The Counseling Psychology program at UMKC is dedicated to promoting equity, pluralism, and social justice through student training and education, research, and practice. The Counseling Psychology program at UMKC is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and based upon the scientist-practitioner model of training which broadly emphasizes training in research and practice. Designed to prepare students for academic, research, and practice careers at the doctoral level, graduates of our program work in a variety of academic, teaching, and practice settings. Students are educated in the foundational aspects of professional psychology and receive specific training geared toward the principals of counseling psychology. In addition to coursework, students are expected to be actively involved in both research and counseling practice throughout their graduate training. Research training includes both preparing and completing an initial research project (which students complete by the fall of their third year) as well as a dissertation that must be successfully defended prior to graduation. In addition, students gain diverse counseling experiences at a variety of practicum training sites throughout the Kansas City area. Students have opportunities to train at our program's in-house clinic, CCAS as well as at a number of practicum sites that include (but are not limited to): university counseling centers, VA medical centers, hospitals, and community mental health centers.<br><br>Students graduating from this program will:<br><br>Graduates develop professional identities as health service counseling psychologists and are knowledgeable about the emerging roles and functions, current professional issues, and scope of research and practice in counseling psychology.<br>Graduates adhere to ethical and legal standards throughout all aspects of their professional work in psychology<br>Graduates display a level of professional integrity expected of them in their work as professional psychologists as evidenced through their interpersonal behaviors, decision-making, and ability to effectively engage in a wide variety of professional relationships<br>Graduates engage in self-reflective practices related to life-long learning as health service counseling psychologists<br>Graduates engage in culturally competent counseling and professional practice that reflects social justice values<br>Graduates demonstrate competent skills in research conceptualization, design, data analysis and interpretation, and dissemination of research findings.<br>Graduates are knowledgeable and competent in using interventions (e.g., assessment, diagnosis, treatment, supervision, consultation, outreach, etc.,) that are based in counseling theory and informed by current scientific literature in order to meet the needs of diverse clients.