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Upcoming Events

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Program Information | Choosing an MPS Degree | Program of Study | UMD Advantage | Apply Now

Upcoming Information Sessions will be held virtually from 3-4 pm, EST on the following dates:

June 10, 2025

August 12, 2025

September 11, 2025

October 9, 2025

November 13, 2025

To RSVP and to receive Zoom login information, please contact psycmasters@umd.edu.

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University of Maryland Advantage

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Program Information | Choosing an MPS Degree | Program of Study | UMD Advantage | Apply Now

The University of Maryland’s doctoral program in Clinical Psychology is a leader in clinical psychological science whose faculty focuses on research to understand and treat mental illness. Our clinical faculty members publish extensively, conduct research supported by grants from NIDA and NIMH, serve on the editorial boards of leading academic journals, and mentor the next generation of clinical researchers. In a published academic ranking based on faculty productivity, the Clinical Psychology program was ranked 18th out of 157 APA-accredited clinical programs in the nation. Our mission is to create knowledge and to disseminate this knowledge through training. As part of this mission we have developed the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Clinical Psychological Science. We draw on our collective faculty expertise to provide an academic program that is both rigorous and relevant.

MPS students have access to the many superb opportunities available to University of Maryland students, including access to career and academic services. For further information about the University of Maryland, please click here.

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MPS Faculty

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Danko

Christina Danko, Ph.D.

Program Director

Dr. Susanna Crowell McQuarrie

Susanna Crowell McQuarrie, Ph.D.

Assistant Clinical Professor

Blanchard

Jack Blanchard, Ph.D.

Academic Director

In addition to instruction and professional mentorship students receive from MPS faculty members, MPS students also receive research and professional mentorship from clinical and other members of the psychology faculty via involvement in research labs. Please visit faculty webpages to learn more about faculty interests.

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Course Overview and Descriptions

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The program is designed to be completed in 15 months over the course of 5 terms. Students will be expected to complete two courses per term. Each class requires approximately three hours of in class instruction each week and additional work outside of traditional instruction.

Courses.

PSYC622 Research Methods in Clinical Psychology (3 credits)

Examines issues and strategies in conceptual systems, designs and methodologies of current research in clinical and community psychology. Readings include critical analyses of published research.

PSYC623 Child Psychopathology (3 credits)

Examines the scientific and clinical literature relevant to normal and pathological behavior in children and adolescents. Issues in developmental psychopathology and consideration of processes initiated in childhood which manifest as pathology in adulthood are also considered.

PSYC624 Adult Psychopathology (3 credits)

Examines the scientific and clinical literature relevant to normal and pathological behavior in adults and associated nosological systems for categorizing psychopathology. Issues relevant to etiology, differential diagnosis, and treatment planning are also considered.

PSYC625 Clinical Assessment: Psychometric Principles, Testing, and Behavior (3 credits)

An examination of fundamental principles of psychological assessment, application of these principles to the development of evidence-based assessments of clinical conditions and associated behaviors, and application of evidence-based assessments to the evaluation and understanding of clinical conditions evaluated and treated in therapeutic settings.

PSYC630 Behavioral and Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Adults (3 credits)

Introduces students to the process of therapy with particular focus on behavioral focus on behavioral and cognitive behavioral interventions. Course content focuses on theory, research, client diversity, ethics, and practical aspects of conducting therapy.

PSYC632 Behavioral and Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Children and Adolescents (3 credits)

Introduces students to the process of therapy with particular focus on behavioral and cognitive behavioral interventions in children and adolescents. Syllabus focuses on theory, research, client diversity, ethics and practical aspects of conducting therapy.

PSYC643 Ethical and Professional Issues in Clinical Psychology (3 credits)

An overview of the ethical and professional issues involved in psychological research, instruction, and practice, with special attention to advocacy and ethical decision making regarding a variety of primary, secondary, and tertiary clinical/community interventions.

PSYC644 Basic Foundations of Clinical Interventions (3 credits)

This course provides a general introduction to the theory and basic principles that underlie behavioral and cognitive-behavioral therapies. Provides an introduction to the philosophical, theoretical and empirical contributions of basic behavior analysis as they relate to therapy.

PSYC 650 Culture and Diversity in Mental Health (3 credits)

This course examines the literature regarding the role of culture and diversity in mental health. It will cover how culture and diversity are integrated into research and are related to mental health and utilization of mental health services. Principles and concepts of multicultural and cross-cultural psychology will be examined to acquire an increased understanding of diverse underrepresented groups. The course will facilitate learning about effective clinical work and research with individuals with diverse backgrounds including different cultures, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic status.

PSYC 651 Writing and Critical Thinking (3 credits)

In this course, students will produce a research paper that reviews the literature on an instructor-approved topic in Clinical Psychological Science. The goal is to allow for immersion and depth of understanding in a clinical topic most relevant to the student’s interests or current employment while developing critical thinking and professional writing skills. Students will have the opportunity to submit several drafts of their paper for review and feedback in order to maximize the quality of scientific writing. The course will further emphasize how to critically evaluate clinical research.

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Program of Study

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The learning format.

This master’s degree program is designed to provide the highest level of rigorous academic training and mentorship while meeting the needs of working professionals and students who are interested in complementing their course work with clinical or research experiences. Classes are taught at the College Park campus during the evenings. In class lectures are complemented by faculty office hours offered in person and remotely. Additionally, course material is also supplemented by the opportunity to engage in research and clinical experiences by becoming involved in faculty research labs. Click here for a full list of psychology faculty.

The program is designed to be completed in 15 months over the course of 5 terms. Students will be expected to complete two courses per term.

Career mentorship and preparation.

Alongside traditional course curricula, the Master’s program has a special emphasis on helping students achieve their individual goals through close faculty mentoring. Whether students are interested in pursuing a career in clinical work or research, or considering applying to Ph.D. programs, our full-time faculty are committed to helping students prepare for their future endeavors. Mentoring can occur in-person during scheduled on-campus visits with faculty at the University of Maryland or through individual online video conferencing with faculty. Admitted students may also take advantage of the many opportunities and resources offered through the University, including their outstanding educational resources and career services division.

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Choosing an MPS Degree

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Is this the right program for me?

This program provides training for students interested in the science of clinical psychology. Specifically, this program is an excellent choice for people interested in the following goals:

Pursuing higher-levels of psychological training
Working with adults and children suffering from mental health and developmental disorders
Learning advanced techniques in research methodologies
Enhancing current teaching practices
Understanding clinical psychology from a scientific perspective

What is an MPS degree?

At the successful completion of this program, students will be awarded a Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Clinical Psychological Science. This degree emphasizes the practical aspects of psychology and clinical psychological research and prepares students for a variety of educational and vocational experiences.

What can I do with an MPS degree?

The MPS program at Maryland will prepare students for a variety of exciting career opportunities, including:

Research. Students will be well positioned to be project managers in research laboratories focusing on mental health.

Education. Completing this degree would provide the educational background necessary to be a competitive applicant to doctoral programs in clinical and counseling psychology.

Applied Services. Completing the program will assist individuals in preparing for, or advancing in, careers related to mental health services. The Maryland MPS in Clinical Psychological Science meets the current educational requirements to be a Psychology Associate in the state of Maryland. Please note the completion of the MPS will not lead to licensure for psychological practice.

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MPS Program Information

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What is Clinical Psychological Science?

Clinical Psychological Science is the study of clinical psychology with an emphasis on scientific rigor and empirically supported approaches to assessment and treatment. Clinical psychological scientists play an important role in every aspect of psychology, from teaching and research to developing policy and providing therapy.

Clinical psychology researchers have made important advancements in the development of psychosocial interventions that are effective in treating a range of disorders. However, these empirically supported interventions are often not available in the community because providers frequently have limited training in the use of these interventions or they lack adequate scientific training to appreciate the importance of making evidence-based decisions in conducting assessment and in selecting treatments that work. A related concern is that educators, policy makers, research support staff and other professionals working in areas related to mental health often lack training in the latest findings concerning the causes of clinical disorders, their effective intervention, and the broader skill of critical thinking in evaluating the research literature. Clinical psychological science is a training perspective that emphasizes the role of science in understanding and treating clinical disorders. The MPS in Clinical Psychological Science at the University of Maryland is the nation’s first masters-level training program that adopts a clinical science perspective. This MPS program seeks to provide high-quality graduate training that will benefit individuals in a range of professional settings where understanding the causes and treatments of psychopathology from an informed scientific perspective will be of use.

What can I expect to gain from this degree?

The goal of the program is to provide students with both a broad understanding of psychological principles and focused training in the science of clinical psychology. This program emphasizes contemporary theories of clinical disorders and empirically supported interventions for the treatment of these disorders. This degree will prepare students for a range of careers in mental health and related areas (including research and education) and can serve as academic preparation for those interested in pursuing further doctoral training in clinical or counseling psychology.

Upon completion of this program, all students will be able to:

Critically evaluate existing psychological research and data
Understand how to competently design and carryout research
Think critically about current issues in clinical psychology
Communicate complex psychological topics to wider audiences
Understand current causal models that seek to explain how clinical disorders develop
Know the available empirically-supported psychological interventions used to treat clinical disorders

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Social, Decision and Organizational Science-SDOS

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CLIN CNS COUN DEV SDOS

More SDOS Program Information

The Social, Decision, and Organizational Sciences (SDOS) Program brings together the subspecialties of Social Psychology, Decision Sciences, and Industrial and Organizational Psychology. The SDOS area studies how individuals perceive and process information about their social environment and themselves, how they make decisions, and also manage their interdependencies with others in dyadic, team, organizational, and societal contexts. We study a broad array of individual, group, and organizational phenomena. Individual phenomena include motivational processes, social judgment, attitudes/attitude change, judgment and decision-making processes, cognitive decision theory, risk assessment, and self-processes. Group phenomena include interpersonal relationships, social conflict and aggression, negotiations, social influence and conformity, small group processes, leadership, group decision making, social networks, technology and groups, diversity, and prejudice and discrimination. Organizational phenomena include organizational culture and climate, national culture, and culture change.

The goal of our graduate training is twofold: (a) to enable students to acquire “multilingual” skills in the scientific approaches, languages and methods of these three sub-disciplines of psychology, and (b) to acquire an in-depth expertise in one (or more) of these areas. Our program is based on the belief that exposure and familiarity with these three, naturally intersecting, domains will augment our graduates’ ability to carry out problem-focused research that crosses area boundaries and that is of increasing relevance in the social and behavioral sciences.

Follow this link to learn more about the SDOS Program

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