ph.D., Purdue University (1994)

Dr. John Edens - Ph.D., Texas A&M University (1996)

Dr. Rob Heffer - Ph.D. Louisiana State University (1988)

Dr. Mary Meagher - Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1989)

Dr. Les Morey - Ph.D. University of Florida (1981)

Dr. Marisol Perez - Ph.D. Florida State University (2004)

Dr. David Rosen - M.D., University of Missouri (1970)

Dr. Douglas Snyder - Ph.D. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1978)

Dr. Brian Stagner - Ph.D. University of Massachusetts at Amherst (1982)

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