Clinical Science and Psychopathology Research Program (CSPR)

CSPR Faculty 2024
From Left to Right: Bob Krueger, Whitney Ringwald, Angus MacDonald, Bonnie Klimes-Dougan, Monica Luciana, and Scott Vrieze.

Additional Program Information

Our Clinical Science and Psychopathology Research (CSPR) program has long been regarded as one of the top clinical psychology programs in the United States. Situated in the vibrant twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, our program trains students to become leaders in the field through rigorous research training and a solid grounding in clinical application of science. Our program is focused on training students to become independent scientists, scholars, and educators working in academic, medical, and industry settings. At the same time, our graduates are prepared for impactful careers as applied clinicians, policy-makers, and many other careers.

Clinical-Science Based Research Approach

Research training is the cornerstone of our program, and is necessary to develop as an independent scientist and master clinician. Our faculty are internationally recognized for their expertise and leadership in psychopathology, personality, clinical neuroscience, and behavioral genetic research. They blend experimental and quasi-experimental designs with large-scale epidemiological studies to understand psychopathology and its biological, psychological, and social etiologies. Our faculty expertise, combined with the larger community of scientists, scholars, and clinicians at the University of Minnesota and broader Twin Cities community, allows us to provide excellent training for a broad range of research interests and clinical experiences with a diverse set of distinguished advisors and collaborators (see “affiliated faculty” below).

The Clinical Science and Psychopathology Research (CSPR) Program is invested in training students from all walks of life, believing it important to develop a clinical psychology workforce composed of professionals from varied means, backgrounds, beliefs, identities and more. As such, we encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including those with characteristics that currently are or have historically been marginalized.   

Clinical psychology is a young applied science. CSPR strives to entrain scientific and cultural humility in trainees. This includes varied scientific and clinical perspectives, and ensuring that training standards and opportunities are applied fairly to all students.

Training in Clinical Psychology across the Lifespan

The Clinical Science and Psychopathology Research program is administered by the Department of Psychology in partnership with the Institute for Child Development. This partnership allows us to deliver a cohesive training program composed of two distinct yet integrated and overlapping tracks. Students in both tracks take the same core clinical training courses, have access to the same sets of clinical experiences, and engage in cutting-edge research under the mentorship of faculty.

The “adult” track is based in the Department of Psychology and emphasizes clinical science and psychopathology research on older adolescents and adults. Prospective students interested in this track apply to the graduate program in the Department of Psychology. While this track has a focus on older adolescent and adult clinical science and psychopathology research, students can also gain exposure to training in research and practice with children and younger adolescents. Faculty mentors include the “core” faculty listed below. Admission procedures are governed by the Department of Psychology and the core faculty.

The “developmental” track is based in the Institute of Child Development and emphasizes developmental psychopathology in children and younger adolescents. Prospective students interested in this track apply directly through the Institute of Child Development. In their first year, they build a foundation in developmental research and study developmental psychopathology in children and younger adolescents before beginning clinical training with the Department of Psychology. Affiliated faculty who have mentored students in the “developmental” track are listed below. Admission procedures are governed by the Institute of Child Development and their faculty.

Accreditation

The American Psychological Association's (APA) Commission on Accreditation (CoA) has accredited our clinical psychology PhD program since 1948. We are accredited by the APA through 2027. 

  • Questions related to the program’s accredited status should be directed to the Commission on Accreditation:

    Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation
    American Psychological Association
    750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
    Phone: (202) 336-5979 / email [email protected]
    Web: http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

Our program is also accredited by PCSAS (Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System) through 2033.

At this time (in 2025) we intend to renew both our APA and our PCSAS Accreditation. Clinical licensure to practice in Minnesota is at this time greatly facilitated by APA accreditation. As license eligibility is achieved for PCSAS program graduates in a significant number of U.S. states, possibly including in Minnesota, our program will consider remaining accredited solely by PCSAS without APA accreditation.

In making this statement, we are pleased to stand with other leading clinical psychology doctoral training programs that have expressed strong commitments to clinical psychological science and corresponding plans regarding accreditation.    

Coursework

For specific coursework requirements to the Clinical Science and Psychopathology Research (CSPR) program, please visit the Graduate Education Catalog: Psychology. Current clinical course offerings cover:

  • psychopathology, including descriptive, developmental, psychosocial, biological, and genetic aspects;
  • personality and integration with psychopathology,
  • Assessment, including neuropsychological, intellectual, objective, and personality testing, as well as clinical interviewing;
  • modern psychosocial intervention approaches for adults and children,
  • clinical neuroscience;
  • human diversity and cultural psychology,
  • ethics, justice, and social responsibility,
  • statistics, study design, and computing.

In addition to core clinical courses on psychopathology, assessment, and intervention, students can take supporting course work in the following areas:

  • developmental psychopathology
  • behavioral genetics
  • psychometrics
  • measurement
  • neuropsychology
  • neuroimaging
  • psychophysiology
  • neuroscience

Research

Our program provides rigorous training in the conduct of research through student-led research projects under the supervision of expert faculty. Students are intensively involved in research throughout their graduate training. Our faculty conduct cutting-edge research in many domains. These include the following.

Our faculty investigate the etiology of many domains of psychopathology including psychosis, depressive problems, fear, anxiety, drug use, cognitive abilities, and personality. To do this, we employ a variety of technologies such as brain imaging, psychophysiology, passive sensing (e.g., smart phones), and genetic research designs such as twins, adoptees, and genome-wide molecular assays.

Much of this research is conducted across the lifespan, with major research programs at every major stage of life including in utero, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and older age. Many relevant research studies are longitudinal, enabling the study of risk, resilience, growth, change, and decline. 

Most of our faculty’s major research projects are extramurally funded, typically through the National Institutes of Health. This funding enables the collection and analysis of specialized research data at the scale necessary for our students to make impactful research contributions, enabled by a training program that prepares students to take advantage of all the scientific opportunities we have to offer.

Clinical Training

“Practica” are our applied clinical experiences, where clinical students learn to conduct assessments and interventions with patients in affiliated hospitals and clinics in the broader Twin Cities metropolitan area (a large metro area with >3 million inhabitants). Clinical students are required to engage in a minimum of 480 hours of practicum training. Over 45 different agencies participate in the practicum training, offering a variety of opportunities to develop applied assessment and treatment skills with different clinical populations. Participating practicum sites include:

  • University and Community Clinics & Hospitals
  • The VA Medical Center
  • Private practices

In order to receive a PhD with a specialization in clinical psychology, students are required to complete a one-year, full-time APA-approved clinical internship. This internship is usually completed in the 5th or 6th year of training. Students are encouraged to apply to internship sites that are members of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science.

Note: If you are looking for a program that offers similar course offerings and research experience, but does not include clinical assessment or intervention, please consider the Personality, Individual Differences, and Behavior Genetics program. 

Funding Opportunities

The Department of Psychology offers a variety of funding opportunities to graduate students.

For more information, please see the Funding Opportunities webpage or our Training Grant page. 

Faculty

Core Faculty

  • Max Elliott, Assistant Professor and Starke Hathaway Endowed Chair in Clinical Psychology (incoming August 2025)
  • Bonnie Klimes-Dougan, Professor and Associate Director of Practicum & Internship Placements
  • Robert Krueger, Distinguished McKnight University Professor and ICD Liaison
  • Shmuel Lissek, Associate Professor
  • Monica Luciana, Distinguished McKnight University Professor​ and Distinguished Teaching Professor of Clinical Psychology
  • Angus MacDonald, III, Distinguished McKnight University Professor
  • Whitney Ringwald, Assistant Professor, Starke Hathaway Endowed Chair in Clinical Psychology
  • Scott Vrieze, Professor, CSPR Area Director, and Director of Clinical Training

Adult Affiliated Advising Faculty

Developmental Affiliated Advising Faculty

The following faculty have previously advised students in the Developmental Psychopathology track through the institute of Child Development (ICD). If you are interested in this track, please apply to the Institute of Child Development, not the Department of Psychology.

  • Daniel Berry, Associate Professor of Child Development
  • Stephanie Carlson, Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Child Development
  • Jed Elison, Irving B. Harris Professor of Child Development
  • Damien Fair Professor of Child Development
  • Gail Ferguson, Professor of Child Development
  • Megan Gunnar, Regents Professor and Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Child Development
  • Ka I Ip, Assistant Professor of Child Development
  • Canan Karatekin, Associate Professor of Child Development
  • Ann Masten, Regents Professor, Distinguished McKnight University Professor
  • Arthur Reynolds, Professor of Child Development
  • Glenn Roisman, Distinguished McKnight University Professor of Child Development
  • Katie Thomas, William Harris Professor of Child Development
  • Sylia Wilson, Associate Professor of Child Development

Adjunct Faculty

Please see our adjunct faculty webpage.

Emeritus Faculty

James Butcher, Professor
William G. Iacono, Regents Professor, Distinguished McKnight University Professor
Gloria Leon, Professor