School/Clinical Child Psychology

Doctoral Program

Department of Educational Psychology

Designed For

This program is designed for individuals who aspire to become doctoral‑level psychologists specializing in the development, assessment and treatment of children, adolescents and their families. It is an ideal fit for applicants who want to integrate rigorous scientific research with applied clinical practice within school, healthcare and community settings.

Career Objective

Graduates of the program pursue careers across a wide range of professional settings. Some serve as teachers, scientists and clinicians in colleges, universities, medical centers, research institutes or government agencies. Others work as practitioners in schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, integrated behavioral health settings, the military, juvenile justice or criminal legal systems or private practice. Across their careers, many advance into leadership roles, becoming administrators or program directors within school districts, universities, government agencies, private foundations or nonprofit organizations.

At a Glance

Program Starts: Fall

Deadline to Apply:
December 1

Length of Program: 60-72 months

Program Location: On campus 

GRE Required? No

Cultivating Expertise Through Mentored Scholarship

Grounded in the scientist–practitioner model, the program prepares psychologists to design and conduct cutting-edge rigorous research and to deliver evidence‑based services that support the development of children and adolescents across relational, academic, cultural and societal contexts. Strong and sustained faculty–student collaboration is the cornerstone of the program.

Why Choose This Program?

  • American Psychological Association and National Association of School Psychologists accredited doctoral training program within a top ranked College of Education.
  • Integrated training emphasizing ethical practice in assessment, intervention, consultation and research.
  • Faculty mentor model with close, individualized guidance regarding research, practice and professional development.
  • Hands‑on, intensive research experience within a faculty mentor’s lab.

Research Training

  • Mentored training and applied, on‑the‑job experience provided by faculty.
  • Demonstration of specialized competency through either a peer‑reviewed poster or presentation accepted at a conference or first authorship on a manuscript submitted to a peer‑reviewed journal.
  • Completion of the qualifying process through the development of a research paper suitable for submission to a well‑regarded journal.
  • Completion of a dissertation documenting the conduct of original, in‑depth research, and successfully defended in an oral examination.

Clinical Training

  • School‑based practicum in the second year.
  • Advanced practica in clinics, hospitals and community settings in the third year and beyond.
  • Required, full‑time, pre‑doctoral internship, obtained independently through the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers national matching process; placements are typically outside of Austin.

Commitment to High Quality Service

The program emphasizes cultural awareness and responsiveness with particular attention to individual and contextual differences across coursework, research and clinical training, and prepares graduates to work effectively with children, families and communities with a broad range of experiences, perspectives and needs.

Program Overview

Application Requirements

Application Requirements

Admissions Process Rooted in Faculty Mentorship

Admission to the School/Clinical Child Psychology doctoral program is highly competitive. Reviewers consider letters of recommendation, academic preparation, clarity and alignment of the personal statement, and overall fit with a faculty member’s current research program. Applicants with lower GPAs are encouraged to address academic performance in their personal statement and may still receive full consideration if they demonstrate strengths in other areas.

Because training is grounded within a faculty mentor model, from within the pool of top applicants, admission decisions are driven by the availability of a faculty mentor whose research interests closely align with the interests and prior training experiences of the applicant.

Each year, the program receives more than 150 applications, interviews 5-15 applicants, and admits 1–3 students. Interview invitations are usually sent in early January, with interviews held on a single day on the UT campus in January or February. While in‑person attendance for interviews is strongly encouraged, virtual interviews are available for applicants who are unable to travel.

Final admissions decisions are made by consensus among the school/clinical child psychology faculty, with significant input from the prospective faculty mentor, and are influenced by available funding in a given year. Admission decisions are communicated within a few weeks of the interview.

How to Apply

All graduate students are required to apply through the Graduate School website. We strongly encourage you to start this process well in advance of the deadline to allow us time to process your information.

Learn more on our How to Apply page.

Program Requirements

Program Requirements

School/Clinical Child Psychology doctoral students are required to complete:

  1. EDP Foundation Courses.
  2. School/Clinical Child Psychology program courses.
  3. Out-of-Specialization courses.
  4. Qualifying Process & Dissertation.
  5. Specialty Emphasis courses.

All students in the School/Clinical Child Psychology program complete a standard scientist-practitioner-oriented school psychology curriculum during Years 1-2. Doctoral students complete one or more specialty emphases in Years 3-5.

Student coursework may vary depending on prior graduate coursework and waivers. Required courses are designed to meet relevant APA and licensure requirements. All required courses must be completed with a grade of at least B-. 

Current students should always defer to their Program of Work for course requirements and consult with their faculty advisor / Graduate Advisor for any clarification.

EDP Foundation Courses (26 credit hours)

School/Clinical Child Psychology Program Coursework (40 credit hours)

Practica and Internship (21+ credit hours)

Out-of-Specialization Courses (6 credit hours)

Specialized Competency Requirement

En-Route Masters

Doctoral Portfolio Programs (Optional)

Funding

Funding

There are a few funding options in our doctoral program that are offered by individual faculty via grant appointments (GRA), within the department or college via teaching assistants (TA), and offered by the department, college and university via fellowships. Each student’s funding package may look different depending on their skills and prior experience, current faculty projects, and the qualifications for different fellowships. Funding generally consists of a monthly stipend, tuition waivers for up to nine hours and student health insurance. Students are still responsible for paying other student fees required by the University.

To receive and keep GRA and TA funding, graduate students are required to

  • Be continuously enrolled as an active student.
  • Remain in good academic standing.
  • Have adequate performance in that role.

Funding offers are made after offers of acceptance, usually in March.

Faculty

Faculty

Headshot of Kizzy  Albritton
Associate Professor

Examines ways that school psychologists can improve the academic, social-emotional, and behavioral outcomes for young children (i.e., preschool) from minoritized and marginalized backgrounds in early childhood settings.

Accepting new students

Headshot of J. Mark  Eddy
Professor

J. Mark Eddy's primary area of expertise is the development, refinement and rigorous testing of culturally informed multimodal preventive and clinical psychosocial interventions to improve physical and mental health outcomes for children and families...

Headshot of Jane S Gray
Director of Clinical Training, Counseling and School/Clinical Child Psychology Doctoral Programs

Supports the clinical training of doctoral students, teaches clinically-focused courses and prepares students for psychology internship training. Jane Gray does not serve as a research mentor for students in the School Psychology nor Counseling ...

Headshot of Erin M Rodriguez
Associate Professor

Dr. Erin Rodríguez studies family, sociocultural, and contextual influences on children’s development and health outcomes, with a focus on understanding and reducing health disparities affecting low-SES Latinx youth.

Accepting new students

Headshot of Monica  Romero
Assistant Professor

Investigates culturally and linguistically responsive interventions and assessments for Latiné students.

Accepting new students

Headshot of Courtney L Swisher
Director, School Psychology Master's Program

Training in School Psychology Positive School Climate Home, School, and Community Partnerships

Affiliated Faculty

Affiliated Faculty

Headshot of Laura E Quiñones Camacho
Assistant Professor

Studies predictors of risk for mental health problems in early childhood.

Affiliated Labs

Affiliated Labs

Pediatric Coping and Language Lab

Studies family, linguistic, and sociocultural influences on children’s adaptation to stress and their mental and physical health outcomes.

Families, Schools and Communities Translational Research Lab

Focuses on developing and rigorously testing evidence-informed health promotion, prevention and intervention programs intended to benefit children and families, particularly those living in stressful circumstances and those often marginalized in our society.

EMPOWER Lab

The EMPOWER Lab develops culturally and linguistically responsive interventions for Latine/x multilingual youths and families.

Accreditation

Accreditation

The doctoral program at the University of Texas is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) as a combined Clinical/School Psychology program; the program’s next re-accreditation site visit will be in Fall 2032. Accreditation status may be confirmed by APA via:

Education Directorate 
Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
750 First Street NE 
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 336-5979
Fax: (202) 336-5978
Email: apaaccred@apa.org

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a master’s to apply to the doctoral program?

I have a master’s degree. Can I get credit for the classes I have already taken?

What does the admissions committee look for in applicants?

Can I continue to work and be in the Ph.D. program?

How successful are your students in attaining internships?

Do you accept graduate students for terminal master’s degrees/specialist programs?

Additional Information

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