M a s t e r o f A r t s i n

H e a l t h P s y c h o l o g y

What is Health Psychology?An interdisciplinary field Concerned with development and integration of

behavioral and biomedical scienceKnowledge and techniques relevant to the

understanding of physical health and illness The application of this knowledge and these techniques

to prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitationDesigning, implementing, and evaluating the

effectiveness of prevention and treatment programs

Work Settings of Health PsychologistsHospitalsPain clinics Hospices Primary care centersPrivate practice settingsColleges and universitiesCorporationsNon-profit organizations & governmental agencies

The Work of Health Psychologists

Clinical Health PsychologistsResearch & Health Education Psychologists

Clinical Health PsychologistsProvide direct services to clients and patients in a variety of

settings such as primary care & rehabilitation centers

Perform cognitive, behavioral, and psychophysiological assessments

Utilize clinical and cognitive-behavioral techniques in illness & pain management, promotion of healthy life style, stress

management, etc.,

Deliver psychoeducation about coping with disease, addiction and preventive health behaviors

Research Health PsychologistsFocus on bio-psychosocial model of health and illness

Investigate effects of psychological, social, and cultural factors on health and disease

Investigate psychosocial mechanism of health attitudes and behavior change

Design & evaluate effectiveness of prevention and treatment programs

Examples of research areas: psychosomatic illness, addiction, obesity & eating disorders, pain management, HIV, oncology, patient-provider communication, treatment compliance, evaluation of wellness/prevention programs

Health Psychology: Program Structure

Core courses (required of all HP students) - 21 Hrs. Specialization/track – 21-51 Hrs. (select one):

o Applied Research in Health Psychology (361.13)o Clinical Approaches to Health – Basic (361.14)o Clinical Approaches to Health w/Thesis (361.11)o 361.14 + 7 additional courses req. for LPCo 361.11 + 7 additional courses req. for LPC

Which track to choose? Clinical Approaches:

o Interested in working directly with individualso Can apply for Licensed Psychological Associate (LPA)o With additional coursework, may qualify to apply for licensure in Texas as a Licensed

Professional Counselor (LPC)

Applied Research: Ph.D. programs Health education & program evaluation Health research

o

What is an LPA?Licensed Psychological Associates work

under the supervision of doctoral level licensed psychologists or in exempt agencies in Texas

Licensed psychologist is able to bill Medicaid for the work of the LPA under their supervision

42 hour masters in psychology w/ 450 hour practicum

Take EPPP and Jurisprudence exams

What is an LPC? Licensed Professional Counselors can practice

independently

Can bill to some insurance, including Texas Medicaid

Must have minimum of 48 hours masters in specific courses in Texas (national accreditation requires more & our agreement w/ EAPS requires more)

Must have minimum of 100 hours of direct client contact in practicum (Health Psych & Counseling Program)

Must have 3,000 hours of supervised internship (after grad)

Take national and Texas Jurisprudence exams

Specialization/Track Selection & Change:

Students are required to select track no later than

departmental orientation session or first day of classesDegree audit is generated based on declared

specialization/track Change of Tracks (from Applied Research to Clinical Approaches or

vice versa) must be made no later than the end the first year in

the program Change of Tracks request must be submitted in writing to the

Graduate Advisor

Core Courses- 21 hours (7 courses), required of all students

PSY 5310 – Advanced Abnormal Psychology   PSY 5320 – Principles of Meas. & Statistics (Non-Thesis)OR PSY 5321 – Multivariate Quant. Methods (Thesis) PSY 5324 – Biological Bases of BehaviorPSY 5335 – Preventive Approaches to Health and WellnessPSY 5345 – PsychopharmacologyPSY 5348 – Health Psychology: Interventions and RehabilitationPSY 5391 – Research Methods and Experimental Design

Applied Research in Health Psychology: Core courses + 21 Hours = 42PSY 5334 - Health Issues in Diverse PopulationsPSY 5343 - Occupational HealthPSY 5314 - Attitude Change and ManagementPSY 5392 - Program Evaluation in Health Psy.PSY 5398 - Internship in Applied Health PsychologyPSY 5399A - Thesis APSY 5399B - Thesis B

Clinical Approaches to Health/Basic Core courses + 21 Hours = 42 Hrs. TotalPSY 5318 - Health Psychology Assessment IPSY 5326 - Health Psychology Assessment IIPSY 5342 - Professional Ethics and Standards of PracticePSY 5352 - Individual Therapeutic TechniquesPSY 5371 - Behavioral and Cognitive-Behavioral

TherapiesPSY 5395 - Practicum IPSY 5396 - Practicum II

Clinical Approaches + Additional Options

ThesisLicensed Professional Counselor (LPC)

Clinical Approaches to Health with Thesis Core courses + 27 Hours = 48 Hrs TotalSame as Clinical Approaches to Health/Basic + 6 Hrs. of Thesis:PSY 5318 - Health Psychology Assessment IPSY 5326 - Health Psychology Assessment IIPSY 5342 - Professional Ethics and Standards of PracticePSY 5352 - Individual Therapeutic TechniquesPSY 5371 - Behavioral and Cognitive-Behavioral TherapiesPSY 5395 - Practicum IPSY 5396 - Practicum II PSY 5399A - Thesis APSY 5399B - Thesis B

Clinical Approaches to Health + LPC Option 42 Hours + additional 24 Hrs= 66 Hrs. Total

HP Core and Clinical Approaches to Health/Basic Courses

PLUS

PSY 5317 – Group Processes and Interpersonal Dynamics (Summer) COUN 5307 – Theories of Counseling & Personality COUN 5316 – Counseling Diverse Populations COUN 5355 – Career Counseling COUN 5366 – Intermediate Techniques COUN 5368 – Developmental Issues in Counseling COUN 5689 – Practicum in Counseling

Clinical Approaches + LPC +Thesis Option42 Hrs + LPC 24 Hrs + 6 Hrs Thesis = 72 Hrs. Total

Health Psychology Core CoursesClinical Approaches/Basic Courses7 additional LPC Courses2 Thesis Courses

Students pursuing LPC licensure should be prepared to spend an additional year in graduate school, including summers…

Recommended Course Sequences for

each program track/option at

http://www.psych.txstate.edu/graduate/sequence.php

15 credit hrs. max graduate course load for fall & spring semester

6 credit hrs. max graduate course load during summer session

Overloads require written approval from Graduate Advisor & Dean of Graduate College before registering

Degree Audit:You should receive it by the end of Fall

semester from the Office of Graduate CollegeYou may view your degree audit on-line at

http://Catsweb.txstate.edu/Catsweb/catsstud.htm

All course substitutions require prior written approval from Graduate Advisor & Dean of Graduate college

Policy on Grades:

University standards and consequences for unsatisfactory performances specified on pp. 48-49, 2009-2011 Graduate Catalog (Probation & Suspension)

Department policy - a student must complete all required courses with a grade of B or above

Students who make a grade of C or lower in a course are required to retake the course

Probation for receiving 2 grades of C or lower in the program

A student whose current degree audit reflects 3 Cs in required

courses will be dismissed

Department grade policy is posted on the Department website:

http://www.psych.txstate.edu/graduate/policies.php

The Student Grade Appeals Procedures for Liberal Arts Courses can be found at: http://www.liberalarts.txstate.edu/services/policies/gradeappea

ls.html (Procedures are summarized in the Graduate Student Handbook)

Comprehensive Examination: All Health Psychology students are required by the University

to take and pass a comprehensive exam in order to graduate

Comprehensive Exam is administered orally as part of thesis defense for students on the Applied Research or Clinical Approaches+Thesis Tracks

Clinical Approaches Non-Thesis Track have to take and pass a written comprehensive examination over material from core and track courses

Comp Exams are only given in the Fall & Spring semesters

Students answer 1 of 2 questions for each of the 8 sections (PSY 5310, 5320, 5324, 5335, 5342, 5348, 5371 & 5391)

Grades are Pass/Fail

All sections have to receive a Pass grade in order to pass CE

Failed sections can be retaken only at the next scheduled examination time (i.e., next semester)

Only 2 re-takes are allowed

Reading list is posted at the end of the semester preceding the examination

ThesisThesis is an APA-style report of an original empirical study

conducted by a student

1st year - develop research idea & select Thesis Committee Chair & two members

2nd year - enroll in PSY 5399A Thesis I (Fall) & work on thesis completion

- must remain continuously enrolled in PSY 5399B Thesis II each semester thereafter until the thesis is completed

 

Develop Thesis proposal (research topic, hypotheses, design)

Proposal meeting(s) with Thesis Committee members

Apply to Institutional Review Board (IRB) for approval of the study (Fall 2nd year)

Submit the Graduate College Proposed Thesis Research Form (Fall 2nd year)

IRB approval is required

Collect & analyze data (Fall/Spring 2nd year)Finish first draft & revisions of thesis report (Spring 2ndyear)

Schedule the defense in consultation with the chair of your committee

check with the Graduate College for the deadlines (usually, the completed thesis must be submitted to the Graduate College 20 days

before graduation & the thesis defended 10 days before graduation) Graduate College Thesis/Dissertation workshop offered

each semester (guidelines for formatting and submitting a dissertation or thesis)

Internship (Applied Research Track)

PSY 5398 Internship in Applied Health Psychology in the final semester of the program

Approximately 10 hrs (min. 10hrs/week)

Implementation &/or evaluation of a health promotion and wellness programs in an organizational setting

Practicum (Clinical Approaches Tracks) PSY 5395 Practicum I & PSY 5396 Practicum II in

the second year of the program

Fall & Spring Semesters

450 clock hours total (approximately 16 hrs/week)

Several sites including a pain clinic, an eating disorders clinic, a clinic for Mexican immigrants, etc.

Activities vary at each site and include assessment, clinical interview, and individual or group intervention

Submit your Free Application for Federal Financial Aid asap To be eligible a student have to:

enrolled at least HALF-time (4 hrs.

for graduate students during a long semester)

o 3.0 GPA (make satisfactory academic progress)       

o more details at Financial Aid website http://www.finaid.txstate.edu/graduate/eligibility.html

Summer sessions - have to fill out a form in the Financial Aid

Office by late February/ early March

For up-to-date information contact the Financial Aid Office at

512-245-2315, or at http://www.finaid.txstate.edu/

Financial Aid & University Employment:

Scholarships & Assistantshipso Graduate scholarships up to $2,500 per semester,

awarded competitively, March 1 application deadline

o Contact the Graduate College at 512-245-2315 or visit website at www.gradcollege.txstate.edu/scholarships.html for the most current information

20 hrs/week max of assistantship Graduate assistants cannot be appointed in salaried and

hourly positions at university concurrently

08/24 ends at 3pm – last day of late registration & schedule changes

08/24 – payment deadline (ends 6pm)

08/25-08/30 (ends at 3pm) schedule changes after classes

beg.

08/25 – first day of classes

Important Dates:

Things to remember:

The Graduate College Orientation:

Monday Aug. 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

LBJ Student Center Ballroom (Room 3.16.1)

On-line Graduate College Orientation: http://www.gradcollege.txstate/Orientation.html

Create Your CatsPIN (Web access):Go to CatsWeb or https://Catsweb.txstate.edu/app/self-creat-pin/?REG