PhD in Psychology: Clinical Science in Child and Adolescent Psychology

Our graduates are well positioned to advance basic knowledge in developmental psychopathology while developing and evaluating scientifically informed assessment, prevention, treatment and dissemination approaches.

Since 2015, our program has been fully accredited by the American Psychological Association. For statistics about the program, please view our Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data.

The mission of the Clinical Science Program in Child and Adolescent Psychology at Florida International University is to provide training to doctoral students in becoming clinical researchers, scholars, and leaders who will advance scientific knowledge in theoretically strong, methodologically rigorous, and innovative ways. Specifically, our goals are aligned with both the American Psychological Association and the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science and include: 1) advancing knowledge through clinical research on children, adolescents, and families; 2) providing state-of-the-art evidence-based clinical care to children, adolescents, and families; and 3) disseminating findings to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children, adolescents, and families. We embrace FIU’s commitment to fostering a climate of inclusion within a diverse community. The APA Accreditation Standards require psychology programs to engage in specific activities, approaches, and initiatives to implement and maintain diversity and ensure a supportive learning environment for all students. APA Accreditation requires that programs recognize the importance of cultural and individual differences and diversity in the training of psychologists. The Commission on Accreditation defines cultural and individual differences and diversity as including, but not limited to, age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, language, national origin, race, religion, culture, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. The accreditation standards require that programs make systematic, coherent, and long-term efforts to attract and retain students and faculty from diverse backgrounds into the program. Consistent with such efforts, it acts to ensure a supportive and encouraging learning environment appropriate for the training of individuals who are diverse and the provision of training opportunities for a broad spectrum of individuals.