A specialization in sport psychology is offered through an elective cluster within the Ph.D. program in Counseling Psychology. The Counseling Psychology program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association, and this combined program trains students to be independent, licensed psychologists who also have the knowledge, skills, and experience to work with athletes, coaches, teams, and sport organizations. In addition, through the sport psychology elective cluster, students may elect to take additional coursework to meet the certification or specialization criteria of professional sport psychology organizations, such as the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. 

A. Philosophy and Objectives- The counseling psychology program and sport psychology elective cluster provides training to graduate students within the broad context of the scientist-practitioner model. This training is accomplished through prescribed coursework in general psychology, counseling psychology, and the sport psychology and exercise sciences. In addition, students gain applied experience through individual and group counseling as well as sport psychology practica. The model focuses on the application of basic principles of psychology, psychotherapy, and the sport/exercise sciences as well to:

1.     Advance psychology and sport psychology through scientific inquiry.

2.     Assist in resolving temporary or reactive psychological and social problems of essentially well-functioning individuals, including those who participate in sport (e.g., athletes, coaches).

3.     Provide psychotherapeutic assistance to individuals, including athletes, coaches, and other sports personnel, to cope with serious psychological and/or social problems that interfere with optimal performance in all areas of life.

4.     Enhance individual and team sports performance through mental skills training, life skills acquisition, and team building activities.

5.     Promote individuals’ participation in exercise, sports, and physical activity to develop life-long health and wellness.

Students’ training in counseling psychology is the primary focus of the program and is conducted by the program’s faculty in the Psychology Department. Students’ sport psychology training is conducted, in part, through the UNT Center for Sport Psychology and Performance Excellence, which is a multidisciplinary center devoted to offering sport psychology interventions, research, and training. Through the Center, students complete all sport psychology practica and conduct scientific research in the field. In addition, students have opportunities for professional development in sport psychology through attending and presenting at professional conferences, developing and leading workshops, developing and writing grant proposals, and writing articles for publication. 

B. Admission Requirements - Doctoral applicants must meet the admission requirements of the UNT Toulouse School of Graduate Studies and be admitted to the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program. 

Students meeting the counseling psychology program’s admission requirements (see the Counseling Psychology program for details) may select this elective cluster for their training. Motivation, intelligence, discipline, enthusiasm, self-awareness, and interpersonal poise, as well as communication, research, and writing skills are highly valued. Furthermore, previous or current sport and exercise experience, although not required, is considered an asset. 

In the application, individuals must provide all the information requested for admission. In the statement of goals, applicants should describe their interest in seeking a doctoral degree in counseling psychology, career aspirations, previous academic and practical experiences, and their fit with the UNT Counseling Psychology program. In this statement, applicants also should address their interests in sport psychology elective cluster training they can receive at UNT. However, applicants must clearly communicate to the training committee why becoming a licensed Counseling Psychologist is their primary goal. The Selection Committee’s goal is to match the applicant’s interests and qualifications to the resources and objectives of the program. Information and application forms for the Counseling Psychology Program may be obtained through the Psychology Department (940-565-2671) or the web.

C. Degree Requirements - This program requires a serious commitment on the part of the applicant. The general counseling psychology program requires a minimum of 114 semester hours beyond the bachelor’s degree, and a one-year supervised pre-doctoral internship at a location that is likely to be in another state. For those pursuing the sport psychology elective cluster the number of semester hours will be higher, though the exact number will depend on previous graduate coursework taken and the number of additional courses needed to meet other certification requirements. In general, full-time students may complete the counseling psychology program (with sport psychology elective cluster) in 6 years (which includes the one-year predoctoral internship).

1.     General Core and Counseling Concentration- All doctoral students are required to demonstrate competency in 6 core psychology classes. In addition, students must complete the 45-hour counseling psychology concentration, which includes courses such as assessment, psychopathology, group, multicultural counseling, and human development. These courses emphasize core counseling psychology values, such as a developmental focus, prevention, and appreciation of human differences.

2.     Sport Psychology Cluster- Students must take the following courses: 
  a. Psyc/Kine 5131 Exercise and Sport Psychology 
  b. Psyc/Kine 5171 Social Psychology of Sport 
  c. Psyc/Kine 5181 Applied Sport Psychology 

3.     Sport Psychology Practicum - students are required to take Psyc/Kine 5850 (Sport Practicum) during the first two years they are in the program. Students receive both individual and group supervision by Center faculty for each sport psychology practicum. For those students who want to fulfill AASP certification requirements, we recommend that they take sport psychology practicum during their third and fourth years as well.

4.     AASP Certification- Although not required, completion of the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. and the sport psychology elective cluster provides students with most of the necessary course work and most of the required sports practica training for AASP certification (see Sport Psychology Practicum for more information on number of years of practica that are recommended). To meet all criteria, students may opt to take the three remaining courses needed for AASP certification through the Department of KHPR at UNT. If students have completed sport psychology and exercise science coursework at other institutions, those courses may satisfy existing criteria.

5.     Research- We recommend that students work with one of the Center for Sport Psychology and Performance Excellence faculty as their research advisor. Students’ professional development is fostered via presenting at conferences and publishing in refereed journals.

6.     Internship- a full-time, one year internship is required prior to receipt of Counseling Psychology doctoral degree. Because there are few APA-accredited internships whose primary focus is sport psychology, the CSPPE faculty work with students to identify training sites that best fit their abilities and suit their career goals.

7.     Foreign language- beyond the hours required for he Ph.D., students must satisfy the UNT Graduate School requirement of a reading knowledge of foreign language or have demonstrated competence in a research tool subject that has been approved by the Psychology Department and Graduate Council.

D. Evaluation of Knowledge and Skills - Throughout coursework, practica, and research training, students are evaluated concerning their competencies in psychology, counseling psychology, and sport psychology. In addition, all counseling psychology students undergo a yearly evaluation to determine their academic performance, professional development, and progress through the program. 


E. Financial Assistance - students may apply for departmentally funded assistantships as well as university-based fellowships. The department and Center strive to support all doctoral students whenever possible.  


CSPPE FACILITIES 
The Center offices are located in Terrill Hall. The offices are designed around the missions of the Center and provide space for student research, center meetings, and individual consultations. Sport psychology consultants are welcome to use the Center’s resources, including computers and video-technology, to enhance their educational experience and professional development. Although the Center’s facilities are available for sport psychology interventions, most practica and consultation work is done outside of the offices within the Dallas, Ft. Worth, and Denton, TX area. 


CSPPE SPORT PSYCHOLOGY FACULTY, LICENSED SPORT PSYCHOLOGISTS, AND STAFF 
For more information on the Center’s current sport psychology faculty, licensed sport psychologists, and sport psychology consultants, please visit the "About us" page. 


TO OBTAIN INFORMATION ON THE Ph.D. IN COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY WITH THE SPORT PSYCHOLOGY ELECTIVE CLUSTER, VISIT THE DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY’S WEBSITE.

Or you can reach the Center at:
940-369-SPORT 
sportpsych@unt.edu