phd clinical psychology acceptance rates

Datapoint: What are the acceptance rates for graduate psychology programs?

News from APA's Center for Workforce Studies.

February 2016, Vol 47, No. 2

Print version: page 16

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In the 2013–14 academic year, potential students submitted more than 110,000 applications 1 to U.S. and Canadian graduate psychology programs, according to an annual APA survey of psychology departments. 2 About 26,000 of the applications were accepted, resulting in an overall acceptance rate of 24 percent. But acceptance rates varied widely by subfield and degree level.

A total of 979 doctoral programs 3 participated in the survey. They reported acceptance rates between 6 percent and 31 percent across subfields, with an overall acceptance rate of 13 percent. Acceptance rates were higher for school psychology and other applied psychology programs 4 , and lower for social and clinical psychology.

Acceptance rates for the 574 participating master's programs 3 were substantially higher for all subfields compared with doctoral programs. School psychology master's programs had the most applications and acceptances, resulting in an acceptance rate of 60 percent.

To read more about admissions, applications and acceptances for graduate psychology study, go to APA Education .

— Karen Stamm, PhD, Daniel Michalski, PhD5, Caroline Cope, MA5, Garth Fowler, PhD5, Peggy Christidis, PhD and Luona Lin, MPP

For more information, contact APA's Center for Workforce Studies .

1 Numbers were self-reported by departments providing graduate-level training in psychology or related fields and represent minimum value approximations.

2 APA surveys graduate departments of psychology to collect information for the annual publication of Graduate Study in Psychology — a print and online resource for prospective applicants to graduate psychology programs. For more information, visit APA Books.

3 Participation in Graduate Study in Psychology is voluntary; numbers do not represent the entire population of graduate programs in psychology.

4 This category includes applied behavior analysis, educational, community, forensic, sport, quantitative and behavioral psychology programs.

5 Author is a staff member of APA's Office on Graduate and Postgraduate Education and Training.

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University of South Florida

Department of Psychology

Tampa | St. Petersburg | Sarasota-Manatee

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Prospective graduate students, application information.

Please note that applications to the clinical area must be received on or before our Priority Deadline date of December 1 (domestic and international applicants). 

GRE scores optional for Clinical Concentration (see GRE section below).

Psychology is one of the most common majors on most college campuses. In addition, many psychology majors hope to become clinical psychologists. However, entry into a clinical psychology Ph.D. program is difficult as acceptance rates vary from 1 to 20%. In general, if you are very interested in attending a Ph.D. program in Clinical Psychology, you should seriously consider applying to at least several programs (13-15 would not be unreasonable). Following this strategy will increase your chances of acceptance into at least one program.

The competition for acceptance into the USF Clinical Psychology program is, unfortunately, intense. Approximately 300 students apply each year but only about 7-10 are admitted. Students admitted to the Clinical Psychology program at the University of South Florida frequently excel in a number of different areas:

Many qualified students are not admitted because acceptance is determined not only by credentials but also by past experiences. Nearly all entering students have worked as research assistants and many have had experience in a mental health facility, usually as a volunteer. Although both types of experiences will enhance your chances for admission, psychological research experience is most important. The majority of our entering students have presented their research at a conference or have published their research. Another reason that experience will help you when you apply to our program is that you will need three letters of recommendation. Optimally, these letters will be from academic psychologists with whom you have worked in the past and who know something about you personally. For example, professors with whom you have worked as a research assistant would be good references.

Academic Excellence

Other than the minimum criteria set by the university for all graduate programs, we have no formal cutoffs for GPA. Nevertheless, there are some guidelines you can use to evaluate your chances for admission. The entering classes for the last three years had a median GPA of 3.88. Please realize, however, that many students admitted into our program have GPAs lower (and higher) than this as GPA is not the sole criterion for admission. A GPA around 3.5 for the last two years is recommended. We also prefer that students have an undergraduate degree in Psychology. However, we have occasionally made an exception for applicants who are particularly strong in other areas (e.g., research experiences). Still, it is highly desirable for a student to have at least a minimal background in Psychology (e.g., Introductory Psychology, Abnormal Psychology) and in Research Methods (e.g. Experimental Design, Statistics, etc.).

GRE Scores Policy

The USF Clinical Program is committed to improving access to graduate training. While the Psychology Department recommends applicants submit GRE scores, they are currently optional for Clinical applicants. Applications will be deemed complete even without GRE scores.

Applications are assessed holistically. For different applicants, GRE scores may or may not enhance their application.

For example, applicants who have a high undergraduate GPA and extensive research experience – especially postbaccalaureate research experience – may decide GRE scores do not enhance their application.

In some cases, applicants may want to consider submitting GRE scores.

• GRE scores increase competitiveness for USF fellowships .
• Applicants with less research experience or a lower undergraduate GPA may benefit from including GRE scores as part of their application.

For applicants who may be interested in submitting GREs as part of their application, the entering classes for the last three years had a median GRE (Verbal and Quantitative combined) score of 321, Analytic Writing 4.75 (on the newer version). Please realize, however, that many students admitted into our program have scores lower (and higher) than these scores, as applications are assessed holistically.

Match on Research Interests

Many qualified students are not admitted because acceptance is determined not only by credentials and past experiences but also by match with the research interests of our faculty. We are an apprenticeship model (also known as a mentorship model) program, which means that students work closely with at least one primary research mentor. Admission decisions are made with mentorship matches in mind, so it is important for applicants to identify at least one potential mentor among the clinical faculty. It is a good idea to mention your preferred mentor(s) in your personal statement. Note that not all faculty members expect to admit students into their laboratories next Fall. Those who expect to admit students are identified by asterisks.

Based on review of qualifications relative to the aforementioned areas, approximately 30-35 applicants are invited to one of two Open House interview events each year. The clinical area usually tries to accept between 7-10 students into the program. Some candidates who do not get an offer initially are put on a waiting list. Consistent with APA guidelines, all applicants will be informed of their status in the admissions process by April 1 st . Also, consistent with APA guidelines, applicants have until April 15 th to decide on an offer. If they decline the offer before April 15 th , then applicants on the waiting list may receive an offer (which again can be held until April 15 th ).

Please see the Student Statistics/Full Disclosure for more information on the students who have been recruited over the last few years and the USF Clinical Psychology Faculty page for information about who is recruiting students this year.

Applicants with a Master's Degree

Many incoming students already have a Master’s degree. Students entering with a Master’s degree can waive previously taken graduate courses that are judged to be equivalent to requirements in our Ph.D. program, and can potentially transfer up to 15 credits toward the Ph.D. However, all of the course requirements from our Masters Along the Way must be met either by waiving the requirement based on courses already taken in the previous Master’s degree or by taking the courses en route to the Ph.D. Decisions about course waivers and credit transfers can only be made after review once an applicant has been accepted into the program. Each individual case must be evaluated by the concentration after admission. Likewise, it is sometimes possible to count a completed Master’s thesis if it is judged equivalent in quality to theses conducted by students in our major. After acceptance into the major, a faculty committee will review your thesis to determine whether it can meet our requirements.

Tips on Applying

There are a number of excellent books that can help with the application process. Books that our students have recommended are the following: Getting In: a Step-by-step Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School in Psychology and Graduate Study in Psychology (both of which can be ordered from the American Psychological Association : 1-800-374-2721), and Insider's Guide to Graduate Programs in Clinical Psychology (by Norcross, Mayne & Sayette, published by Guilford Press). We hope these references help you become more educated about the application process.

If you have general questions about the application process or about careers in the field of psychology, we encourage you to read some of the resources noted above. If you have specific questions about our Clinical program after reading the material on this webpage, please feel free to contact our clinical admissions advisor. This advisor is an advanced clinical student who monitors this email address . In the meantime, we wish you good luck in making your decision and hope that you will seriously consider applying to our program.

A Note on Interviews, Visits, and Contacting Faculty: Because of the volume of applications each year, we cannot arrange visits or interviews with prospective applicants until February, at which point we invite about 35 applicants to the University of South Florida Open Houses to interview. If you are interested in the program and have questions, you should contact faculty whose work looks like the best match for you and who are taking students for the current year, or contact our clinical admissions advisor .

Brief USF Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program Description

Our program is a full-time, APA-Accredited and PCSAS-Accredited, Ph.D. program. It is also a member program of the Academy for Psychological Clinical Science, which indicates our commitment to research training. Although an M.A. degree is awarded on the way toward receiving the Ph.D., you should not enter the program with the intention of obtaining only a masters. If you cannot commit to the Ph.D. program, you should investigate the large number of schools that offer a terminal masters program in Clinical Psychology.

The entire Ph.D. program usually takes four or five years of academic work, followed by a one-year clinical internship. All students complete two independent research projects, a masters thesis and a doctoral dissertation. In order to be eligible for graduation, students are required to complete 90 hours of course work. In addition to intense involvement in research activities, students are involved in clinical practica throughout their training.

Diversity Philosophy

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Clinical Faculty Research

The research interests of the Clinical faculty are described below. Our faculty members have diverse interests within clinical psychology, and we urge applicants to read the descriptions carefully before deciding whether to apply to our program. In addition to the research foci of the individual faculty members, we would like to highlight a few general areas that cut across faculty, and are therefore particular strengths of the clinical training program at USF. Please note, however, that these general themes do not represent all of the areas of research carried out by our faculty and students.

Health Psychology

This is the fastest-growing area within the field of clinical psychology, and it is a clear strength of our department. Areas of health psychology studied by our faculty include addictive disorders (Bornovalova), eating disorders and obesity (Rancourt), behavioral oncology and risk factors for cancer (Simmons, Vidrine), and psychosocial issues in HIV (Chenneville, Gabbidon). Research in health psychology is enhanced by the presence of a medical school and large medical center on campus. Among the hospitals in the medical center are the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute and the James A. Haley Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Both of these facilities often serve as placement sites for our clinical students.

Substance Abuse

Substance use issues are some of the most prevalent behavioral problems in our country today, impacting society in a multitude of ways. Although mentioned above as a sub area within health psychology, research on addictive behaviors can also be considered a strength of our department in its own right.

Clinical faculty conducting research in this area include Marina Bornovalova (drug use disorders and comorbidity with externalizing psychopathology), Robert Schlauch (individual differences in alcohol and drug use), Vani Simmons (Tobacco cessation and relapse prevention), Edelyn Verona (drug use and criminal justice involvement), and Jennifer Vidrine (tobacco cessation and eliminating health disparities). 

Psychopathology

The study of mental illness and disordered behaviors continues to serve as a foundation for much of clinical psychology. Faculty whose research falls in this area include Marina Bornovalova (externalizing disorders and behaviors), Peter Clayson (adaptive control in healthy and clinical populations), Marc Karver (self-harm and suicidal behavior), Vicky Phares (developmental psychopathology), Diana Rancourt (eating disorders), and Edelyn Verona (psychopathy, externalizing and antisocial behaviors, aggression/violence.

Clinical Child Psychology

Clinical child psychology has been one of the most popular and expanding areas of study over the past decade. Department research spans the prevention-treatment continuum from studies of etiology, assessment, and treatment of child/adolescent disorders to primary and secondary prevention efforts to reduce rates of disorder and promote healthy functioning. Clinical faculty conducting research in this general area include James McHale (infant-family mental health), Marc Karver (treatment processes and suicidal adolescents), Vicky Phares (developmental psychopathology, parenting), Jamie Spiegel (neurodevelopmental and disruptive behavior disorders, intervention, parenting), and Diana Rancourt (peer influence and adolescents’ weight-related behaviors). Research and practicum sites include the USF Psychological Services Center, three local school districts, and the Rothman Center for Pediatric Neuropsychiatry in the USF Department of Pediatrics.

Financial Obligations and Living Arrangements

Tuition and Fees

For the 2024-2025 academic year, see the tuition rates for Florida residents and for non-residents. The typical entering clinical student will register for 9 credit hours each fall and spring.

The large majority of graduate students receive tuition waivers. For example, most TA and RA positions come with a tuition waiver. The tuition waiver covers 100% of tuition costs and students are responsible for additional student fees.

The cost of living in Tampa is affordable compared with most large cities. Many nice apartment complexes are located close to campus. For more information about housing and Tampa in general, take a look at any of several Tampa Bay area guides on the internet.

Alternatives to a Clinical Psychology Degree

In choosing a career path, you should be aware of graduate programs in other mental health fields. For example, at USF, there are excellent programs in School Psychology (813-974-3246), Social Work (813-974-2063), Rehabilitation Counseling (813-974-2855), Counselor Education (813-974-3515), and Aging Studies (813-974-2414). Other universities offer additional programs at the masters and doctoral levels.

Clinical Admissions Chair Peter Clayson, Ph.D.

Director of Clinical Training Diana Rancourt, Ph.D.

Applying to Clinical PhD Psychology Programs

How many applications to send.

Posted July 22, 2018

Now is the time that many individuals are going to be thinking about their future career . For many, their career journey includes graduate program in a clinical psychology PhD program. For these individuals, the next few months will involve carefully researching various programs to determine which programs might be best for them. One big question that will hit all of these potential applicants concerns the optimal number of applications to send.

It might seem like someone or some computer program has figured out the number of applications to send, but like most aspects of the application process for PhD clinical psychology programs, determining this number is complex. To begin, it is likely the case that most applicants know that getting accepted to a clinical psychology PhD program is very difficult. To illustrate this in concrete terms, we looked at the acceptance and matriculation rates of PhD programs that are members of the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology. These rates are publicly available for these programs website under the link “Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data”. We were able to locate data for 100 programs, and found that the acceptance rate was most often 4%, and the matriculation rate (those who actually enrolled) was most often 2%.

These extremely low values reflect the high standards of all clinical psychology PhD programs, the high number of applicants that apply to each program, and the low number of open slots at each program for an incoming class. One other point should be kept in mind related to the above points: The applicants to PhD programs are at the “highest level.” This means that if you are applying to a PhD program in clinical psychology, you really need to be a strong candidate. There is no hard and fast rule on what constitutes a strong candidate, but rest assured it is a combination of very high GRE scores (on all three components of the exam), a very high GPA in rigorous courses (forget those gym courses and basket-weaving courses!), research experience (remember that a PhD is a research degree), excellent letters of recommendation, and a great fit with a potential mentor.

Besides showing that it is really difficult to be accepted into a particular PhD program, the acceptance and matriculation (enrollment) rates raise other interesting issues that are important to the question of how many programs you should apply to. First, acceptance rates are higher than matriculation rates. This is because not every person who gets accepted to a clinical psychology PhD program ends up attending. For example, an applicant may realize that that being a clinician is not for them. This applicant’s slot is then open for another applicant. Second, applicants to clinical psychology PhD programs almost always apply to multiple programs. This leads to a lot of movement with regard to who gets accepted. Let’s take the example of a fictitious applicant Susan who applies to 15 clinical psychology PhD programs. She receives acceptances from five programs—Michigan State, UKentucky, UDenver, Alabama, and UTexas. Of course, she can only matriculate at one program—she picks UKentucky (not for the basketball!). Her matriculation decision means that the four other slots that were originally reserved for Susan must go unused or go to other applicants in the applicant pool, who may or may not enroll at each of the remaining four programs.

Given the above information, we can now focus on how many programs you should consider applying to. Right up front we should note that there does not appear to be any publicly accessible data that shows the number of applications per clinical psychology PhD applicant. This is different than other types of post-graduate applicants, where data is available on the number of applications per applicant for medical program (16 applications) and law program (6 applications).

Nonetheless, there is some guidance from the Internet on determining how many programs an applicant should apply to:

1) Although neither the American Psychological Association (APA) nor one of the most widely cited websites about applying to clinical psychology graduate program (“Mitch’s Guide”) recommends a specific number, these resources (and others) discuss applications in terms of “fit”. That is, an applicant should apply to programs where there is a fit between a student’s credentials and the characteristics of a particular program, including location, training emphasis, and potential mentor(s).

2) Some sites offer more specific recommendations. These sites discuss applying to different levels of programs. These types are typically defined based on the GPA and GRE data listed in a program’s link to Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data. At the top level are “Dream” or “Reach” programs (programs where your credentials are lower than the data), “Match” programs (programs where your credentials match the data for that program), and “Safety” or “Back-up” programs (programs where your credentials exceed the data). Sites recommending that you apply based on level of program will typically argue that an applicant should apply to perhaps two or three at each level.

3) Some Internet sites offer recommendations on how many programs to apply without mentioning level of program. These sites recommend varying numbers, often as high as 10-20 programs.

The lack of clarity on the number of applications to clinical psychology PhD programs means you may have to adjust your thinking as you move forward with your plans to apply to clinical psychology PhD programs. You will have to decide whether applying to different levels makes sense for you. While some students may need to use the levels approach because of specific gaps in their credentials, others may have a record so strong that the levels approach does not really apply to them—these students are competitive at all programs.

In addition, if you are a highly competitive applicant, it is probably worth you increasing your number of applications. Figuring out additional programs to apply to will involve more work, and it might involve considering multiple research areas you are willing to pursue, but it will likely increase your overall chances to be accepted to a program. You must always keep in mind that your chances of being accepted anywhere is still a function of your credentials, the competition (always an unknown), and what programs are considering. Moreover, each application has an application fee, and takes time and effort to complete. Therefore, you should probably only apply to those programs that you feel you would be willing to attend. With all of the above in mind, good luck as you move forward with your applications!

Please note that the comments of Dr. Golding and the others who post on this blog express their own opinion and not that of the University of Kentucky.

Check out career possibilities for psychology majors at scoutiescareersinpsychology.org

Learn tips to succeed in college at beginnersguidetocollegesuccess.com

Jonathan Golding, Ph.D. , is a professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky. Anne Lippert, Ph.D. , is a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Kentucky.

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Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology

Our mission.

The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program at the University of Central Florida educates graduate students “to generate and integrate scientific and professional knowledge, attitudes, and skills to further psychological science, professional practice, and human welfare. Graduates are capable of functioning as a scientist and a practitioner, and may function as either or both, consistent with the highest standards in psychology” (National Conference on the Education and Training of Scientist-Practitioners for the Professional Practice of Psychology, 1990). The program is a generalist program with a strong emphasis on assessment and treatment in adults. We do not have any formal tracks within the program (e.g., child, neuropsychology). Our program welcomes the inclusion of students, faculty, and staff from different backgrounds (e.g., racial, ethnic, sexual orientation). In addition, we infuse the latest empirical knowledge related to clinical treatment, research, and pedagogy with individuals from diverse backgrounds in our curriculum and clinical/research experiences. Consistent with our departmental mission , we aspire to provide high quality education to include “the dissemination of state-of-the-field theoretical and empirical information, training in the methodological, statistical, and technical skills necessary to conduct psychological research, and practice in the application of psychological knowledge to real-life problems” (National Conference on the Education and Training of Scientist-Practitioners for the Professional Practice of Psychology, 1990). Our program aspires to achieve excellence in research and clinical training and to contribute to and perpetuate science and practice in the field of Clinical Psychology through faculty and graduate student involvement in scholarly and professional activities. We are active contributors to research in Clinical Psychology. We advocate for initiatives that improve the profession of psychology and the welfare of individuals, families, and groups. We also are active members of professional organizations.

Degree Requirements

The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program is designed to be completed in six years of full-time study (with summer enrollment expected), regardless of whether the student enters with a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree. The program includes a one-year predoctoral internship to be completed off-campus at an APA accredited internship site. There are a total of 90 semester hours of courses, practica, and research requirements as detailed in our handbook (linked below). A Master’s Thesis and a Dissertation, which represent significant contributions to the field, are both required. Successful completion of the Qualifying and Comprehensive Examination is required prior to initiation of dissertation research.

Program Admissions

Application deadline is december 1st.

The UCF Psychology Department coordinates the admission process with the UCF Graduate Studies office. In order to enroll in graduate classes, students must have obtained a baccalaureate or higher degree in Psychology, prior to the start of the term for which the student is admitted, from a regionally accredited institution or from a recognized foreign institution. Students without a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited institution (or equivalent) are not admitted to graduate degree programs, graduate certificate programs, or graduate nondegree status. If the baccalaureate degree does not include a major in Psychology, students must have completed at least 18 credit hours of Psychology courses at the undergraduate level or above. These courses must include Intro/General Psychology, Research Methods/Statistics, Abnormal Psychology, and Personality Theory/Psychology. The following courses are strongly encouraged: Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Biological/Physiological Psychology, and Developmental Psychology.

Note for all applicants : Our program requires that History and Systems of Psychology is completed at the undergraduate level with a grade of at least a “B.” This can either be completed prior to starting our program or as an undergraduate course during our program.

We will not accept or consider GRE scores for a start date of Fall 2025.

Successful applicants typically have both strengths and relative weaknesses in their applications, and it is important to view one’s application as a portfolio.  The components of the application are as follow:

• Educational history/grades
• Letters of recommendation: Three letters written by people who can speak to your work ethic, range of professional interests, and what it is like to work with you.
• Personal essay: An essay about your research and clinical interests and faculty you may be interested in working with while enrolled in our program.
• Content training: Information about career and research experiences should be highlighted on the CV and personal statement and are often described in an applicant’s letters of recommendation.

At UCF, the applicant’s fit with the goals of the program are a critical component. It is very rare that an application is positively distinguished on all four of the areas described above. To be considered for admission, the program requires having some hands-on research experience outside of a course (e.g., as a research assistant/coordinator) preferably in a topic area which overlaps one of our faculty members who you would like to work with on research. In your essay, you need to highlight that experience in relation to what you’d like to conduct research on if accepted to our program, along with which faculty mentor(s) you’d like to work with for research.

For the submission deadline of 12/1/2024, only the following faculty will be recruiting a student: Dr. Amie Newins, Dr. Jeffrey Bedwell, Dr. Kimberly Renk, Dr. Robert Dvorak, Dr. Jacqueline Woerner, and Dr. Jeffrey Cassisi. Please only apply for this cycle if you’d like to work with one or more of these individuals as your primary research mentor(s), conducting research that is compatible with their laboratory and line of research.  

Note Regarding National Program Rankings:

Some applicants to doctoral programs in Clinical Psychology may consider national rankings when deciding where to apply for graduate school. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the  methodology  used by any national ranking system. For example, the approach used by the U.S. News and World Report relies simply on rankings of programs by the chairs of psychology departments and directors of clinical training ( click here for their methodology ). As such, their rankings rely purely on the subjective estimation of the reputation of programs by the individuals completing the survey; no specific metrics or objective data are used in the rankings (see additional critiques of these national ranking systems by  Malcolm Gladwell  and  John Byrne ).

Only 18% of chairs and directors completed the last iteration of this reputational survey, the lowest of any health profession. As such, the rankings are not representative of the opinions of chairs and directors. The low rankings are due, in part, to the training council representing scientist practitioner and clinical scientist doctoral programs in clinical psychology, the Council of University Directors of Clinical Psychology ( CUDCP ), passing a resolution in 1995 encouraging programs  not to participate in the survey. Given these concerns, we strongly encourage applicants – and others – to  ignore  national rankings when considering the quality of a doctoral program in Clinical Psychology.

Even with improved methodology, national rankings are likely to be of little use to applicants in identifying  their  best programs. Instead, applicants need to consider if a program’s goals and objectives align with their goals and objectives. A national ranking system will never be able to capture the individualized strengths and weakness of programs for unique applicants.

Please note that every clinical psychology program accredited by the American Psychological Association must post data on their program website about admissions and outcomes, including time to completion, program costs, internship placement, attrition, and licensure. CUDCP programs are also encouraged to provide information on their selectivity/yield (e.g., # of applicants, offers, matriculated students) and number of students with funding.

Mailing Address UCF College of Graduate Studies Millican Hall 230 PO Box 160112 Orlando, FL  32816-0112

Institution Codes GRE: 5233 GMAT: RZT-HT-58 TOEFL: 5233 ETS PPI: 5233

For more information on the application process, please contact:

Dr. Jeffrey Bedwell Professor, Department of Psychology Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program Director Director of Clinical Training [email protected]

Our Program Handbook contains a wealth of information about our program, covering topics such as:

• The Program Overview
• The Scientist-Practitioner Model
• Training Emphasis
• Program Goals
• Curriculum Goals
• Expectations of Doctoral Students
• Development of Competencies
• Practicum Training
• Internships

Accreditation

The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Program in the Department of Psychology received initial accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2003, for a period of five years. The program then was re-accredited in 2008, 2013, and 2024, and remains accredited with the next re-accreditation process scheduled for 2033.

For information about our accreditation status, you can contact the Commission on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association.

Contact Information Commission on Accreditation Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation 750 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20002-4242 Phone: 202-336-5979 TDD/TTY: 202-336-6123 Fax: 202-336-5978 [email protected]

Licensing Disclosure

For information regarding how this program meets the educational requirements to obtain a license as a Psychologist, please see: https://apq.ucf.edu/document/clinicalpsychphd-disclosure/ .

One aspect of obtaining a license as a Psychologist in the United States is to achieve a passing score on the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), which is typically taken after obtaining a PhD in the field. According to the most recent report from the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, our program’s pass rate across only our first-time test takers (alumni) between Jan 2019 to Dec 2023 was 86% (n = 29 alumni).

The Clinical Psychology Ph.D. Faculty adhere to the belief that research activities are an integral part of being a Clinical Psychologist. Consistent with this belief, the majority of our graduates seek academic- and research-oriented positions after they complete our program. Even for those who take other types of positions and who work in more applied settings, however, Clinical Psychologists must be able to locate and evaluate research literature relevant to evidence-based interventions and best practice in the field of Clinical Psychology.

Clinical Psychology Research Laboratories

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• Mood, Personality, and CogniTion (MPACT) Lab
• Psychology Clinic
• Health, Expectancies, & Addiction Laboratory (HEAL)
• Risk, Eating, and Addiction Longitudinally Examined Through In situ Momentary Experiences Laboratory (REAL-TIME Lab)
• Designing Research & Education for Addiction Management Laboratory (DREAM Lab)
• UCF RESTORES
• Understanding Children & Family Laboratory

Faculty in Ph.d. Clinical Psychology

Clinical Psychology

Mission statement.

Our mission is to advance knowledge that promotes psychological well-being and reduces the burden of mental illness and problems in living and to develop leading clinical scientists whose skills and knowledge will have a substantial impact on the field of psychology and the lives of those in need. Our faculty and graduate students promote critical thinking, innovation, and discovery, and strive to be leaders in their field, engaging in and influencing research, practice, policy, and education. Our pursuit of these goals is guided by the values of collaboration, mutual respect, and fairness, our commitment to diversity, and the highest ethical standards.

Information about the Clinical Psychology Graduate Major

UCLA’s Clinical Psychology program is one of the largest, most selective, and most highly regarded in the country and aims to produce future faculty, researchers, and leaders in clinical science, who influence research, policy development, and practice. Clinical science is a field of psychology that strives to generate and disseminate the best possible knowledge, whether basic or applied, to reduce suffering and to advance public health and wellness. Rather than viewing research and intervention as separable, clinical science construes these activities as part of a single, broad domain of expertise and action. Students in the program are immersed in an empirical, research-based approach to clinical training. This, in turn, informs their research endeavors with a strong understanding of associated psychological phenomena. The UCLA Clinical Science Training Programs employs rigorous methods and theories from multiple perspectives, in the context of human diversity. Our goal is to develop the next generation of clinical scientists who will advance and share knowledge related to the origins, development, assessment, treatment, and prevention of mental health problems.

Admissions decisions are based on applicants’ research interests and experiences, formal coursework in psychology and associated fields, academic performance, letters of recommendation, dedication to and suitability for a career as a clinical scientist, program fit, and contributions to an intellectually rich, diverse class. Once admitted, students engage with faculty in research activities addressing critical issues that impact psychological well-being and the burden of mental illness, using a wide range of approaches and at varying levels of analysis. Their integrated training is facilitated by on-campus resources including the departmental Psychology Clinic, the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, and the David Geffen School of Medicine.

Our program philosophy is embodied in, and our goals are achieved through, a series of training activities that prepare students for increasingly complex, demanding, and independent roles as clinical scientists. These training activities expose students to the reciprocal relationship between scientific research and provision of clinical services, and to various systems and methods of intervention, assessment, and other clinical services with demographically and clinically diverse populations. The curriculum is designed to produce scientifically-minded scholars who are well-trained in research and practice, who use data to develop and refine the knowledge base in their field, and who bring a reasoned empirical perspective to positions of leadership in research and service delivery.

The program’s individualized supervision of each student in integrated research and practice roles provides considerable flexibility. Within the parameters set by faculty interests and practicum resources, there are specializations in child psychopathology and treatment, cognitive-behavior therapy, clinical assessment, adult psychopathology and treatment, family processes, assessment and intervention with distressed couples, community psychology, stress and coping, cognitive and affective neuroscience, minority mental health, and health psychology and behavioral medicine. The faculty and other research resources of the Department make possible an intensive concentration in particular areas of clinical psychology, while at the same time ensuring breadth of training.

Clinical psychology at UCLA is a six-year program including a full-time one-year internship, at least four years of which must be completed in residence at UCLA. The curriculum in clinical psychology is based on a twelve-month academic year. The program includes a mixture of coursework, clinical practicum training, teaching, and continuous involvement in research. Many of the twenty clinical area faculty, along with numerous clinical psychologists from other campus departments, community clinics, and hospitals settings, contribute to clinical supervision.  Clinical training experiences typically include four and a half years of part-time practicum placements in the Psychology Clinic and local agencies. The required one-year full-time internship is undertaken after the student has passed the clinical qualifying examinations and the dissertation preliminary orals. The student receives the Ph.D. degree when both the dissertation and an approved internship are completed.

Accreditation

PCSAS – Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System

The Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology at UCLA was accredited in 2012 by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS). PCSAS was created to promote science-centered education and training in clinical psychology, to increase the quality and quantity of clinical scientists contributing to the advancement of public health, and to enhance the scientific knowledge base for mental and behavioral health care. The UCLA program is deeply committed to these goals and proud to be a member of the PCSAS Founder’s Circle and one of the group of programs accredited by PCSAS.  (Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System, 1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 402, Washington, DC 20036-1218. Telephone: 301-455-8046). Website:  https://www.pcsas.org

APA CoA – American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation

The Graduate Program in Clinical Psychology at UCLA has been accredited by the American Psychological Association Commission on Accreditation since 1949. (Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 First Street NE. Washington, DC 20002-4242. Telephone:  202-336-5979 .) Website:  http://www.apa.org/ed/accreditation/

Future Accreditation Plans:  

Against the backdrop of distressing evidence that mental health problems are increasingly prevalent and burdensome, the field of psychological clinical science must think innovatively to address the unmet mental health needs of vulnerable populations. UCLA’s clinical psychology program remains committed to training clinical psychological scientists who will become leaders in research, dissemination, and implementation of knowledge, policy development, and evidence-based clinical practice. This commitment is firmly rooted in our overall mission of promoting equity and inclusion, adhering to ethical standards, and developing collaborations in all aspects of clinical psychology.

Increasingly, we believe that significant aspects of the academic and clinical-service requirements of accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA) obstruct our training mission. Too often, APA requirements limit our ability to flexibly adapt our program to evolving scientific evidence, student needs, and global trends in mental health. Like many other top clinical science doctoral programs, we see our longstanding accreditation by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) as better aligned with our core values, including advancement of scientifically-based training.

Accordingly, we are unlikely to seek renewal of our program’s accreditation by APA, which is set to expire in 2028. The ultimate decision about re-accreditation will be made with the best interests and well-being of current and future students in our program in mind. To that end, we will continue to monitor important criteria that will determine the career prospects of students completing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology from programs accredited only by PCSAS. For example, we are working to understand the potential implications for securing excellent predoctoral internships and eligibility for professional licensure across jurisdictions in North America. Although the UCLA clinical psychology program has no direct influence over these external organizations, we are excited to continue to work to shape this evolving training landscape with the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science (APCS) and leaders from other clinical science programs.

Our ongoing monitoring of trends in clinical psychology training is encouraging for PCSAS-accredited programs. However, evolving circumstances could result in our program changing its opinion with respect to seeking APA re-accreditation in the future. In the spirit of transparency and empowering potential applicants to make informed choices for their own professional development, we are pleased to share our thinking on these important issues.

Notice to Students re: Professional Licensure and Certification

University of California programs for professions that require licensure or certification are intended to prepare the student for California licensure and certification requirements. Admission into programs for professions that require licensure and certification does not guarantee that students will obtain a license or certificate. Licensure and certification requirements are set by agencies that are not controlled by or affiliated with the University of California and licensure and certification requirements can change at any time.

The University of California has not determined whether its programs meet other states’ educational or professional requirements for licensure and certification. Students planning to pursue licensure or certification in other states are responsible for determining whether, if they complete a University of California program, they will meet their state’s requirements for licensure or certification. This disclosure is made pursuant to 34 CFR §668.43(a)(5)(v)(C).

NOTE:  Although the UCLA Clinical Psychology Program is not designed to ensure license eligibility, the majority of our graduates do go on to become professionally licensed.  For more information, please see  https://www.ucop.edu/institutional-research-academic-planning/content-analysis/academic-planning/licensure-and-certification-disclosures.html .

Clinical Program Policy on Diversity-Related Training 

In light of our guiding values of collaboration, respect, and fairness, this statement is to inform prospective and current trainees, faculty, and supervisors, as well as the public, that our trainees are required to (a) attain an understanding of cultural and individual diversity as related to both the science and practice of psychology and (b) provide competent and ethical services to diverse individuals.  Our primary consideration is always the welfare of the client.  Should such a conflict arise in which the trainee’s beliefs, values, worldview, or culture limits their ability to meet this requirement, as determined by either the student or the supervisor, it should be reported to the Clinic and Placements Committee, either directly or through a supervisor or clinical area faculty member.  The Committee will take a developmental view, such that if the competency to deliver services cannot be sufficiently developed in time to protect and serve a potentially impacted client, the committee will (a) consider a reassignment of the client so as to protect the client’s immediate interests, and (b) request from the student a plan to reach the above-stated competencies, to be developed and implemented in consultation with both the trainee’s supervisor and the Clinic Director.  There should be no reasonable expectation of a trainee being exempted from having clients with any particular background or characteristics assigned to them for the duration of their training.

Clinical Program Grievance Policies & Procedures

Unfortunately, conflicts between students and faculty or with other students will occur, and the following policies and procedures are provided in an effort to achieve the best solution. The first step in addressing these conflicts is for the student to consult with their academic advisor. If this option is not feasible (e.g. the conflict is with the advisor) or the conflict is not resolved to their satisfaction, then the issue should be brought to the attention of the Director of Clinical Training. If in the unlikely event that an effective solution is not achieved at this level, then the student has the option of consulting with the Department’s Vice Chair for Graduate Studies. Students also have the option of seeking assistance from the campus Office of Ombuds Services and the Office of the Dean of Students. It is expected that all such conflicts are to be addressed first within the program, then within the Department, before seeking a resolution outside of the department.

More Clinical Psychology Information

• For a list of Required Courses please see the  Psychology Handbook
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Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data

On this page:, program disclosures.

As articulated in Standard I.B.2 of the Implementing Regulations of APA's Commission on Accreditation, programs may have “admission and employment policies that directly relate to affiliation or purpose” that may be faith-based or secular in nature. However, such policies and practices must be disclosed to the public. Therefore, programs are asked to respond to the following question:

Time to Completion for All Students Entering the Program

Also, please describe or provide a link to program admissions policies that allow students to enter with credit for prior graduate work, and the expected implications for time to completion. Please indicate NA if not applicable:

Transfer credit can only be reviewed after an applicant has been accepted and enrolled in the program and usually does not exceed 6 credits. As our Clinical Psychology PhD program is research based (which includes working on research projects), applying transfer credit to the program does not significantly decrease a student's time in the program. More information can be found in the Graduate School's Policy Library under "transfer credits" 

Program Costs

*The in-state rate per credit hour is $471. The out-of-state rate per credit hour is $1,041.

Clinical Psychology PhD students typically receive a tuition scholarship and a yearly stipend between $23,000 and $30,000 for their first 4 to 5 years in the program. For more information regarding financial support and fees, please see Graduate Funding .

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Please note that our GRE General Test score requirements for admission have changed. For candidates seeking Fall 2025 admission: -  required for applicants to the Clinical Science area  -  optional but recommended for applicants to the Social, Developmental, and CBB areas*  As  of Ma y 2024, GRE General Test scores will be required for all applicants seeking Fall 2026 admission.  The  Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences welcomes applications for admission from individuals who have or will have by the time of matriculation a BA, BS, or equivalent undergraduate degree (for prospective international students, a three- or four-year undergraduate degree from an institution of recognized standing) and actively seeks applicants from groups historically  underrepresented in graduate schools . All degree candidates are admitted for full-time study beginning in the fall term.

Immigration status does not factor into decisions about admissions and financial aid. For more information, see  Undocumented at Harvard .

If you already hold a PhD or its equivalent, or are an advanced doctoral candidate at another institution, you may apply to a PhD program only if it is in an unrelated field of study; however, preference for admissions and financial aid will be given to those who have not already had an opportunity to study for a doctoral degree at Harvard or elsewhere. You may also want to consider pursuing non-degree study through our  Special Student or Visiting Fellow  programs.

Eligible Harvard College students with advanced standing may apply in the fall of their junior year to earn an AM or SM degree during their final year of undergraduate study. Interested students must contact the  Office of Undergraduate Education  for eligibility details before applying.

Questions about the application or required materials should be directed to the Harvard Griffin GSAS Admissions Office at  [email protected] or 617-496-6100. 

Harvard Griffin GSAS does not discriminate against applicants or students on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry or any other protected classification. 

Required Application Materials

Please refer to Completing Your Application on the Harvard Griffin GSAS Admissions site for details.  A complete application consists of:

Online application form

Application fee payment ($105) -  Application fee waivers are available to those for whom payment of the application fee would be financially challenging. Applicants can determine eligibility for a fee waiver by completing a series of questions in the Application Fee section of the application. Once these questions have been completed, the application system will provide an immediate response regarding fee waiver eligibility.

Transcripts

Letters of recommendation (at least 3)

Statement of purpose

Personal statement

Demonstration of English proficiency

GRE General Test scores:   -  required for applicants to the Clinical Science area  -  optional but recommended for applicants to the Social, Developmental, and CBB areas* As of May 2024, GRE General Test scores will be required for all applicants seeking Fall 2026 admission. 

Harvard Griffin GSAS may request additional academic documents, as needed.

*Graduate student admissions are among the most important decisions we make as a department. Like many other PhD programs around the US and abroad, we have wrestled with the question of whether we should continue to require that applicants to our PhD program submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as part of their application. After extensive review of the scientific literature and robust discussion among our faculty, we have decided to continue to make submission of GRE scores optional, but to Recommend that students submit GRE scores if they are able to do so. We wanted to share our candid thoughts on this here.  

A number of empirical and review papers have noted that performance on the GRE is not a strong predictor of performance on a number of graduate school metrics (e.g., correlation with graduate school GPA = .21-.31, which represent small to medium effect sizes; Woo et al., 2023) and that the fact that the significant group differences (by race/ethnicity and gender) in GRE scores suggest it may discourage those from underrepresented groups from applying to PhD programs. Other research has shown that although there are limitations to the GRE, other potential predictors of success in graduate school have even smaller correlations with such outcomes, and removing the GRE would lead us to rely on these other potentially biased factors, such as where a person received their undergraduate degree, what research lab they had the opportunity to train in, and letters of recommendation.(1) We have heard anecdotally from current and former PhD students (including those historically underrepresented in PhD programs) who argue that the GRE helped them demonstrate their abilities when they didn’t attend a top undergraduate institution or work in a well-known research lab.  

On balance, we acknowledge that the GRE is an imperfect test and should not be used as the single deciding factor in admissions; however, we fear that excluding it altogether will introduce more, not less, bias into the admissions decision-making process. Thus, we have decided to keep the submission of GRE scores optional, but to recommend that students submit their scores if they are able to do so.  

We know that many students might expect that we are looking for near-perfect scores as a requirement for admission. We are not. We do not use a rigid threshold for GRE scores, and take it into consideration with other factors (e.g., strong performance in undergraduate statistics might be used to demonstrate quantitative abilities in place of strong performance on the quantitative section of the GRE). To be transparent about this, we note that our past 10 years’ of admitted PhD applicants have had scores on the GRE ranging on the Quantitative section from the 38th to the 98th percentile, and on the Verbal section ranging from the 59th to the 99th percentile.(2 )

We will continue to work toward determining how to make admissions decisions in a way that identifies the candidates who match best with what our PhD training program has to offer and in doing so may make further adjustments to our admissions requirements in future admissions cycles.  

(1) For a review of these issues, see: Woo, S. E., LeBreton, J. M., Keith, M. G., & Tay, L. (2023). Bias, Fairness, and Validity in Graduate-School Admissions: A Psychometric Perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 18(1), 3–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916211055374  

(2) Note: Test scores were not required for the past 3 years and so are largely unavailable for that period. 

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Course Descriptions 

The Clinical Psychology doctoral program (PhD) has been accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1949 and is also accredited by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) since 2017 through 2027.

We emphasize training in clinically-informed research and evidence-based clinical work and recognize that students have varying career aspirations that may evolve over the course of graduate training. Our program offers two tracks: Adult and Child/Family . Read more about our Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data.

We are strongly committed to promoting diversity and training early career scientists of diverse backgrounds. We encourage students from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the sciences to apply, including but not limited to BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, first generation college students, and those of low socioeconomic status.

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 (APA) 750 1st Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002 Phone: (202) 336-5979 | Email: [email protected] Website: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation

Psychology Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) Joseph E. Steinmetz, Ph.D. Executive Director 1101 E 10th Street, Bloomington, IN 47401; Phone: 479-301-8008 | Email:   [email protected] Website: https://pcsas.org/pcsas-accredited-programs/

Recent News

• Amanda Haik Awarded the Wadden Award for Training in Behavioral Medicine and Health Psychology
• Maku Orleans-Pobee Named 2023 Community Engaged Scholar Fellow
• Esmeralda Navarro and Yolanda Yang Selected as 2023 LEAD Fellows
• Thank you to all those who came last night, we had a blast and will miss our internship-bound students!
• Congratulations to our 2022 Award Winners!
• Dr. Mitchell J. Prinstein testified in front of the US Senate on the Mental Health and Substance Abuse
• Dr. Andrea Hussong Q&A on the impact of COVID-19 on adolescents’ mental health
• Dr. Andrea Hussong Selected for Thorp Faculty Engaged Scholars Program
• Dr. Margaret Sheridan Named APS Fellow
• April Highlander Receives Gray-Little Diversity in Research Honorable Mention
• Carrington Merritt Receives Davenport Diversity in Research Honorable Mention

Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data

Student admissions, outcomes, and other data - downloadable content.

Click to download information on program costs.

Click to download information on attrition.

Click to download information on licensure.

Click to download information on internship placements.

Click to download information for time to completion.

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PhD in Clinical Psychology Admissions

The PhD in Clinical Psychology program admits students once a year for the fall term, which starts in September. Applications for Fall opened in early September. 

Admissions Requirements

• Applicants must hold a bachelor's degree from a regionally-accredited institution or the international equivalent.
• In addition to the required prerequisites, we strongly recommend applicants have related volunteer or work experience in the mental health field and experience with research.
• GRE scores are not required for admission to PAU doctoral degree programs for the 23-24 admissions cycle.

Application Deadlines

Application review begins November 1, 2024.

Applications may be accepted after this date if space is available.

• Online Application via PsyCAS
• Application Fee
• Official Transcripts
• Resume or CV
• Three Letters of Recommendation
• Statement of Purpose

Yes. Although both programs are committed to training clinical psychologists, the programs have different strengths, training missions, structure, and faculty. You do need to write separate statements of purpose for each program. To apply to both programs: 1. Start an application for the PsyD program in PsyCAS 2. In the "Program Materials" section, select "yes" to the question that asks, "Would you also like to have your application considered for admission to PAU's PhD in Clinical Psychology program?" 3. In the "Optional Documents" section, upload your additional personal statement specific to the PhD program.

Frequently Asked Questions: PhD Admissions

Recommended gpa.

• We strongly recommend applicants have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average.

Applying to the PhD and PsyD Simultaneously

You are welcome to apply to both the PhD and PsyD concurrently. Your applications will be reviewed separately by the two Admissions Committees, and the processes will generally run independently of each other. There is no penalty for applying to both programs – we do encourage you to be clear about how each program is a good fit for your academic and professional interests.

• You should submit two Statements of Purpose, which address the distinct reasons for applying to each.
• Start an application for the PsyD program in PsyCAS
• In the "Program Materials" section, select "yes" to the question that asks, "Would you also like to have your application considered for admission to PAU's PhD in Clinical Psychology program?"
• In the "Optional Documents" section, upload your additional personal statement specific to the PhD program.
• PAU is atypical in terms of how students apply to research labs. Rather than applying directly to a research lab or faculty member, students apply to the PAU PhD program in general. Students can explore the broad range of labs available during the first year and even volunteer in labs. This allows students to make informed decisions about which labs they wish to apply to. Students apply for labs in the Spring of their first year.
• During the application process, we encourage students to mention a few faculty members with whom they would like to work. However, this is not binding. 

Research and Clinical Experience

• We strongly recommend applicants have related volunteer or work experience in the mental health field and experience with research.
• Feel free to include non-psychology research experience.
• For applicants with no formal research experience, including research conducted within an academic class may be helpful and may be a way to highlight one’s preparation for doctoral-level study.
• Feel free to include papers or projects underway but not complete at the time of application. 

Prerequisite Courses

The following courses are required for entry into the PhD Clinical Psychology program:

• Biopsychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

The four mentioned courses will help ensure that all incoming students have a smooth transition into our rigorous doctoral program. They must be passed with a grade of B or better and completed before the start of classes in the PhD program. Prerequisite courses must be completed before an incoming student starts classes but do not need to be completed before applying. Students can mark that prerequisite courses are “in-progress.” Students with courses in progress or planned for a future term will be offered conditional admission, which will not be lifted until the pre-requisite courses are complete. 

• These courses can be completed at either the lower or upper-division level and may be completed at a community college or university extension program to save money. 
• Statistics can be completed in any discipline, not just in Psychology. 
• There is no statute of limitations on when these courses must have been taken, but we do encourage students who have been out of school for some time to consider whether a refresher course might be helpful. 
• Students with questions about whether a class will count toward a prerequisite should contact the Office of Admissions. An Admissions Counselor can review the course and determine its acceptability. 
• Courses graded on a pass/no pass scale are acceptable.

Master’s Degrees

• Students are not required to have a master’s degree, and there is no preference given to students with master’s degrees. There is also no penalty for having a master’s degree. 
• Grades from both the undergraduate and graduate levels are considered in the selection of students. Admissions Committee members do pay attention to trends in grades over time.

Personal Statement Criteria

The purpose of the personal statement is to provide a sample of the applicant’s ability to write in an academic and professional manner, as well as to learn about any qualifications/life events that were not captured in the application.

Formatting: Double space, and limit to 500 words. We recommend that you reflect on the following questions as you develop your essay:

• Why are you pursuing a PhD in clinical psychology?  What led this interest?
• What are your long-term professional goals?
• What are your research interests (including faculty you want to work with, and why)?
• How will a PhD from PAU help you to achieve your goals?

In your essay, you may also wish to include reflections about the following:

Experience with and/or commitment to serving minoritized and marginalized populations Personal qualities that will facilitate success as a graduate student and future psychologist

Areas of Emphasis

• Students indicate their possible area(s) of emphasis on the PsyCAS application; however, this is not a binding choice. 
• For the PhD, each area of emphasis is distinctive and has differing entry requirements.

Admissions Communication

• The primary form of communication in the admissions process is email, and we will use the email address you list on your application. 
• All students will receive a decision, and we will provide updates as often as possible. 
• Offers of admissions are made in late March. You are always welcome to reach out to the Office of Admissions for an update about your application status. 
• PhD and PsyD students have until April 15th to accept an offer of admission. This deadline may be extended due to extenuating circumstances.  
• Work-study awards are part of the financial aid package. Once awarded work-study, students may apply for any work-study job on the PAU campus. While it is technically possible for students to use their work-study award at Stanford, it is rare. 
• International students are generally allowed to work on campus but should check with the International Students Office to ensure an on-campus position is permitted based on visa type. 

Transfer Credit

Students may not receive transfer credit for any additional courses, including electives.

Palo Alto University’s Office of Admissions and Outreach is eager to answer all your admissions questions and connect you with helpful resources as you embark on your application process. 

Please direct all general inquiries to [email protected] , or you can call 650-417-2039 . Due to our remote work, our phone line is not staffed live. Please leave us a message, and we will return your call shortly.

Demographic Summary: Fall 2022 Deposited PhD Students

Self-Reported Race (PAU uses IPEDS rules when reporting race and ethnicity)

Race - Narrative Summary

Other Demographics

Students sit around a table and discuss with a professor nearby. Photo source: Sallie

PhD Admissions

The PhD program in Psychology trains students for careers in research and teaching. In addition to a wide range of courses, the PhD program is characterized by close collaboration between students and their faculty advisors. 

General Information

The Department of Psychology holistically reviews each candidate's complete application to assess the promise of a career in teaching and research. Consideration is based on various factors, including courses taken, grade point average, letters of recommendation, and the statement of purpose. Additionally, the Department of Psychology places considerable emphasis on research training, and admitted students have often been involved in independent research as undergraduate students or post-baccalaureate settings. Although there are no course requirements for admission, all applicants should have sufficient foundational knowledge and research experience to engage in graduate-level coursework and research.

We accept students with undergraduate degrees and those with both undergraduate and master's degrees. An undergraduate psychology major is not required; the Department welcomes applicants from other academic backgrounds.

Our application portal is now OPEN for the AY25-26 admissions cycle.

How to Apply

Application and deadline.

Our 2025-26 Admissions application will open on September 15, 2024.

Applications will be due on November 22, 2024

The deadline for letters of recommendation will be  November 22, 2024 . 

Once an applicant submits the recommenders' information, the recommenders will receive an automated email with instructions for submitting the letter. Late letters should be sent directly to psych-admissions [at] stanford.edu (psych-admissions[at]stanford[dot]edu) . Staff will add them to the application file if the review process is still underway. Still, the faculty reviewers are not obligated to re-review files for materials submitted after the deadline.

Generally, students will hear from us by the end of January. 

The status of submitted applications can be viewed anytime by logging in to the   application portal . 

The deadline to apply for the '25-26 PhD cohort this year is  November 22, 2024 . Applicants who are admitted to the program will matriculate in Autumn 2025. 

Our next admissions cycle will open in September 2025 and have a November 2025 deadline.

In addition to the information below, please review the  Graduate Admissions  website prior to starting your application. The Department of Psychology does not have rolling admissions. We admit for the Autumn term only.

Requirements

• U.S. Bachelor's degree or its  foreign equivalent
• Statement of Purpose (submitted electronically as part of the graduate application). You will be able to specify three  Psychology Department faculty members , in order of preference, with whom you would like to work. 
• Three  Letters of Recommendation  (submitted electronically). A maximum of six letters will be accepted.
• Unofficial transcripts from all universities and colleges you have attended for at least one year must be uploaded to the graduate application. Applicants who reach the interview stage will be asked to provide official transcripts as well; Department staff will reach out to these applicants with instructions for submitting official transcripts. Please do  not  submit official transcripts with your initial application.
• Required for non-native English speakers: TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) scores, submitted by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) electronically to Stanford. 

Application Fee

The fee to apply for graduate study at Stanford is $125. Fee waivers are available for some applicants. Please visit Graduate Admissions for information on applying for an  Application Fee Waiver .

Application Review & Status Check

The Department of Psychology welcomes graduate applications from individuals with a broad range of life experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds who would contribute to our community of scholars. The review of applications is holistic and individualized, considering each applicant’s academic record and accomplishments, letters of recommendation, and admissions essays to understand how an applicant’s life experiences have shaped their past and potential contributions to their field.

To check the status or activity of your application, please log into your  application account . You can also send reminders to recommenders who have not yet submitted their letter of recommendation.

Due to limited bandwidth, the Department of Psychology staff will not answer any phone or email queries about application status, including requests to confirm the receipt of official transcripts.

Our faculty will interview prospective students before making final admission decisions. Candidates who progress to the interview round will be informed in January. Interviews are generally conducted in February.

The Department of Psychology recognizes that the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June 2023 about the consideration of certain types of demographic information as part of an admission review. All applications submitted during upcoming application cycles will be reviewed in conformance with that decision.

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For More Information

Please see our  list of Frequently Asked Questions  and  psych-admissions [at] stanford.edu (contact us)  should you have additional questions.

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PhD in Clinical Psychology

Graduate admission.

• Maura Sullivan, Graduate Admission Counselor
• 617-573-8302
• [email protected]
• 73 Tremont St. 6th floor Boston, MA 02108

Clinical Program Director

• Dr. David Langer
• 617-573-8570

Our program requirements reflect our adherence to the scientist-practitioner model and emphasize the value we place on evidence-based clinical work and practice-informed research. We are committed to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion in our program and in the broader community and we strive to prepare students to respectfully and effectively work with diverse individuals and groups.

Question & Answer Session with Clinical Faculty

Download video transcript [PDF]

View the curriculum

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]

Program Information

Clinical psychology doctoral program manual.

Our  Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program manual [PDF]  is available for download and contains detailed information regarding our program and faculty.

Admission Information

For details on application deadlines, application materials, tuition and program costs, and faculty mentors, please see our  Admission page .

Licensure is required for independent practice as a clinical psychologist/ health service provider. Although completion of an APA accredited doctoral program in clinical psychology may assist students in the pursuit of licensure, program completion does not lead to licensure upon graduation. States and countries vary in licensure requirements and state laws, regulations, and policies may change at any time. Depending on where you reside, in addition to completion of an accredited educational program, applicants for licensure may be required to obtain additional supervised experience (e.g., a post-doctoral fellowship), complete an exam (e.g., the  Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) ; the  MA Board of Registration of Psychologists Jurisprudence Exam ), receive endorsements by other licensed professionals, or complete additional requirements.

We advise all applicants to contact the applicable state credentialing authority in the state you intend to reside in order to familiarize yourself with its specific requirements and determine if our program meets its eligibility criteria. Another potentially helpful resource is the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards . Students currently in the doctoral program in clinical psychology are welcome to discuss questions you have about career planning with your research mentor and the DCT.

State Licensure

Suffolk University’s Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology currently meets the educational requirements qualifying graduates to be licensed to practice as a clinical psychologist in the following states, subject to satisfactorily meeting all other requirements for licensure in each state:

• Alabama; Alaska; Arizona; Arkansas; Colorado; Connecticut; District of Columbia; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana, Maine, Maryland; Massachusetts; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Mexico; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin; and Wyoming

Suffolk’s program does not meet the educational requirements for licensure in the following states: California, Michigan, and New Jersey. Students interested in obtaining a license to practice as a clinical psychologist in California, Michigan, or New Jersey should contact the Board of Psychology in each of these states to determine what additional educational requirements will need to be completed in order to obtain a license to practice as a clinical psychologist in California, Michigan or New Jersey, subject to satisfactorily meeting all other requirements for licensure in that state.

Program Aims

The overarching aim of our program is to prepare students for entry-level practice in clinical psychology. We draw from a scientist-practitioner model that emphasizes the reciprocal relationship between science and practice and underscores the value of practice that is evidence-based, and evidence that is practice-informed.

In pursuit of this aim, we have developed measurable goals that students in our program must meet in order to successfully complete the program. The required coursework, training, and experiential activities we offer to help students meet these learning goals as well as their relationship to the American Psychological Association’s Profession Wide Competencies are outlined in Appendix A of Clinical Program Student Manual.

Our aims/goals are that students will:

Aim (Learning Goal) 1: Acquire and demonstrate substantial understanding of, and competence in, the provision of clinical service. 

Graduates from our program will be able to meet the following learning objectives:

• Evaluate, select, administer, interpret, and communicate psychological assessments in a manner that is informed by knowledge of the psychometric and empirical underpinnings of different methods and relevant diversity characteristics of the service recipient.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with the recipients of psychological services.
• Develop, evaluate, and implement treatment plans that reflect both knowledge of empirically-based principles and an appreciation for individual client characteristics and contextual factors
• Evaluate intervention effectiveness and adapt intervention goals and methods consistent with ongoing evaluation.
• Demonstrate knowledge of models and methods of clinical supervision and consultation.
• Demonstrate ability to apply supervision models to practice and reflect and self-evaluate experience.

Aim (Learning Goal) 2: Acquire and demonstrate substantial understanding of, and competence in, research.

• Demonstrate the substantially independent ability to formulate research or other scholarly activities (e.g., critical literature reviews, dissertation, efficacy studies, clinical case studies, theoretical papers, program evaluation projects, program development projects) that are of sufficient quality and rigor to have the potential to contribute to the scientific, psychological, or professional knowledge base.
• Conduct research or other scholarly activities.
• Critically evaluate and disseminate research or other scholarly activity via professional publication and presentation at the local, regional, or national level.

Aim (Learning Goal) 3: Acquire and demonstrate substantial understanding, knowledge, awareness, sensitivity, and skill when working with diverse individuals and communities who embody a variety of cultural and personal backgrounds and characteristics across all professional roles and activities.

Graduates from our program will have developed the skills needed to meet the following learning objectives:

• Understand how their own personal/cultural history, attitudes, and biases may affect how they understand and interact with people different from themselves.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the current theoretical and empirical knowledge base as it relates to addressing diversity in all professional activities including research, training, supervision/consultation, and service.
• Demonstrate the ability to integrate awareness and knowledge of individual and cultural differences in the conduct of professional roles (e.g., research, services, and other professional activities), including the ability to apply a framework for working effectively with areas of individual and cultural diversity not previously encountered over the course of their careers. Also included is the ability to work effectively with individuals whose group membership, demographic characteristics, or worldviews create conflict with their own.
• Demonstrate the requisite knowledge base and ability to articulate an approach to working effectively with diverse individuals and groups and apply this approach effectively in their professional work.

Aim (Learning Goal) 4: Acquire and demonstrate substantial understanding of, and competence in, ethical and legal standards applicable to the science and practice of clinical psychology

• Be knowledgeable of, and act in accordance with, the current version of the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct; relevant laws, regulations, rules, and policies governing health service psychology at the organizational, local, state, regional, and federal levels; and relevant professional standards and guidelines.
• Recognize ethical dilemmas as they arise and apply ethical decision-making processes in order to resolve the dilemmas.
• Conduct themselves in an ethical manner in all professional activities.

Aim (Learning Goal) 5: Acquire and demonstrate substantial understanding of, and competence in, the professional values, attitudes and skills required of clinical psychologists.  

• Behave in ways that reflect the values and attitudes of psychology, including integrity, deportment, professional identity, accountability, lifelong learning, and concern for the welfare of others.
• Engage in self-reflection regarding one’s personal and professional functioning and activities aimed at maintaining and improving performance, well-being, and professional effectiveness.
• Actively seek and demonstrate openness and responsiveness to feedback and supervision.
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with a wide range of individuals, including colleagues, communities, organizations, supervisors, supervisees, and those receiving professional services.
• Demonstrate knowledge and respect for the roles and perspectives of other professions
• Produce and comprehend oral, nonverbal, and written communications that are informative and well-integrated; demonstrate a thorough grasp of professional language and concepts.
• Demonstrate effective interpersonal skills and the ability to manage difficult communication well.

Program Requirements

Please visit the Academic Catalog to view Program Requirements.

Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data

Please download our Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data [PDF]  for more details.

Focus Your Experience

The clinical child experience.

The graduate psychology program at Suffolk University offers experiences in two specialty areas: Clinical Child Psychology and Neuropsychology. As defined by APA in their policy on Taxonomy for Health Service Psychology Specialties, experiences at the doctoral level include at least one or two specialized classes along with the opportunity to pursue practicum training in the area. See APA Education and Training Guidelines for more information about taxonomy in education and training.

Child-relevant training experiences occur in the context of primary mentoring relationships with faculty members whose research focuses on clinical child, required and elective coursework, and clinical training/practicum experiences.

Clinical Child Psychology

Clinical child is an area within in clinical psychology focused on the development and application of scientific knowledge to the delivery of clinical services to infants, toddlers, children and adolescents within their social context.

Affiliated Faculty

Dr. Gary Fireman Dr. Sarah Schwartz Dr. David Langer

Examples of Recent Clinical Practica

Please note that practicum training opportunities may change from year to year. Application to advanced practicum training sites is competitive and placements are not guaranteed.

Practicum I and II Sites

Newton public schools.

Students provide services to school-aged children with behavioral and emotional issues, issues related to academic performance, autism-spectrum disorders as well as children in need of assessment for learning disabilities. Depending on the site, students conduct some mix of individual assessment, individual psychotherapy and/or implement group/classroom intervention and prevention programs aimed at topics such as relational and physical aggression and acceptance of diversity.

New England Center for OCD and Anxiety (NECOA)

Students receive training and experience providing evidence-based care and consultation services for children, adolescents and adults struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders in an outpatient treatment. Students may also have the opportunity to conduct assessments, run groups, and conduct co-therapy with experienced therapists.

Bradley Hospital – Child and Adolescent Inpatient Units

Students conduct brief intakes, provide short-term, skills-focused psychotherapy, and run groups as part of a multidisciplinary team on an inpatient psychiatric unit treating high-risk children ages 3-12 or adolescents ages 13-18. There are opportunities to engage with a wide range of issues, including depression, PTSD, substance abuse, aggression, eating disorders, and psychosis, providing a diverse experience in conceptualization and treatment.

Recent Advanced Elective Practicum Placements

Boston child study center.

Students are provided with opportunities to provide evidence-based assessment (intake interviews, structured diagnostic clinical interviews, writing reports, giving feedback to clients), individual, family and group psychotherapy to children, adolescents, young adults, and their families.

Pediatric Psychology Training at Hasbro Children’s Hospital

Students gain training in pediatric psychology with children and adolescents with comorbid medical and psychological diagnoses. Training rotations include: Sibling Group Rotation, Pediatric Weight Management, Pediatric GI Disorders Rotation, Child and Adolescent Forensics, Hasbro 6 inpatient psychiatric medical unit, and the Hasbro Partial Hospital Program.

The Manville School at Judge Baker Children’s Center, Center for Effective Child Therapy

Students are trained in using evidence-based treatments for anxiety, depression, traumatic stress, and disruptive behavior in an outpatient mental health service program that serves children and adolescents ages 2-19.

Boston University CARD, Child and Adolescent Program

Students conduct diagnostic interviews and provide individual and group therapy with children, adolescents, and their parents.

Cambridge Health Alliance, Child and Adolescent Inpatient Program

As part of an interdisciplinary team, students provide assessment, individual, group, and family psychotherapy in an inpatient setting for acutely distressed children and adolescents with diagnoses including PTSD, attachment, mood, anxiety, autism spectrum, and psychotic disorders.

McLean 3 East Outpatient DBT Program for Adolescents and Young Adults

Students conduct assessments and deliver psychotherapy to suicidal teens and their families. Client population is varied by age, identified gender, SES, and comorbid diagnoses.

Sampling of Elective Courses

Psych 705 - assessment i.

The seminar aims to introduce you to the theory and practice of evidence-based social, emotional and behavioral assessment. To this end, specific issues we will cover include psychometric theory, cognitive abilities/intelligence testing, some classic assessment controversies, strengths and weaknesses of various assessment approaches, ethical and cultural issues, and the psychological assessment of children.

PSYCH 774 – Child Therapy

Examines the principles and practice of psychotherapy with children and adolescents. Delineates the similarities and differences between evidence based intervention approaches with youth as well as the various theoretical perspectives to which they are related.

PSYCH 784 – Seminar: the Development of Infants & Children in Poverty

Introduces students to the special issues that children growing up in poverty face. Theory and empirical research will be explored as well as specific contexts common to disadvantaged children (e.g., homelessness and abuse). In addition, we will examine individual resilience and the impact of environmental support in mitigating deleterious effects.

APA's Division 7: Developmental Psychology APA's Division 53: Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology Mitch Prinstein's Advice for Applying to Graduate School in Child Clinical and Adolescent Psychology

The Neuropsychology Experience

The graduate psychology program at Suffolk University offers experiences in two specialty areas: Clinical Child Psychology and Neuropsychology. As defined by APA in their policy on Taxonomy for Health Service Psychology Specialties, experiences at the doctoral level include at least one or two specialized classes along with the opportunity to pursue practicum training in the area. See  APA Education and Training Guidelines  for more information about taxonomy in education and training.

The neuropsychology experience offers elements of the Houston conference guidelines for training students in neuropsychology. It also contributes to course requirements for board certification in clinical neuropsychology (i.e., ABPP-CN).

Clinical Neuropsychology 

Clinical neuropsychology is the science of brain-behavior relationships, and clinical neuropsychologists specialize in the assessment and treatment of individuals of all ages with dysfunction of the central nervous system. Biological bases of behavior is one of the most productive research areas with applications in education, vocational, rehabilitation, medical, psychiatric, and forensic settings.

Clinical Practica in Neuropsychology

Practicum i and ii sites , beth israel deaconess medical center, department of psychiatry.

Practicum students are placed in the Department of Psychiatry at this major Boston teaching hospital. Trainees develop and refine skills in neuropsychological assessment of adult outpatients. Trainees get experience assessing a range of psychiatric and neurological conditions, including dementia, degenerative disorders, ADHD, learning disabilities, development disorders and traumatic brain injury. The practicum students gain skills in all areas of neuropsychological evaluation, including interviewing, testing, scoring, report writing, and giving feedback to patients. In addition to individual supervision, training occurs through didactic seminars.

Recent Advanced Practicum Placements

Va boston healthcare center, neuropsychology rotation.

Practicum students typically see 1 patient per week for neuropsychological evaluation and gain experience in interviewing, test administration, scoring, interpretation, report preparation and feedback to patients, patient families and referral source. The primary clinical setting is the neuropsychology consultation service. Students attend weekly case conferences, monthly Neurobehavioral Rounds, and Neuropsychology didactics.

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Psychology Assessment Center

This advanced clinical neuropsychology practicum is a one-year program designed to provide extensive clinical training in neuropsychology. Students are provided with supervised training in neuropsychological test administration and scoring and provides an opportunity for students to formulate cases and participate in report writing, and provide feedback to clients within the context of working within multidisciplinary teams within the hospital. The population includes adult and pediatric populations with a variety of neurological, psychological, developmental and medical conditions.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Behavioral Neurology Unit

Practicum students are involved in the neuropsychological evaluation of adult patients with a variety of neurological problems including learning and attention disorders, head injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, and neurodegenerative disorders. The practicum students will gain skills in all areas of neuropsychological evaluation, including interviewing, testing, scoring, report writing, and feedback to patients. Additional experience may be obtained in running cognitive remediation groups, presenting patients at weekly rounds, and participation in didactic seminars.

Neurobehavioral Clinic at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital

As part of an interdisciplinary team, neuropsychology practicum students gain experience conducting intake interviews, cognitive assessments, and neuropsychological assessments with adults who have moderate to severe acquired brain injury. Students also gain experience writing reports and giving feedback to clients. Weekly didactics are offered through the neurobehavioral clinic.

Neuropsychology Division, Edith Nourse Rogers, Memorial VAMC

Practicum students work with veterans who present with suspected memory disorders. Students learn to administer and interpret the results of a wide variety of neuropsychological instruments over the course of the year. The neuropsychology service utilizes a flexible battery approach and, as such, students have the opportunity to learn which instruments are appropriate for answering a variety of referral questions. Students will also participate in patient feedback with the aid of their supervisor.

All students in the doctoral program at Suffolk University are required to complete both an Early Research Project (similar to a master's thesis) and doctoral dissertation. For those students in the neuropsychology concentration, both thesis and dissertation are expected to be on a topic in neuropsychology under the mentorship of one of the two Suffolk faculty focused in neuropsychology:

David Gansler, Ph.D., ABPP/ABCN Dr. Matthew Jerram, Ph.D.  

PSYCH 706 - Assessment II

The goal of this course is to serve as a foundation for clinical practice and research activity in the important area of clinical neuropsychological assessment and psychological assessment. It serves to introduce the student to the techniques, methods and theories relevant to the practice of neuropsychological and psychological assessment.

PSYCH 792 - Introduction to Neuropsychology and the Clinical Neurosciences

Basic introduction to the specialty of neuropsychology. The scope of neuropsychology, the difference between neuropsychology and related difference and subspecialties, different historical and theoretical approaches to neuropsychology, as well as credential requirements for the practice of neuropsychology. Introduction to research techniques used to investigate brain-behavior relationships, ethical issues, and the role of the neuropsychologist in clinical and rehabilitation settings. By the end of the course, students will demonstrate a basic knowledge of the nervous system, the role of neurotransmitters, brain structures and associated functions, an understanding of how different instruments are used to assess those functions, and how neuropsychological interventions are formulated and implemented. 

Useful Links in Neuropsychology

Neuropsychology Central APA Division 40 (Clinical Neuropsychology) International Neuropsychological Society (INS) National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN) Massachusetts Neuropsychological Society (MNS) Houston Guidelines for Eligibility for Special Certification in Clinical Neuropsychology Association of Neuropsychology Students in Training (ANST)

Courses & Requirements

Learn more about the classes, requirements, and different options available to complete the program.

Clinical Psychology Information Request