Mar 28, 2024  
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog [Not Current Academic Year. Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]

Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences


Colleges  > College of Education  > Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences

Chair:  Lorraine R. Reitzel

The Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences offers graduate programs at the master and doctoral levels preparing students to understand the conceptual base of theories, research, and methods of psychology and to apply these fields of study to the processes of education and human development. Though differing in focus, all programs emphasize preparing students to be competent in the academic and professional aspects of psychological, health, and learning sciences. Students pursue professional competence through course work, seminars, supervised research, practice, and internship experiences.

Academic Programs:

Master of Education (MEd)

This degree program has the following areas of specialization:

The master’s degree program in counseling brings together the theoretical and applied principles of educational psychology essential to the counseling relationship, and prepares students to work as professional counselors in public and private schools, community agencies, and college counseling centers.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This degree program has the following areas of specialization:

Accredited by the American Psychological Association, the Doctor of Philosophy program in Counseling Psychology and adheres to a scientist-practitioner training model. The program emphasizes the theory, research, and practice of working with normal populations from a broadly defined ecological developmental perspective. Graduates obtain faculty positions in colleges and universities; provide counseling supervision and consultation services in a variety of mental health settings; and serve as supervisors, program coordinators, and direct service providers in school districts. Students participate in a variety of training experiences including at least two semesters of practicum and a full-year, full-time, pre-doctoral internship approved by the faculty. Graduates of the Counseling Psychology program typically meet the academic requirements to apply for licensure as a psychologist in the state of Texas. Licensure requirements vary by state and may change without notifications. Students should ensure their individual degree plans concur with their credentialing expectation.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Measurement, Quantitative Methods and Learning Sciences prepares students for employment as faculty members at colleges and universities. Graduates also find employment as directors of educational components of health care institutions and social service agencies. Typically, these students develop an individually tailored PhD program emphasizing theory and research in one or more areas related to measurement and statistics.

Accredited by the American Psychological Association and adhering to a scientist-practitioner training model, the School Psychology program develops professional school psychologists. Graduates engage in applied research and apply critical analysis and inquiry to identify, select, implement, and evaluate evidence-based practices with sensitivity to cultural and linguistic considerations, and in consideration of diverse client preferences. Embedded throughout the training experience, sensitivity to diversity issues becomes an essential tool, in part because the UH is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse research institutions in the nation.

Varied practicum placements provide opportunities in more than a dozen school districts, specialized assessment and intervention clinics at the Texas Children’s Hospital (e.g., Disruptive Behavior Disorders and ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Pediatric Neuropsychology, Pediatric Neurology, Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics), the Behavioral Pediatrics Neuro-oncology Clinic at the M.D. Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital, and in other settings within the Houston area. These settings provide opportunities for students to obtain supervised experience with diverse populations, conditions, professionals, settings, and procedures as they matriculate through the program. Program graduates typically meet requirements for licensure in Texas as a licensed psychologist.

Programs

    Doctoral