Online Doctor of Behavioral Health – Clinical

Students with a master’s degree in counseling, family therapy, nursing, occupational health and social work are encouraged to apply, though other fields of study are also considered. The most competitive candidates are master's degree-level professionals who are either currently employed or aspire to work in a clinical capacity in an integrated health care organization.

To apply, you must submit the following:

• Graduate admission application and application fee
• Official graduate and undergraduate transcripts
• At least one professional letter of recommendation
• Personal statement
• Up-to-date curriculum vitae or resume

Clinicians must possess an appropriate clinical license prior to admission to the program and are expected to work within the restrictions of their current license and professional scope of practice while completing all aspects of the DBH program. Those not already licensed must be on a pathway to acquiring licensure within two years of being admitted (working on hours for the exam).

The terms “licensed” and “license eligible” refer to a license to practice, which are issued by state licensing boards like the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners and the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners. Some examples include:

• Licensed or license-eligible behavioral health clinician with a master’s degree-level education.
• Master’s degree-level medical or ancillary health care providers, such as licensed nurses, dietitians and occupational therapists.

• An applicant whose native language is not English (regardless of current residency) must provide proof of English proficiency.
• The GRE, GMAT or other test scores are not required for admission.

A Doctor of Behavioral Health with a clinical concentration prepares licensed or license-eligible clinicians for doctoral-level leadership roles in integrated behavioral and primary health care. The program builds advanced skills in evidence-based behavioral interventions, medical literacy and health care entrepreneurship so you can lead within clinical settings, not just provide direct patient care.

You must hold or be eligible for an appropriate clinical license issued by a state licensing board, such as the Arizona Board of Behavioral Health Examiners or the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners. If you're not yet licensed, you can still apply as long as you're on a pathway to licensure within two years of admission. Review the Licensing section under How to apply for full details.

Graduates of the clinical DBH pursue roles such as behavioral health consultant, clinical manager, director of clinical services, disease manager, health care consultant and prevention specialist across primary care settings, hospitals, federal health agencies and substance abuse treatment settings.

Yes. The program culminates in an applied quality improvement project tailored to integrated health care practice. The applied project is broken into two courses completed over at least two semesters.