The request to revise PhD in Health Psychology

Health Psychology is dedicated to conducting basic and applied research examining the contribution of biological, psychological, behavioral, social, cultural, and environmental factors to health and illness.

Health Psychology builds from principles and theories of other areas of psychology, biology, health, and social sciences. Health psychologists are concerned with promotion and maintenance of health, the prevention and treatment of illness across the lifespan, and improvement of systems that promote and maintain health.

A particular emphasis of the Health Psychology program is on the development, implementation, and evaluation of prevention and treatment interventions that involve multiple disciplines. The program has links with other colleges, departments, and programs in the University including the College of Health and Human Services, College of Education, and the Gerontology Program which allows students to select health courses across disciplines.

The Health Psychology doctoral program at UNC Charlotte offers students an opportunity to obtain their Ph. D. in Health Psychology in one of three concentrations: General, Clinical, or Community.

Admission Requirements

Applicants are expected to have a minimum of 18 hours of coursework in psychology including Introductory Psychology and Research Methods, coursework in undergraduate statistics, excellent scores on the GRE Exam, and an excellent academic track record as demonstrated by undergraduate or graduate grade point averages.

Documents to be Submitted for Application for Admission

Applicants are expected to complete an application online to the Graduate School. The application also must include transcripts of all completed academic work, an official score on the GRE exam, three letters of reference from persons, preferably psychologists, who can speak to the applicant's promise as a doctoral student, a two page statement of professional goals and research interests, and a current resume or CV. International students must submit official TOEFL or IELTS test scores. Minimum score required for the TOEFL: of at least 557 on the written test or 83 on the computer-based test. Minimum overall band score required for the IELTS is 6.5. All tests must be taken within the last two years.

Admission Assessment

Admissions reviews are conducted by faculty in each concentration.  The deadline for all application materials is November 15.  Review of applications typically occurs in January, interviews in February, and admissions offers typically made in March.

Student Responsibility

Students who succeed in the Health Psychology program are hardworking, competent, disciplined scholars with interests in the science of Health Psychology and other health-related fields. Students must demonstrate intellectual curiosity and a passion for the science of psychology. It is important for student applicants to determine if their professional interests are well matched to the expertise of our faculty members.

Degree Requirements

Total Hours Required

For the Community and General concentrations, 78 credit hours (post-baccalaureate) are required.  All coursework taken at UNC Charlotte that counts toward the Ph.D. is at the 6000-level or above.  The majority of the coursework is at the 8000 level.  For the Clinical Health concentration, which enables students to become eligible for licensure as a Health Services Provider, 88 credit hours (post-baccalaureate) are required. 

Transfer Credit

The maximum amount of transfer credit that a Ph.D. student may count towards a doctorate is 30 credit hours.  The student's advising committee recommends transfer credits that are consistent with the student's program of study to the Graduate School for approval.

Grades Required

Graduate students must have a 3.0 GPA in the courses on their degree plan of study in order to graduate.  More than two grades of C or one U results in termination from the program.

Plan of Study

Students develop a plan of study with their advising committees.

Admission to Candidacy

After successfully passing the qualifying examination, students must successfully propose and defend a dissertation topic. A student advances to candidacy after the dissertation topic has been approved by the student's doctoral committee. Candidacy must be achieved at least 6 months before the degree is conferred.

Financial Support

Assistantships are generally available to provide financial support for eligible students. Assistantships vary and may involve teaching, research, or clinical activities. The Graduate School provides tuition support for full-time students on assistantships on a competitive basis.

Graduate Course Requirements

Doctoral courses are numbered at the 8000 level.

The curriculum has 4 5 major curricular components:

• 1. Core Health Psychology
• 2. Research
• 3. Concentration (General, Clinical, or Community)
• 4. Interdisciplinary Content
• 5. Electives
•  

Specific requirements within each component vary by concentration. Specifics can be found in the graduate handbook of the program.

1. Core Health Psychology: All areas of concentration (12 credit hours)

PSYC 8200 Introduction to Health Psychology 1 (3)

PSYC 8201 Introduction to Health Psychology 2 (3)

PSYC 8243 Diversity in Health Psychology (3)

PHIL 8240 Research Ethics in the Biomedical and Behavioral Sciences (3; general and community concentrations)

PSYC 8107 Ethical and Professional Issues in Psychology (3; clinical concentration only).

2. Research Methodology & Analytics:

General concentration (24 hours)

PSYC 8102 Research Methodologies in Behavioral Sciences (3)

PSYC 8103 Basic Quantitative Analyses for Behavioral Sciences   (3)

PSYC 8262 Practicum in Health Psychology- general concentration (3)

Advanced Methodology Courses (from the approved list below) (6)

PSYC 8899 Readings and Research (up to 3 credits allowed)

PSYC 8999 Dissertation (up 9 credits allowed)

Clinical concentration (18 hours)

PSYC 8102 Research Methodologies in Behavioral Sciences (3)

PSYC 8103 Basic Quantitative Analyses for Behavioral Sciences   (3)

Advanced Methodology Courses (from the approved list below) (3)

PSYC 8899 Readings and Research (up to 3 credits allowed)

PSYC 8999 Dissertation (up 9 credits allowed)

Community concentration (18 hours).

PSYC 8102 Research Methodologies in Behavioral Sciences (3)

PSYC 8103 Basic Quantitative Analyses for Behavioral Sciences   (3)

Advanced Methodology Courses (from the approved list below) (3)

PSYC 8455 Practicum in Community Psychology (3)

PSYC 8899 Readings and Research (1-3)

PSYC 8999 Dissertation (up 9 credits allowed)

Advanced Methodology Course select from the following options:

PSYC 8104  Advanced Quantitative Analyses for Behavioral Sciences (3)

PSYC 8099/HLTH 8281  Measurement and Scale Development (3)

PSYC 8145 Applied Research Design and Program Evaluation (3)

PPOL 8000 Topics in Public Policy: Categorical Data Analyses (3)

PPOL 8665 Analytical Epidemiology (3)

HLTH 8282 Health Survey Methods (3)

HLTH 8602 Communicating and Disseminating Research (3)

HLTH 8221 Qualitative Research I: Theory Generation in Behavioral Sciences (3)

HLTH 8222 Qualitative Research II: Theory Generation and Analysis in Behavioral Sciences (3)

3. Area of concentration:

General concentration:

Psychological Science Distribution (9 hours)

    Select three courses from three of the four domains (i.e., at least three of the four domains must be covered)

• Biological/Physiological Domain
  • PSYC 6115 Sensation and Perception (3)
  • PSYC 6113 Physiological Psychology (3)
• Cognitive Domain
  • PSYC 6111 Psychology of Learning and Memory (3)
  • PSYC 8099 Topics in Cognition and Motivation (3) OR PSYC 6116 Cognition (3)
  • PSYC 6216 Cognitive Science (3)
• Developmental Domain
  • PSYC 8099 Topics in Developmental Psychology (3)
  • PSYC 6124 Psychology of Aging (3)
• Social-Personality Domain
  • PSYC 6130 Social Psychology (3)
  • PSYC 6135 Psychology of Personality (3)

Clinical concentration:

Clinical courses (37 credit hours):

• PSYC 8050   Topics in Psychological Treatment (3)
• PSYC 8141   Intellectual Assessment (4)
• PSYC 8142   Personality Assessment (4)
• PSYC 8150   Introduction to Psychological Treatment (4)
• PSYC 8151   Behavior Disorders (4)
• PSYC 8240   History and Systems of Psychology (3)
• PSYC 8245   Clinical Supervision and Consultation (3)
• PSYC 8450   Practicum in Clinical Psychology: (9 credit hours; at least 6 credit hours to be completed in residence in the program).
• PSYC 8950  Internship (3)

Breadth courses (12 credit hours):

• Cognitive:          PSYC 6116 Cognition (3) or PSYC 8099 Topics in Cognition and Motivation (3)
• Developmental: PSYC 8099 Topics in Developmental Psychology (3)
• Physiological:    PSYC 8113 Physiological Psychology (3)
• Social:                PSYC 6130 Social Psychology (3)

Community  concentration (12 credit hours):

• PSYC 8145   Applied Research Design & Program Evaluation (3)
• PSYC 8155   Community Psychology (3)
• PSYC 8255   Community Interventions (3)
• PSYC 8455   Practicum in Community Psychology (3)

4. Interdisciplinary Courses: general and community concentrations (15 credit hours); clinical concentration (9 credit hours) select from among the following:

• NUDN 8202 Community Epidemiology (3)
• HLTH 8220 Theories and Interventions in Behavioral Sciences (3)
• PPOL 8661 Social Organization of Healthcare (3)
• PPOL 8663 Health Policy (3)
• HSRD 8000 Introduction to Health Services Research (3)
• HSRD 8002 Health Care Systems and Delivery (3)
• HSRD 8004/PPOL 8667 Economics of Health and Healthcare (3)
• PSYC 8145 Applied Research Design & Program Evaluation (3)
• PSYC 8155 Community Psychology (3)
• PSYC 8255 Community Interventions (3)
• PSYC 8455 Practicum in Community Psychology (3)
• SOCY 6090-002/ PSYC 8099-001 Topics in Sociology/Topics in Psychology (3)
• GRNT 6600Current Issues in Gerontology (3)
• GRNT 6210/MPAD 6210 Aging and Public Policy (3)
• COMM 6000 Topics in Communication/Narratives of Health and Illness (3)
• KNES 6285 Advanced Cardiopulmonary Physiology (3)
• NURS 6115 Health Policy and Planning in the United States (3)
• HLTH 6221 Community Health (3)
• HLTH 6201 Social and Behavioral Foundations of Public Health (3)
• HLTH 6207 Community Health Planning and Evaluation (3)

5. Electives: general (18 credit hours) and community concentrations (21 credit hours) select among the following:

• PSYC 6115 Sensation and Perception (3)
• PSYC 6113 Physiological Psychology (3)
• PSYC 6111 Psychology of Learning and Memory (3)
• PSYC 6116 Cognition (3)
• PSYC 6216 Cognitive Science (3)
• PSYC 8099 Topics in Developmental Psychology (3)
• PSYC 6124 Psychology of Aging (3)
• PSYC 6130 Social Psychology (3)
• PSYC 6135 Psychology of Personality (3)
• PSYC 8260 Topics in Health Psychology: Mindfulness (3)
• PSYC 6999 (if student is co-enrolled in an MA program in Psychology) (up to 6 credits allowed)

Student Advising

Students are assigned an advisor before the first semester. Students in consultation with the advisor create an advising committee constituted by three health psychology faculty. The student meets with the committee regularly for issues of professional development and guidance in the program. Students may change advisors with permission of the Program Director.

Other Requirements

• Master's thesis or second year research project
• Written comprehensive project prior to beginning dissertation research
• Dissertation
• Year-long, pre-doctoral internship (Clinical concentration students only)

Time Limits for Completion

Students are admitted for full-time study only. Students entering the doctoral program post-baccalaureate must complete their degree, including the dissertation, within 8 years. Full-time students must meet benchmark requirements each year to maintain their status as a doctoral student. Part-time students also must meet benchmark requirements that occur approximately every two years. These benchmarks are intended to help students achieve their goal of completing the doctorate in a timely manner.  See the Health Psychology Student Handbook for a detailed description of the timeline for completing programmatic milestones.

The graduate school has specific requirements that students should be familiar with. Please see the relevant sections of this Catalog for specific details.

Second Year Project

The second year project is meant to immerse students in a practical research experience that will help them develop skills to conduct independent research projects. Students are expected to develop and carryout this project under close supervision from their primary academic advisor. A manuscript that follows the format of typical empirical articles in psychology and should be turned into your primary advisor and members of your advisory committee.

Comprehensive (Qualifying) Project

Qualifying projects are meant to demonstrate broad competence as a scholar in the disciplines of Health Psychology, interdisciplinary health, and the concentration-specific discipline (General, Clinical, or Community).  The Comprehensive Project results in a practical product that demonstrates integration of knowledge from these three areas.  In addition, it provides an opportunity to strengthen and develop a student's skills, as specified by his/her advisory committee.  Projects are identified via a collaborative process, involving the student and his/her committee. The Comprehensive Project acts as the gateway into the 4^th year and dissertation.  Students must pass their Comprehensive Project successfully to continue in the program.

Each student's advisory committee, in consultation with the Program Director, tailors the content and format of the Comprehensive Project with attention to the student's professional goals.  The Comprehensive Project process includes three main components: written project, brief integrative paper, and oral presentation.

Students must complete their second year research projects prior to proposing the comprehensive project, must have at least a 3.0 GPA, must not be on probation, and must have removed any conditions placed upon them at the time at admission. Comprehensive Projects should be in process no later than the third academic year in the program. Comprehensive Projects must be completed successfully before students may rise to doctoral candidacy and propose their dissertation project

Doctoral Committee

The doctoral committee is formed after successful completion of the qualifying project. The student must complete the graduate student petition to create the committee. The committee must include at least three members of the health psychology faculty as well as the Graduate School-appointed Graduate Faculty representative.

Dissertation

The dissertation must be successfully proposed and defended before being undertaken. The major advisor directly supervises the student on the dissertation project with support from the dissertation committee. See Graduate School policies regarding dissertations. Additional information regarding the dissertation project can be found in the Health Psychology Student Handbook.

Application for Degree

Each student should make application for his/her degree by completing the online Application for Degree through Banner Self Service no later than the filing date specified in the University Academic Calendar.

Research Opportunities

Students in health psychology are expected to engage in collaborative and independent research activities. Many opportunities are available through the program, including experience in qualitative and quantitative research methods. Many Health Psychology faculty members engage in grant funded research and opportunities exist for research assistantships.