Mission and Aims | Department of Psychology

Mission and Aims

The UNT Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program's mission is to provide evidence-based training that prepares graduates to join the diverse health service psychology workforce as highly competent, ethical, and productive contributors to the science and practice of clinical psychology. As such, students are expected to develop an identity both at the university level (via a supportive community of graduate students and faculty) and at the professional level as an emerging psychologist. The following four aims promote that mission:

  • Aim #1: Knowledge Acquisition. Two outcomes are associated with this aim: (a) acquisition of discipline specific knowledge, and (b) acquisition of depth knowledge in clinical psychology.
  • Aim #2: Professionalism. Students are expected to demonstrate the standing, practice, and methods of an emerging health service psychologist.
  • Aim #3: Clinical Skills. Students demonstrate emerging competence in evidence-based practice of psychology.
  • Aim #4: Research Skills. Two outcomes are associated with this aim: (a) conduct of research at the investigator level, and (b) demonstrable ability to disseminate and defend findings.

Our program is designed to develop knowledge, skills, and professional competencies to enable our graduates to contribute to and advanced the evidence-base of the field across a wide range of practice and/or scientific settings. Our integrative training approach is consistent with a scientist-practitioner and PhD model. Upon conferral of the doctoral degree, our students are well prepared to identify as Clinical Psychologists. Consistent with the APA description of Clinical Psychology as a specialty (https://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/specialize/clinical), our program ensures our graduates have been prepared in the theoretical knowledge germane to the specialty, address behavioral and mental health issues, and execute procedures associated with the specialty of Clinical Psychology (e.g., assessment, intervention, consultation, and research).


The Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology at the University of North Texas is accredited by the American Psychological Association, Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. 202-336-5979 Email: apaaccred@apa.org Web: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation