clinical psychology phd ucla

UCLA College has nation’s top graduate program in clinical psychology, according to U.S. News and World Report

This story was adapted from its original version.

In its annual ranking of the top graduate schools, U.S News and World Report has listed 12 UCLA College and graduate programs among the top 20 in the country. Among them is the College’s clinical psychology program, which was named No. 1. Another 11 College graduate schools and programs are listed among the top 20, demonstrating the quality, reputation and breadth of graduate-level education at the UCLA College.

The U.S. News graduate program rankings are based on experts’ opinions about program excellence and on statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research and students. The data for the rankings come from statistical surveys of more than 2,000 programs and from reputation surveys sent to more than 20,500 academics and professionals, conducted in fall 2017 and early 2018.

The full list of programs include:

Clinical psychology  (No. 1) Psychology  (No. 3, tied) English  (No. 6, tied) Math  (No. 7, tied) Sociology  (No. 8, tied) History  (No. 9, tied) Economics  (No. 12, tied) Political science  (No. 12, tied) Earth sciences  (No. 13, tied) Chemistry  (No. 15, tied) Physics  (No. 17, tied) ​ Biological sciences  (No. 18, tied)

Los Angeles, CA 90095

UCLA College

• Commencement
• Staff Resources

Related Sites

• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• Corporate & Foundation Relations
• Impact of Philanthropy
• Prospective Students
• Current Students
• Parents & Families

Information

• Academic Calendar
• UCLA Newsroom
• Parking & Transportation
• Maps & Directions

Frequently Asked Questions 

• Do you offer a Masters degree in Psychology? No. The Department of Psychology only offers a Ph.D. program, and does not offer a Master’s only program.
• Do you need a Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree to apply? No. A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university is not required to apply to our program, but it is required to enter our program. For domestic applicants, a Master’s degree is not required to apply to or enter our program. For international applicant educational requirements, please see  https://grad.ucla.edu/gasaa/admissions/ACADRECS.HTM .
• Do you offer a degree in counseling/therapy? No. This is a research-oriented program that aims to train researchers who will expand the body of scientific knowledge upon which the discipline of psychology rests. If you are seeking training as a psychotherapist or a career in counseling psychology, this may not be the program that fits your interests.
• Do you offer a graduate degree in Forensics? Industrial/Organizational Psychology? No, we do not offer a degree in these areas.
• When is the application deadline for Fall 2025 admission? November 1, 2024 (Clinical only) December 1, 2024 (All other areas)
• How do I apply? The application for Fall 2025 admission will open in September and will be available at  https://grad.ucla.edu/apply . Please pay particular attention to the Application Instructions.
• How many applicants apply for admission? For the entering class of Fall 2024, the admissions committee reviewed 1,317 applications.
• How many students enroll each year? Enrollment varies each year. There are 28 incoming students in Fall 2024.
• Can I apply to the program for entry beginning Winter or Spring quarters? No, we only accept applications for entrance in Fall quarter.
• Can I attend part-time? No, this is a day-time, full-time program and has no provision for part-time or limited status students.
• What is the length of the program? The program is described as a six-year program. However, it is flexible enough to permit considerable individual variation.
• Is an interview required as part of the admission process? The Behavioral Neuroscience, Clinical, Cognitive, Developmental, Health, Quantitative, Social, and Social and Affective Neuroscience areas do conduct interviews as part of their applicant evaluation process.
• Must I have been a psychology major to be eligible to apply? No, you do not need to have been a psychology major to apply to the program. However, ideal preparation for the Ph.D. program consists of a solid background of coursework in the realm of psychology, including lab courses and classes in statistics and research methods. A broad knowledge of mathematical, biological, and social sciences is also recommended.
• Are there any minimum GPA or GRE score requirements? The Division of Graduate Education stipulates that you must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA to be eligible to apply. There are no minimum scores cut-offs for the GRE.
• Is the GRE General Test required? No. The GRE is not required. Applicants for admission to our graduate program are not required to submit a GRE score report as part of their application package. Applicants may voluntarily submit GRE test scores and they will be reviewed as one part of the holistic application consideration. The applications with GRE scores will not be given greater weight than those that do not include scores.
• Do I need to take the GRE Psychology Subject Test? Consistent with the policy of the UCLA Department of Psychology, applicants to the clinical psychology doctoral program at UCLA will not be required to take the GRE. The GRE Psychology Subject Test is not required and will not be used to make admissions decisions. However, applicants who score above the 70 th  percentile can use the GRE Subject Test to partially fulfill Discipline-Specific Knowledge requirements (e.g., cognitive, social) that are part of accreditation by the American Psychological Association. In this way, admitted students may be able to reduce the amount of, or more flexibly select, coursework needed to complete program requirements. Students may elect to take the GRE Subject Test after their admission into our program and all program requirements can be fulfilled without taking the test.
• I’m applying to the Quantitative program. Should I consider submitting a GRE score report? GREs are not required for admission to the PhD program at UCLA for Fall 2025. Quantitative psychology is by definition very reliant on quantitative skill sets which can be demonstrated in a number of ways: performance in mathematics and other quantitative courses, performance on the quantitative section of the GRE, and/or your personal statement and letters of recommendation speaking to your quantitative expertise. When reading applications, we will look for demonstrated ability in quantitative skills, but this should not require a GRE score if other parts of your application speak to these skills. If you are unsure whether you should or should not include GRE scores in your application to UCLA, please feel free to contact the quantitative area faculty.
• UCLA Division of Graduate Education Application for Graduate Admission along with an application fee of $135 (for U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents) or $155(for all other applicants) 
• Statement of Purpose & Personal Statement
• At least 3 letters of recommendation
• TOEFL or IELTS Exam (if applicable)
• Unofficial transcripts from each school (community college, college, university) you have attended; official transcript is required if applicant is offered admission
• Is funding or financial aid available? Upon admission, the Department strives to provide some type of funding for every student either through fellowships, training grants, or program-related employment (i.e. teaching or research assistantships). Candidates are also strongly encouraged to apply for extramural awards, such as fellowships from the NSF, DoD, NIH and APA. Please see  Fellowships & Other Support  for more information.
• What career(s) do most graduates from this program go into with their degree? Graduates of this Ph.D. program are trained for careers in both academic and applied settings, and are prepared for positions at universities and colleges, in research and government organizations, and in business and industry.
• If I take the GRE test more than once, will you average my test scores or pick the highest scores from each test? No. We accept the most recent GRE scores from the test you have taken. We do not average the scores or pick the highest scores. Official scores for the GRE Psychology Subject Test must not be more than five years old.
• How do I contact professors in the program about their research interests? If you are interested in the research interests of a certain professor in our department, view the faculty page on our website. It is not required to confirm a mentor in order to submit an application.
• Does the department offer group information sessions or tours? The department does not offer group information sessions or tours. However, UCLA does offer  tours of the campus .
• Does the department offer an online program or online classes? No. This is a full-time, campus based program which requires the physical presence of the student.
• Can I get my application fee waived? Yes. Please see  Tuition, State Residency, Application Fees, Deferrals, and Waivers  for more information.
• Is there support available for the cost of the GRE test? Yes. ETS, the testing service that administers the GRE test, offers a fee reduction program. Find out more at  https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/fees/reductions . 
• Is the Psychology doctoral program at UCLA considered a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree under the US Department of Homeland Security Optional Practical Training Extension for students with F-1 visas? No. Our program’s current Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code (General Psychology 42.0101) is not classified by the US Department of Homeland Security as a STEM program. Students with an F-1 visa that graduate from the Psychology doctoral program can only stay in the United States for 12 months after graduation.

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

15 Best PsyD & PhD Clinical Psych Programs – 2024

January 19, 2024

The following list looks at the best clinical psych programs, some of which result in a PsyD while others lead to PhDs. The Doctor of Psychology, or PsyD, degree is a doctorate in psychology focused on clinical practice rather than research. So, depending on the program, your coursework will be dedicated more toward developing a patient-facing practice and less on conducting experiments and publishing research than with the PhD programs listed. Finding the best PsyD programs or PhD in clinical psych programs that suit you and your needs doesn’t need to be difficult. The first thing to look for will be a school that’s accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and/or the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS).

The APA “assures the public, licensing boards and potential employers that you have a sound educational and scientific foundation on which to build a successful career in psychology,” and the school accreditation process guarantees that you’ll be receiving an education that will solidify your career and create credibility for you and your future clients.

Best Clinical Psych Programs (Continued)

Not only that, you’ll be entering a growing field. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics , the “overall employment of psychologists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2022 to 2032.” When you break out the average increase in demand for clinical and counseling psychologists, however, the BLS projects that the number of jobs will increase by about 11 percent . That’s faster than the average for every other occupation. There will be an estimated average of 12,800 new jobs for all psychologists each year until 2023. The median salary for psychologists was about $85,000 in 2022. This is higher than the average U.S. annual take-home pay across the board.

We’ve compiled the following list of accredited PsyD and PhD programs worth highlighting. The following schools will send you well on your way to serving the mental and emotional health of others while ensuring that you have ample opportunity to work closely with faculty, get real-world exposure, and enter the workforce competitively.

US News and World Report Methodology and Rankings 

US News and World Report has ranked the top accredited clinical psych programs in the country. In order to rank the schools, they survey faculty at 231 different, accredited PsyD and PhD clinical psych programs.  Faculty rate programs on a 1-5 scale judging academic quality. The rankings are determined by averaging each program’s scores. Unsurprisingly, this means there are a lot of ties. This also means that there are a ton of great schools out there. Therefore, you can’t go wrong with these top-tier, accredited programs.

Best PsyD Programs & Clinical Psych PhD Programs – Important Factors to Consider 

When applying to any graduate school, it’s important to assess how competitive admissions are, the amount of time you’ll spend in the program, the costs of the program, if funding is available (either full or partial), and what career placement possibilities look like upon graduation. In a field like clinical psychology, graduating without going into debt will make your career all the more successful. It will also allow you to give care to patients without attaching a dollar sign to them.

Let’s dive into the rankings: 

1)  UCLA

The University of California, Los Angeles is so universally renowned in psychology that it tops the list.

In addition to a dedicated Clinical Psychology concentration, the doctoral program also allows students to pursue Behavioral Neuroscience, Cognitive, Developmental, Health Psychology, Learning and Behavior, Quantitative, and Social Psychology.

The program is competitive; in 2023, there were 28 admitted students out of 1,226 applicants. Funding is available through fellowships, training, and teaching or research assistantships. The department strives to match students with funding upon admission, according to UCLA. However, they also recommend that students apply for external funding, as well. This means that full funding may not be guaranteed for everyone.

UCLA also touts a chapter of Underrepresented Graduate Students in Psychology (UGSP). This a student group which offers support and community to students from diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic backgrounds.

2)  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

UNC Chapel Hill’s PsyD program boasts a long-running accreditation with the APA—they’ve held the status since 1949. The program is also accredited by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS). The program emphasizes “training in clinically-informed research and evidence-based clinical work,” and they recognize that your needs, desires, and goals may change over the course of your time in the program.

UNC is highly selective. Out of 681 applicants in 2023, just eight students were offered admission. Starting in 2020, UNC Chapel Hill stopped considering GRE scores as a factor in admissions, which saves you the pain and expense of the test (if you’ve applied only to other schools that also didn’t require the GRE).

The school also provides full tuition remission, health insurance, and a nine-month stipend for all incoming Clinical Psychology students for the first five years in the program. Chapel Hill proudly states that they have offered this package for the last 50 years. The stipend for the 2022-2023 academic year was $20,000. The full funding package is one of the many reasons that Chapel Hill is a competitive, highly-ranked option for aspiring clinicians.

Best PsyD Programs and PhD Programs in Clinical Psychology (Continued)

3) stony brook university (suny) .

Stony Brook’s Clinical Psych program began in 1966, and they’ve done well since then, maintaining a top spot on the US News and World Report rankings for decades. The program claims to prepare students for both research and clinical work from a broad range of psychological perspectives. Stony Brook says that their program is best suited to students who want to pursue academic and research-related careers, and that many graduates end up balancing their research with time spent serving patients in a clinical setting. In that way, Stony Brook is a great option for anyone who wants to work with patients while also contributing to the body of psychological research.

Stony Brook is accredited by the PCSAS as well as the APA. In the 2022-2023 academic year, 444 people applied, nine were offered admission, and six students accepted. All students admitted received a full, nine-month stipend (currently $17,502), full tuition remission, and health insurance. Summer funding is also available in the form of teaching assistantships, fellowships, research grants, and work studies. On average, students receive about $4,000 of summer funding, as well.

4) UC Berkeley

Taking into consideration that this is one of the best programs in the country, one of the most interesting things about UC Berkeley is its newly changed accreditation status. The program is PCSAS accredited, however, its APA status is “accredited – inactive,” and students will no longer matriculate through the APA version of the curriculum.

In short, the faculty and administration decided that the “evolving curricular and other demands” associated with APA accreditation were inconsistent with the kind of training they were trying to give their students, a training that would place paramount “reducing the burden of mental illness and related problems in living.” You can read the full statement here .

If that kind of pedagogical philosophy appeals to you, you might also consider that Berkeley has a rigorous program guided by its faculty advisor/mentor program. Students are matched from their first year with a faculty advisor who follows their progress throughout their four-to-six-year residency at the school.

There were 308 students who applied for the 2022-2023 academic year, four were granted admission, and four accepted. All of those students received an assistantship that includes a full tuition waiver. You can find out more about UC Berkeley’s financial assistance packages for psychology doctoral students here .

5)  University of Minnesota, Twin Cities 

An incredibly sought-after program, the University of Minnesota is both APA and PCSAS accredited. Following Berkeley’s lead, however, the school is considering letting go of its APA accreditation in the future.

The program offers students the options of an “adult” or “developmental” track, and the chosen focus does not limit students to practice with either children or adults. There were 10 total students for whom 2022-2023 was their first year of enrollment.

The University of Minnesota offers a wealth of funding options for students. All admitted students receive full tuition remission, health care, and a nine-month stipend. They also receive a new laptop computer to support their research. Beginning in 2022, all students were also guaranteed summer funding through a variety of diverse opportunities. Having a healthy funding package can make a huge difference in the life of a graduate student, and Minnesota does not disappoint. You can find more details about assistantship opportunities on their website .

6)  University of Washington, Seattle (tie with Minnesota)

According to the University of Washington Graduate Study in Psychology website, “We do not make offers to U.S. or International applicants unless we can fund them with either a Teaching or a Research Assistantship for half time (expected workload of 20 hrs/wk).” Sometimes, the program can also offer fellowships, which do not entail an expected workload. This financial security undoubtedly keeps UW performing well and ranking high on the list.

The department generally receives 800-1000 applications for 20 funded positions.

7)  University of Wisconsin, Madison (tie with Minnesota)

UW Madison’s Psychology Ph.D. program is highly competitive. It receives more than 400 applicants annually and accepting fewer than 10 percent of students.

While the program does not explicitly state that it guarantees full tuition remission and a stipend as the previous programs do, it does state that students frequently receive NSF and NIH predoctoral fellowships to complete their programs. Teaching and research assistantships are also available.

8)  University of Pennsylvania

If you’re going to UPenn, you’ll be living in the heart of Philadelphia. This, of course, also means a high cost of living. Luckily, this Ivy League institution boasts a stipend of at least $40,500 per year, full tuition remission, and summer funding opportunities. Funding is guaranteed for five years, the expected length of time to complete the program.

In terms of competitiveness, you’re looking at similar rates of acceptance as similarly ranked schools. The program website states, “Last year we received over 800 applications. We can accommodate about 8-10 new students per year.”

9)  University of Pittsburgh (tie with UPenn)

If you don’t go to UPenn, you can study in the western half of the state and still enjoy the same academic caliber.

Pitt also provides financial support for six years, and perhaps longer, depending on the student. The support includes a stipend which covers “living expenses, health insurance, public transportation, and tuition reimbursement.” It’s good to be a Panther!

10)  Harvard University 

Rounding out the top 10 is Harvard.

The standard financial aid package at this university is as robust as that of any school. That shouldn’t come as a surprise given Harvard’s elite status. According to the program website:

“The financial aid package for Ph.D. students entering in 2023 will include tuition and health fees support for years one through four, or five, if needed; stipend support in years one and two; a summer research grant equal to two months stipend at the end of years one through four; teaching fellowship support in years three and four guaranteed by the Psychology Department; and a dissertation completion grant consisting of tuition and stipend support in the appropriate year. Typically students will not be allowed to teach while receiving a stipend in years one and two or during the dissertation completion year.”

The nice thing about not “being allowed” to teach in the first two years is that students can concentrate solely on their coursework and intellectual and professional development, a real boon for clinicians in crimson.

More Great Programs 

The next seven schools all tied with Harvard in terms of rank on the US News and World Report list. They—and many others—certainly merit investigation and application, should you find yourself intrigued by the faculty, the opportunities, and, of course, the stipend.

• Indiana University, Bloomington (tie with Harvard)
• Penn State University, University Park (tie with Harvard)
• Temple University (tie with Harvard)
• University of Colorado, Boulder (tie with Harvard)
• University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (tie with Harvard)
• University of Texas, Austin (tie with Harvard)
• Washington University in St. Louis (tie with Harvard)

A Note About Online Clinical Psych Programs 

Because the emphasis in these programs is on training students to become clinicians in a therapeutic setting, there are currently no APA-accredited online PsyD or PhD programs . PCSAS doesn’t seem to have a direct statement about the nature of online programs. However, its list of accredited schools can be found here .

The world is changing and many people are pursuing telehealth therapy options online. This may change the educational landscape in the future. Finding the program that works for you means choosing a school that will set you up for the most success. An accredited degree is often the first step in the licensure and employment process.

Best PsyD Programs and PhD Programs in Clinical Psychology) – Additional Resources

If the PsyD program seems a little overwhelming, you might check out the best master’s programs in Psychology  and How to Become a Psychologist . If you’re ready to dive into applications, check out College Transition’s best advice on how to optimize your GRE score , the top GRE vocab words to study , and—if you’re worried—how to overcome a low GPA in the grad school admissions process .

• Graduate School Admissions

Brittany Borghi

After earning a BA in Journalism and an MFA in Nonfiction Writing from the University of Iowa, Brittany spent five years as a full-time lecturer in the Rhetoric Department at the University of Iowa. Additionally, she’s held previous roles as a researcher, full-time daily journalist, and book editor. Brittany’s work has been featured in The Iowa Review, The Hopkins Review, and the Pittsburgh City Paper, among others, and she was also a 2021 Pushcart Prize nominee.

• 2-Year Colleges
• ADHD/LD/Autism/Executive Functioning
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Essay
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Data Visualizations
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• High School Success
• High Schools
• Homeschool Resources
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Outdoor Adventure
• Private High School Spotlight
• Research Programs
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Teacher Tools
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

PhD in Clinical Psychology versus Health Psychology

Thinking about pursuing a PhD in clinical versus health psychology? 

Clinical and health psychology are related, yet distinct. Although both clinical and health psychologists often examine mental health, the field of clinical psychology primarily focuses on diagnosing, understanding, and treating mental disorders, whereas health psychology examines the bidirectional relationship between mental and physical health. For example, investigators in health psychology often study psychological responses to physical health conditions, the impact of mental health on the progression of chronic disease, biological processes that underlie mental and/or physical health, and interventions aimed at improving mental and/or physical health (e.g., among individuals with chronic disease). In addition, health psychologists study health behaviors (e.g., sleep, eating) that are relevant to both mental and physical health.

A key distinction between clinical and health psychology is clinical training. In a clinical psychology PhD program, students administer mental health assessments and treatments; this clinical element is a major aspect of graduate training, alongside research and teaching. A one-year predoctoral clinical internship is also required to earn the PhD degree in clinical psychology. In contrast, students in our health psychology PhD program are trained to be behavioral scientists whose work exemplifies the best of psychological science within the health domain, rather than solely within the mental health domain. They often get experience with clinical populations (e.g., patients with mental and/or physical health disorders) and developing and/or administering interventions, but this occurs within a research, rather than clinical, context.

• Psychology Programs

[2024] Best Clinical Psychology Degree Programs in California

What is a clinical psychology program.

Clinical psychology encompasses a wide-variety of psychological specialties, such as: child psychology , geriatric psychology, sports psychology , marriage and family therapy , psychotherapy , and neuropsychology. A clinical psychology program teaches students how to prevent, diagnose, and treat a variety of mental health disorders.

A degree in clinical psychology may help students prepare for a career in the psychology field. In other words, it may prepare students to practice psychology in their chosen areas (specialties), and teach them how to communicate with diverse populations.

If you are interested in learning which clinical psychology programs in California will provide you with the “best” training and education, you have come to the right place. This article will provide you with all of the details on the “best” clinical programs in California.

Listed below are the top clinical psychology programs in California according to U.S. News (Best Graduate Clinical Psychology Programs ).

University of California (Los Angeles)

1237 Murphy Hall, Box 951419, Los Angeles, California 90095, (310) 825-3819, ucla.edu

University of California (Los Angeles) is a public, educational institution that was founded in the early 1900s. It is often referred to as UCLA and it is located in an “urban” section of Los Angeles. Specifically, it is located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, a mere 5 miles from the Pacific Ocean.

Approximately 28,674 students traverse its 419 acres every day (i.e. on the way to functions, classes, and their dorms). Generally, tuition and associated fees range from $13,000, per year in-state to $40,000, per year out-of-state.

This school also provides a wide-range of student activities, such as: sororities and fraternities, and media groups (i.e. student newspaper, radio, magazine, and television stations). The official UCLA football team is called the Bruins (Pac-12 Conference of NCAA’s Division I), but the school also has successful polo teams for both men and women.

Clinical Psychology Graduate Program

UCLA only offers a graduate degree in clinical psychology; however it does offer a Bachelor of Art (B.A.) in general psychology , a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in cognitive science, and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in psychobiology.

UCLA is not only one of the largest educational institutions, it is also one of the most highly regarded and selective universities in the United States. The goal of this clinical psychology graduate program is to produce well-prepared, future researchers, practitioners, and college instructors in the mental health field. This program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).

UCLA’s clinical psychology normally takes between 3 and 6 years to complete, which includes a full-time, one-year internship at an approved mental health facility. Course curriculum is based on a 12-month academic year (broken up into quarters).

During the program, students learn a myriad of skills and knowledge in the following areas: clinical training, teaching, and the importance of continuous research involvement in the clinical field.

The tuition cost/fees for this program is: $15,682 (in-state) and $30,784 (out-of-state), per year. Financial aid is offered at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In order to enroll in this program, students must have a master’s degree in psychology or a related field.

Admission Requirements

Admissions decisions are based on the following requirements:

• Evidence of research interests
• Extensive clinical or counseling experience
• Degree in psychology or a closely related field
• Outstanding academic record (grades)
• An acceptable GRE scores
• Excellent letters of recommendation
• Application & Application fee

Course Curriculum

Most classes are 4 credits each, but some can be 2 or 3.

Some of the courses that you may take, while in your clinical psychology graduate program:

• Research in Learning and Behavior
• Theories of Learning
• Clinical Psychopharmacology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Health Psychology
• Community Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Human Sexuality

University of California (Berkeley)

2115 Milvia Street, Berkley, California 94704, (510) 642-3589, berkley.edu

The University of California was founded in 1868, while the Berkley campus was enacted near the San Francisco Bay. U.C. Berkeley is considered a premier university that occupies a 1,232-acre campus, and contains 36,204 students (i.e. 25,951 undergraduates and 10,253 graduate students).

The most popular degrees are: electrical engineering & computer sciences, economics, political science, business administration, and psychology. Moreover, the Berkley campus produces more Ph.D.’s than any other U.S. university . Approximately 64% of undergraduates receive some form of financial aid. In addition, UC Berkley boasts 30 men’s and women’s intercollegiate squads.

A clinical psychology degree is only offered at the graduate levels (master and doctorate). The goal of this program is to help students successfully enter the mental health field. The academic year is divided into two semesters (late August to in mid-May). Summer is usually a time for research, special studies, and/or for additional clinical experiences.

Normally students take 12-15 units of credit (total) each semester. It typically takes between 3 and 6 years to complete the program, which includes a thesis/dissertation (research paper) and internship. The tuition cost/fees for this program is: $37,940 (in-state) and $53,042 (out-of-state), per year.

• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores (Verbal 162, Quantitative 158, and Analytical Writing 5)
• GPA (3.5 to 4.0)
• Statement of Purpose
• Research experience
• Outstanding letters of recommendation

Credits range from 1 credit to 6 credits, per course.

• History and Systems
• Biological Aspects of Behavior
• Cognitive and Affective Aspects of Behavior
• Social Aspects of Behavior
• Human Development
• Individual Differences in Behaviors

University of Southern California (Los Angeles)

3550 Trousdale Parkway, Los Angeles, California 90089, (213) 740-2543, usc.edu

University of Southern California – Los Angeles is a private, research-based educational institution that was founded in 1880. Its main campus is located in downtown Los Angeles, California (UCLA). It is often called USC, and it is one of California’s oldest universities.

It boasts the largest number of international students and is named one of the Top 10 Dream Colleges in the United States. Approximately 20,000 graduate and professional students attended USC every year. The most popular majors are: business, law, social work, psychology, and medicine. The majority of undergraduate and graduate students receive financial aid.

USC only offers a doctorate level (Ph.D.) clinical psychology degree. The goal of this program is to help students learn the tools and skills needed to become licensed psychologists in California , college instructors, and/or researchers. The academic year is divided into two semesters (fall and spring).

Most students take between 12 and 16 units of credit each semester. It typically takes between 3 and 6 years to complete the program, which includes a thesis/dissertation (research paper), and internship. The tuition cost/fees for this program is: $43,722 (in-state) and $59,883 (out-of-state), per year.

• Graduate Record Exam scores
• Research and/or counseling experience
• Three excellent letters of recommendation
• GPA (3.0 or higher)
• Personal Statement
• A B.A. or B.S. (in any field)

Course credits range from 1 credit to 6 credits, per class.

• Elementary Statistics
• Research Methods
• Biological Foundations (i.e. Comparative Psychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Sensation and Perception, Learning and Memory, Cognitive Psychology, or Motivation and Emotion)
• Developmental, Social, and Personality Foundations (i.e. Developmental Psychology, Social Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Personality)
• Cognitive Foundations (i.e. Learning, Memory, and Intelligence)

San Diego State University

5500 Campanile Drive, San Diego, California 92182, (619) 594-5358, sdsu.edu

A clinical psychology degree is only offered at doctoral level (Ph.D.). The goal of this program is to teach students how to take the skills they have acquired, and the tools they have been offered, and successfully apply them to their careers. The academic year is divided into two semesters (fall and spring).

Typically students take between 9 and 12 units of credit each semester, and it normally takes between 3 and 6 years to complete the program, which includes a dissertation (research paper), and internship. The tuition cost/fees for this program is: $20, 540 (in-state) and $27,236 (out-of-state), per year. Graduate students can borrow up to $8,500, per year, in financial aid. The school also offers a variety of scholarships.

Course credits range from 1 to 3 credits, per class, although some are 4 credits.

• Experimental Design
• Clinical Interventions II
• Assessment II
• Independent Study
• Clinical Practicum
• Doctoral Research

Related Reading

• Popular Psychology Graduate Programs in California
• How to Become a School Psychologist in California
• Industrial Organizational Psychology Programs in California
• Best Accredited Child Psychology Programs and Schools in California
• Schools Offering Marriage & Family Therapy Programs in California
• Difference Between Clinical Psychologist and School Psychologist
• Best Clinical Psychology Programs in California
• Clinical Psychology Programs in Colorado
• Top Clinical Psychology Programs in Florida
• Clinical Psychology Programs in Georgia
• Clinical Psychology Degrees in Illinois
• Best Clinical Psychology Degrees in Louisiana
• Best Clinical Psychology Programs in Michigan
• Top Clinical Psychology Degrees in New York
• Clinical Psychology Programs in Ohio
• Clinical Psychology Degrees in Texas
• Top Clinical Psychology Programs in Virginia
• Addiction Therapist Degrees
• Applied Psychology Degrees
• Business Psychology Degrees
• Clinical Therapist Degrees
• Cognitive Therapist Degrees
• Child Psychology Degrees
• Counseling Psychology Degrees
• Educational Psychology Degrees
• Industrial Psychology Degrees
• Psychiatry Degrees
• Sports Psychology Degrees
• See More Programs
• Clinical Psychology Programs
• Cognitive Psychology Programs
• Forensic Psychology Programs
• Health Psychology Programs
• Mental Counseling Programs
• Social Psychology Programs
• Neuropsychologist Programs
• ABA Therapist Career
• Clinical Psychologist Career
• Cognitive Psychologist Career
• Counseling Psychologist Career
• Forensic Psychologist Career
• School Psychologist Career
• Social Psychologist Career

Search Website Search

Doctoral Internship

APA Accreditation

The UCLA-CAPS doctoral internship in health service psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association. Inquiries regarding the accreditation of our internship training program may be directed to:

APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation 750 First Street, NE • Washington, DC • 20002-4242 Phone: 202-336-5979

The Office of Accreditation’s web address may be accessed here: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation. You may also email the Accreditation Office at [email protected] .

The APA-accredited doctoral internship program in psychology at UCLA's Counseling and Psychological Services invites applications for the 2024-2025 training year.

The deadline for applications is: November 3, 2023

Interviewees will be notified on: December 15, 2023

Interviews will be conducted by video on: January 10 - 12, 2024

The training year duration is: August 1, 2024 – July 31, 2025

We welcome and encourage applications from diverse individuals. Our program is fully accredited by the American Psychological Association. For further information regarding APA accreditation, you may contact the APA Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation by phone at (202) 336-5979 or (202) 336-6123 TDD or at the following website: www.apa.org/ed/accreditation . You may also email the Accreditation Office at [email protected] . We are a member of APPIC, participate in the APPIC Match (Program Code 113511) and adhere to all APPIC Match policies regarding selection and notification.

Application Qualifications & Procedures

Qualifications.

By the start of internship, applicants must be advanced doctoral students who meet all of the following requirements:

Current enrollment in an American Psychological Association-or Canadian Psychological Association-accredited doctoral program in clinical or counseling psychology

• Successful completion of all required coursework and practica prior to start of internship
• Successful completion of doctoral comprehensive exams
• Completion of a minimum of 1000 supervised hours of practicum experience, of which 500 hours are face-to-face intervention hours, by application deadline.
• Verification by the director of training of readiness for internship
• Clearly identified experience conducting intakes, providing crisis assessment and intervention, and providing empirically supported brief therapy
• Three letters of recommendation, at least two from supervisors familiar with recent clinical work. one letter must be authored by a current supervisor.

The deadline for applications is November 3, 2023 at 11:59 pm.

To apply for our Doctoral Internship, applicants should apply via the AAPI Online site . From the APPIC homepage, click on "AAPI Online." Your online application must include the following:

• A completed APPIC Application for Psychology Internship (AAPI) form. The AAPI may be downloaded from http://www.appic.org .
• Submission of cover letter describing qualifications and professional experience compatible with training at UCLA CAPS. Applicants are asked to clearly identify experience conducting intakes, providing crisis assessment and intervention, conducting brief empirically-supported therapy, and to elaborate on training goals specific to CAPS.
• Current curriculum vita
• Official transcripts of all graduate work
• Three letters of recommendation, at least two from supervisors familiar with recent clinical work. One letter must be authored by a current supervisor.

Final acceptance to the UCLA-CAPS doctoral internship training program is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background investigation (i.e. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice fingerprint scans) and credentialing process prior to the commencement of the internship.

UCLA-CAPS adheres to all APPIC internship selection policies. In keeping with these policies, CAPS does not solicit, accept or use ranking-related information from any intern applicant.

Please refer to the APPIC website for the most recent copy of Internship Offers and Acceptances.

For correspondence and inquiries, please email [email protected]

Philosophy of Training

The CAPS training program adheres to a Scholar-Practitioner model. Focusing on the clinical application of scientific findings, a broad array of supervised clinical, outreach and prevention experiences and formal and informal didactic settings promote the acquisition of practice skills and the development of critical thinking.

We regard our doctoral interns as professionals in training, and accordingly the training program is developmental in its focus. We believe that professional development and competency as a newly-practicing psychologist results from cumulative and developmental immersion in broad clinical experience rooted in empirical evidence and supported by skilled professionals serving as supervisors, teachers, and role models. Recognizing that interns begin their internship year at varying developmental levels, an assessment is made of their training needs at the start of the year and expectations are individually tailored. After a year of close supervision, we expect each intern to have developed an increased level of clinical competence and autonomy, heightened professional identity and ethical awareness, and an enhanced understanding of self in preparation for independent functioning as a clinical psychologist.

We train our interns to be generalists, with particular expertise in working with a college population. Over the course of the year, interns provide individual, couple and group psychotherapy, emergency assessment and response, crisis intervention, psychological assessment, and outreach/prevention and consultation to the university community. Interns are encouraged to develop specific expertise with special populations and these interests are taken into account when making assignments; however, such interests are considered as secondary to generalist training.

An appreciation of human diversity is a cornerstone of our training program. Honoring these values, the training program seeks to recruit a range of candidates, including those from diverse backgrounds and with diverse interests. Our highly diverse clinical staff trains interns in the competent provision of services to UCLA's pluralistic student body. The diversity of our staff and our clientele provides interns with an unusual opportunity to gain specific clinical experience and expertise with a broad spectrum of individually and culturally diverse clients across a full range of health and psychopathology. A variety of training experiences complement these clinical experiences, and lead to the acquisition and development of knowledge, awareness and skills related to multiculturally-competent case conceptualization and care.

Over the course of the year, interns are expected to refine their sensitivity and competence in service delivery to students of varied racial, cultural, religious, gender, sexual orientation, physical and age groups. Professional diversity is also valued, as our staff consists of psychologists, clinical social workers and psychiatrists, and trainees from psychology, social work, and psychiatry residency programs.

Intensive supervision is a distinguishing feature of CAPS internship training and encompasses a variety of theoretical frameworks. Interns are frequently asked to reflect on personal issues potentially affecting their professional functioning as therapists, trainers, consultants and colleagues. While we strive to respect interns' privacy rights, the disclosure of personal information pertinent to interns' professional roles in the context of their supervision is routine and expected.

Finally, our training program operates in a context of ongoing reciprocal evaluation and feedback. Such periodic evaluation ensures that interns, as well as supervisory staff, are progressing in their individual and professional development goals.

Goals of the Training Program

The CAPS training program prepares psychology doctoral interns to function as multiculturally-competent and ethical professionals with specific expertise in addressing diverse college or university populations and a clear sense of their early professional identities.

Consistent with this aim, the internship has the following three objectives:

• Facilitation of interns' clinical competence across the full range of professional services for a diverse undergraduate and graduate student clientele
• Promoting interns' ethical behavior and sensitivity to ethical and legal issues
• Fostering interns' professional identity development as psychologists

These objectives are articulated in the program’s focus on the following competencies: research; ethical and legal standards; individual and cultural diversity; professional values, attitudes and behaviors; communication and interpersonal skills; assessment; intervention; supervision; consultation; and interprofessional/interdisciplinary skills.

The full-time, twelve-month Doctoral Internship in Psychology provides trainees with the opportunity to receive an intensively supervised experience in delivering a range of multiculturally-aware and competent mental health services to a large public university student body and in providing prevention, outreach and consultation to the campus community. Interns receive training in brief and intermittent individual therapy, group and couple therapy, emergency response, crisis intervention, psychological assessment and diagnosis, consultation, prevention and outreach, and ethical and legal regulations and practices. Training occurs experientially via clinical work, case consultation, and outreach to the campus community, and in a variety of formal and informal didactic settings.

CAPS provides interns with the opportunity to interact with colleagues in other disciplines without the artificial hierarchical constraints present in many other clinical settings. Observing and functioning within the CAPS community of psychologists, clinical social workers and psychiatrists is an invaluable experience in the development of interns' professional identity, integrity and independence. Routine interdisciplinary interaction is present throughout the department via clinical collaboration, case conferences, committees, staff development activities and training activities.

Description of Training Activities

Individual therapy.

Interns provide up to 16-19 service hours per week. CAPS provides empirically supported treatments within a brief treatment setting.

Group Therapy

UCLA-CAPS features one of the largest and most highly-utilized counseling center group programs in the nation. Opportunities include general psychotherapy groups, interpersonal process groups, empirically supported group treatments for a variety of mood and anxiety difficulties, groups for building and enhancing skills in emotional regulation (based on DBT), and several theme-oriented groups targeted to specific populations including eating disorders, bereavement, women, gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and trans-students, and writers of theses and dissertations. Our three- to five-session Wellness Skills Groups are structured interventions focusing on various stress management techniques and topics, including cognitive-behavioral approaches, biofeedback, procrastination and test-anxiety.

Interns co-lead therapy groups with licensed staff members, and may have the opportunity to create a group.

Triage Assessment, Emergency and Crisis Evaluation and Intervention

All interns participate in a rotation on the triage assessment team, in which they conduct triage assessments for incoming CAPS clients. As they gain familiarity with CAPS and University and community resources, interns join the staff Urgent Coverage rotation, responding to students presenting with urgent or emergency concerns.

Campus Prevention and Outreach

Serving as consultants, trainers and educators, the CAPS staff participates in many efforts to enhance the quality of student life, and offers services not only in our offices but throughout the campus. Members of the staff lead discussions and make presentations to such groups as residence hall advisors, peer counselors, faculty and academic support service staff. Interns are expected to participate in the department's ongoing projects and encouraged to initiate, design and implement others in which they have particular interest.

Supervision

Interns receive two hours weekly of one-to-one supervision and participate in a weekly two-hour supervision group. All supervision is provided by licensed staff members. Additional supervision is provided weekly for prevention/outreach activities, group psychotherapy and psychological assessment.

Supervision of Graduate Students in Clinical Psychology

All doctoral interns participate in a rotation in which they provide weekly supervision to UCLA Ph.D. students in Clinical Psychology, and are supervised on their supervision within a group format. Supervision sessions are videotaped and reviewed to enhance foundational learning of supervision practices.

Training Seminars

Interns attend a full time, 3 week Summer Orientation Seminar , led by various staff members and local mental health professionals. These seminars orient new interns to services at UCLA-CAPS, clinical procedures, and the campus community and focus on training Interns in the variety of activities they will engage in during the year. These include specialized treatment topics, risk assessment, legal and ethical requirements, emergency management and consultation, CAPS policies and procedures, and designing workshops.

The weekly Training Seminar addresses an array of clinical and professional issues, such as clinical proficiency in the treatment of ethnic minorities, specialized interventions and treatment topics, sport psychology, eating disorders, and mental health law and ethics.

The CBT and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Models seminars are conducted in the summer. Each of these two seminars provides roughly 12 hours of in-depth instruction in CBT and Dynamic theories and interventions including traditional CBT and third wave interventions such as mindfulness, ACT, and DBT, and psychodynamic and contemporary analytic psychotherapy. Additional brief seminars provide instruction in empirically-supported group treatments for anxiety and depression.

Multicultural Seminar. The seminar meetings are held weekly for 4-6 sessions during the summer, with a focus on setting the context, bolstering awareness of group members' identities and opportunities for participation, and collaborating on the syllabus schedule for the year. The seminar meets biweekly through the training year. It uses both a didactic and case consultation format, where topics/themes will be selected via consensus and cases will be presented based on the topics/themes, with a focus on understanding the ways in which culture, power, privilege, oppression, and intersectionality impact our clinical work.

Assessment Seminar . During the internship year, Interns conduct ADHD assessments. The weekly ADHD Psychological Assessment Seminar provides an overview of testing instruments and methods typically applied in these assessments. Interns receive group supervision of assessment cases throughout the year within this weekly seminar.

Staff Meetings and Staff Development. Interns attend bi-monthly staff meetings. Additional meetings are devoted to in-service training for the entire staff.

The stipend for a full-time twelve month appointment is $40,500. Benefits include generous vacation, sick leave, medical coverage and up to 80 professional development hours.

Licensure Hours

The doctoral internship in health service psychology at UCLA-CAPS is a full time (40 hours per week), 12-month internship, from August 1 to July 31 of a given year. Interns utilizing their full vacation and holiday leave and all sick time will have completed 1,768 hours. Successful completion of the internship requires a minimum of 1,768 hours.

UCLA CAPS Training Program Manual

CAPS Training Program Manual

Trainings and Seminar Schedule

Requirements for Satisfactory Progress and Program Completion

To progress satisfactorily, on the mid-year evaluation interns or fellows must receive 90% of scores at or above the level of "consistently demonstrated competency" (score of "3" or greater). Additional training competencies may be specifically identified by the Training Director and the Training Committee for development. A score of "1" on any competency will be a focus of the mid-year evaluation meeting with each intern or fellow and his/her/their supervisors and Training Director, and result in the implementation of a remediation plan developed collaboratively with the intern or fellow, the primary supervisor, and the Training Director.

Successful completion of the internship or fellowship requires a 100% rating of scores at or above the level of "Meets Competency Expectations" (score of "3" or greater) on the end-of-the-year evaluation. In addition to the above, to successfully complete the doctoral internship, interns must complete their 12 month full-year training totaling at least 1768 hours .

Internship Admissions, Support & Initial Placement Data

Internship program tables.

Date Program Tables are updated: 9/1/2023

Program Disclosures

Does the program or institution require students, trainees, and/or staff (faculty) to comply with specific policies or practices related to the institution's affiliation or purpose? Such policies or practices may include, but are not limited to, admissions, hiring, retention policies, and/or requirements for completion that express mission and values. No

Internship Program Admission

Data Program Tables are updated: Yearly

Briefly describe in narrative form important information to assist potential applicants in assessing their likely fit with your program. This description must be consistent with the program's policies on intern selection and practicum and academic preparation requirements.

A number of sources of information are used to assess candidates for the internship, including the written application, letters of recommendation, and a statement of professional goals. Video and in-person interviews are also a part of the application process, and are scheduled by invitation. Approximately one-quarter of applicants are invited to participate in the interview process. We welcome and encourage applications from diverse individuals. Selections are made without discrimination based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, age, ability, sexual/affectional orientation, or veteran status. At the beginning employment for the internship year, the interns who match with the UCLA CAPS internship must successfully complete a criminal background check, in accordance with UCLA University policy.

Does the program require that applicants have received a minimum number of hours of the following at time of application? If Yes, indicate how many:

Total Direct Contact Intervention Hours Yes Amount: 500

Total Direct Contact Assessment Hours Yes Amount: 40

Describe any other required minimum criteria used to screen applicants:

Applicants for the internship must be doctoral candidates from American Psychological Association-Accredited or Canadian Psychological Association Accredited Clinical Psychology or Counseling Psychology graduate programs. By the start of internship, applicants must be advanced doctoral students who meet all of the following requirements:

Final acceptance to the UCLA-CAPS doctoral internship training program is contingent upon satisfactory completion of a background investigation (i.e. Federal Bureau of Investigation and Department of Justice fingerprint scans) at the commencement of the internship.

Financial and Other Benefit Support for Upcoming Training Year (2024-2025)

Initial Post-Internship Positions (2019-22) (Provide an Aggregated Tally for the Preceding 3 Cohorts)

Admissions Requirements for the Graduate Major in Psychology

After exploring options and choosing a specific program, follow the steps on our University’s graduate application process:

Will protests tied to Israel-Hamas war return? Colleges are bracing either way.

As college students return to campus this fall, whether administrators have learned how to better handle anti-war protests remains to be seen..

When police cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment at George Washington University earlier this year, officers doused Moataz Salim's hands and arms so thoroughly in pepper spray, he says, they burned for days.

Salim, a graduate student studying clinical psychology who says he has lost more than 160 relatives in Gaza, wasn’t among the dozens of people arrested that day in May . But after the raid, Salim decided to take a leave of absence from his education – in part, to focus on his activism, but also so he might avoid disciplinary repercussions from his university.

Salim, 27, said he’s spent the summer speaking out alongside members of Congress and attending protests, mostly recently during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s controversial visit to Washington .

Although he and others are facing disciplinary hearings for their involvement in the encampment, Salim said, it’s clear the student body won’t be deterred from protesting in some form as classes resume.

"These students and myself, we aren't taking on these repercussions and consequences because it's fun," he said. "It's because it's the right thing to do." 

As the fall term gets underway at many colleges, administrators are preparing for another possible surge in campus activism. The last school year ended acrimoniously as anti-war protests persisted on many school grounds, disrupting graduation ceremonies and jeopardizing some students’ academic standing. 

Though on-campus demonstrations lulled this summer as students dispersed, the conditions that motivated the recent wave of activism haven’t changed dramatically since the spring. While several high-profile college presidents have left their roles, many schools haven’t substantively changed their investing strategies – a demand made by the lion’s share of protesters but a complicated ask in practice. International negotiations over a potential cease-fire in Gaza are tenuous . And members of Congress continue to see political opportunity in inserting themselves into the debate over how campuses should go about quelling unrest. 

As young activists prepare to ramp up the momentum again, harsher rules await them on some campuses. Michael Roth, the president of Wesleyan University, a private school in Connecticut, hopes others in his shoes have learned a few lessons from the chaos of the last school year.His approach to encampments like those that sprang up at many schools, including his, is not a uniform, across-the-board stance, but rather a nuanced one.

“If you have a space of expression and not intimidation, it should be encouraged,” he said. “If it veers into a space of intimidation or harassment… it’s the responsibility of the university to shut it down.” 

Tougher rules, bans on clubs

A protest encampment at Indiana University Bloomington lasted for nearly 100 days before students voluntarily took it down in response to the new “expressive activities” policies that went into effect on Aug. 1, according to Bryce Greene, founder of the school’s Palestine Solidarity Committee. The policies effectively ban encampments on campus by prohibiting camping. The rules require advanced approval for signs and temporary structures and state that protest activities must occur between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., according to the Herald-Times, part of the USA TODAY Network.

The standards were adopted after the university came under fire for quietly changing an on-campus event policy that had been in place since 1969, suddenly requiring tents and other "structures" to obtain prior approval. They led to the arrest of more than 50 people, the Indianapolis Star, part of the USA TODAY Network reported. The prosecutor's office in Monroe County called the process behind the change “constitutionally dubious” and declined to charge dozens of people arrested, the Herald-Times reported. 

Greene, a doctoral student involved in the Indiana University protests, said he was among those who had the criminal charges against them dropped. He said that although students view the new rules as a threat to their ability to protest, they’re still willing to make their voices heard.

“What this means is that we have to be hyperaware of the ways in which our university intends to crack down on us, and we have to be creative in some ways,” he said. “Sometimes we decide to stay within the boundaries when that suits, but our major plan for the fall is rejuvenizing the energy that we felt over the summer, getting people to rallies, getting people to marches, and specifically training.”

Many student activists organized last year through a network of clubs, some of which are banned at specific campuses headed into the new school year. The George Washington University chapters of Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace, which bills itself as an anti-Zionist organization, have been suspended through the spring of 2026, according to the school’s list of disciplined clubs . 

In a statement, university spokesperson Julia Metjian said the school “has an obligation to address violations of university policy, and does so without regard to the content of the message those demonstrating seek to advance.”

Read more: Do college protests pay off? Wins are varied and sometimes lasting, experts say

Punishing protesters: Discipline varies across campuses 

Allie Wong , a doctoral student, said she was arrested outside a student-occupied building on Columbia University’s New York City campus this spring and thrown to the ground by police officers, leaving her with an injured hand, bruised ribs and golf ball-sized welts on her head. But she said the trespassing charge against her was later dropped, and she was one of the few students arrested that night who didn’t face disciplinary action from her university.

“I explicitly told the head of my department the day of that I would like to be arrested,” she said, speculating that that request possibly deterred officials from punishing her. “On some level, I think that probably had to do with it.”

Last week, congressional Republicans criticized the university for, in their view, not adequately punishing student protesters who violated school policies last semester. According to disciplinary records received by the House education committee, 18 of the 22 students arrested after occupying the building Wong was in were returned to “good standing." Three faced interim suspensions. 

Republicans escalated their pressure on the university Wednesday, issuing a subpoena for documentation of any conversations among high-level administrators related to antisemitic incidents on campus since Oct. 7. 

Wong, who said she is still shaken from the violence of her arrest, decided to take a break from organizing over the summer. The 38-year-old muted the Signal chat used by her peers in the Columbia University Apartheid Divest coalition, spent time abroad with family and started seeing a new therapist to help process what happened to her.

“It was a pretty dramatic experience and one that I don't think I realized, like, the physical impact of until later, just kind of the anxiety, the stress, the ways that that has manifested in my life,” she said. 

Meanwhile, Wong said her fellow students have been hosting healing circles and trainings to gear up for a fresh wave of actions in the fall. Though the university faced criticism over changes to its protest policies earlier this year, an administrative body of faculty and students spent the summer poring over revisions to how the campus, which became a flashpoint in nationwide divisions over the war, will handle protests going forward.

Read more: How Columbia University became the epicenter of disagreement over the Israel-Hamas war

“They will certainly be seeing more of us,” she said.

The punishments for anti-war protests have differed significantly across campuses. At Purdue University in Indiana, one student who faced disciplinary action was required to read the book “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win,” according to the campus newspaper . (Trevor Peters, a spokesperson for the school, said in an email that federal privacy laws prevent Purdue from commenting on specific students or cases, but there is a standard process for reviewing and determining sanctions.) 

Federal judge intervenes at UCLA

In the meantime, at the University of California, Los Angeles, administrators have “taken the hardest line that they could” against the faculty and students arrested during protests, according to Graeme Blair, an associate professor of political science and a member of Faculty for Justice in Palestine. 

More than 200 people were arrested in early May a day after a mob of counterprotesters attacked a previously peaceful pro-Palestinian encampment. In June, dozens more were arrested when students tried to reestablish the encampment, the Daily Bruin, the school’s newspaper, reported .

Blair estimated about 70 students received notice of disciplinary proceedings against them and he expects the bulk of them will be resolved before the school year starts in October. But Blair said being in limbo has been especially difficult. The disciplinary action has prevented students from graduating, disrupted their plans to apply for summer jobs and barred them from accessing housing.

“It is a punishment regime that is out of touch with what students were trying to do, which was to speak up for vulnerable people and to talk about one of the most important and difficult issues in our society today,” Blair said.

Michael V. Drake, the president of the larger University of California system, warned last week that his 10 campuses will be streamlining a set of rules about protests. Those policies include strict bans on encampments and face masks meant to conceal protesters' identities. 

“Clear communication and consistent application of policies and laws are key to achieving the delicate but essential balance between free speech rights and the need to protect the safety of our community and maintain critical University operations,” Drake wrote in a public statement. 

The message came after a federal judge weighed in about campus access in response to a lawsuit from three Jewish UCLA students. The students argued in court that their access to campus was limited in a discriminatory way during recent protests. Lawyers for the university said the students lacked legal standing to sue. The court order, in the university's view, was unnecessary to keep the school compliant with federal anti-discrimination laws. 

U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi, in a scathing decree , said if the university can’t make sure that its ordinarily available programs and campus areas are available to Jewish students, it will have to restrict those things for all students, too. 

“This fact is so unimaginable and so abhorrent to our constitutional guarantee of religious freedom that it bears repeating, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith,” he wrote in the preliminary injunction. The university has appealed.

Read more: Campus protests across the U.S. result in arrests by the hundreds. But will the charges stick?

Will agreements with protesters make a difference?

The tumult of the last school year reminded George Boggs, a former community college president in California, of a protest he responded to in the 1990s . After a debate about faculty hiring choices, trustees made comments that professors and students of color perceived as racist. The students, wanting to make their voices heard, pitched an encampment similar to the ones which, decades later, were erected in the months following the Israel-Hamas war.

Though he acknowledged the ’90s demonstration happened at a different time in American history, Boggs said he did come away from the experience with a valuable lesson: Take students seriously. 

“They’re not the enemy,” he said. “We have to realize that our current Jewish students are not the Israeli government, and Muslim students are not Hamas.” 

At some colleges, including Brown University, protests in the spring arrived at more amicable conclusions. The private school in Rhode Island struck a deal with student groups in late April to end the school’s encampment, and, as part of the arrangement, students were allowed to make their case to top administrators about why the university should divest from companies the students said wrongly support the oppression of the Palestinian people. 

School officials are set to vote on the matter in October. Eli Grossman, one of the architects of the pact, is optimistic. Though he graduated in the spring, the 24-year-old has found time away from his demanding new job – fighting wildland fires – to check back in with student organizers. 

“The cost to our learning community of completely ignoring this issue, and letting it fester and build resentment, is not worth pissing off a few donors that happen to have strong opinions,” he said. 

Skip to Content

Current Students

Interested in more? Search Courses

• Search Input Submit Search

Admission Steps

Clinical psychology (child emphasis) - phd, admission requirements.

Terms and Deadlines

Degree and GPA Requirements

Additional Standards for Non-Native English Speakers

Additional standards for international applicants.

For the 2025-2026 academic year

See 2024-2025 requirements instead

Fall 2025 quarter (beginning in September)

Final submission deadline: December 2, 2024

Final submission deadline: Applicants cannot submit applications after the final submission deadline.

Degrees and GPA Requirements

Bachelors degree: All graduate applicants must hold an earned baccalaureate from a regionally accredited college or university or the recognized equivalent from an international institution.

University GPA requirement: The minimum grade point average for admission consideration for graduate study at the University of Denver must meet one of the following criteria:

A cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the baccalaureate degree.

A cumulative 2.5 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits (approximately two years of work) for the baccalaureate degree.

An earned master’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution or the recognized equivalent from an international institution supersedes the minimum GPA requirement for the baccalaureate.

A cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all graduate coursework completed for applicants who have not earned a master’s degree or higher.

Official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), C1 Advanced or Duolingo English Test are required of all graduate applicants, regardless of citizenship status, whose native language is not English or who have been educated in countries where English is not the native language. Your TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test scores are valid for two years from the test date.

The minimum TOEFL/IELTS/C1 Advanced/Duolingo English Test score requirements for this degree program are:

Minimum TOEFL Score (Internet-based test): 80 (including a minimum of 26 on the speaking section)

Minimum IELTS Score: 6.5 (including a minimum of 8 on the speaking section)

Minimum C1 Advanced Score: 176 (including a minimum of 200 on the speaking section)

Minimum Duolingo English Test Score: 115

Additional Information:

Read the English Language Proficiency policy for more details.

Read the Required Tests for GTA Eligibility policy for more details.

Per Student & Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) regulation, international applicants must meet all standards for admission before an I-20 or DS-2019 is issued, [per U.S. Federal Register: 8 CFR § 214.3(k)] or is academically eligible for admission and is admitted [per 22 C.F.R. §62]. Read the Additional Standards For International Applicants policy for more details.

Application Materials

Transcripts, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation.

Required Essays and Statements

We require a scanned copy of your transcripts from every college or university you have attended. Scanned copies must be clearly legible and sized to print on standard 8½-by-11-inch paper. Transcripts that do not show degrees awarded must also be accompanied by a scanned copy of the diploma or degree certificate. If your academic transcripts were issued in a language other than English, both the original documents and certified English translations are required.

Transcripts and proof of degree documents for postsecondary degrees earned from institutions outside of the United States will be released to a third-party international credential evaluator to assess U.S. education system equivalencies. Beginning July 2023, a non-refundable fee for this service will be required before the application is processed.

Upon admission to the University of Denver, official transcripts will be required from each institution attended.

GRE scores are optional for admission to this program. Applications submitted without scores will receive full consideration. Every application undergoes a comprehensive evaluation, including a careful review of all application materials. If you choose to submit test scores, you may upload your Test Taker Score Report PDF, which is considered unofficial. Official scores must be received directly from the appropriate testing agency upon admission to the University of Denver. The ETS institution code to submit GRE scores to the University of Denver is 4842.

University Standardized Test Policy

Three (3) letters of recommendation are required.  Letters should be submitted by recommenders through the online application.

Essays and Statements

Personal statement instructions.

Please prepare approximately 2-3 pages of typewritten, double-spaced autobiographical material which will be considered confidential. Please be aware that the review committees may contain graduate student representatives. Indicate the source of your interest in psychology and the reasons why you wish to pursue graduate studies in your chosen area of specialization. If you have had practical experience (work or volunteer) in psychology, please describe it. If you have been in another area of academic study or employment, discuss your change. When and how was your attention directed to our graduate program? Indicate how the specific features of our training program would facilitate your professional goals.  In your autobiographical statement, please state which faculty member(s) you would like to do your research with. Explain why the faculty’s research interests represent a match with your own training goals and your career plans. Please type the name(s) of your proposed mentor(s) on a separate line at the end of your autobiographical statement so as to facilitate screening. Mentors can be from any program. So, for example, clinical child applicants may list a faculty mentor that is not a member of the clinical child faculty. If there is one person you are primarily interested in, name one; if there are two who you are interested in, name two. There is no advantage to naming just one person or naming two people. What is important is the rationale for your choice.

Diversity Statement Instructions

The University of Denver values diversity, equity, and inclusion, recognizing that its success is dependent on how well it values, engages, and includes the rich diversity of constituents. Diversity is defined broadly. Applicants are required to include an essay (maximum of one-page, double spaced) describing how their educational, professional, clinical, or personal (e.g. cultural, economic or social) experiences prepare them to contribute to diversity, equity, and inclusion during their graduate career at DU. Contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion may come in the form of research topic, research population, clinical work (if applicable), professional service, personal perspective, and more. To learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion at the University of Denver, please visit https://www.du.edu/equity .

Résumé Instructions

Please submit a résumé that includes publications, professional presentations, awards and scholarships, professional experience (both research and clinical), and membership in professional organizations.

Start the Application

Online Application

Financial Aid Information

Start your application.

Your submitted materials will be reviewed once all materials and application fees have been received.

Our program can only consider your application for admission if our Office of Graduate Education has received all your online materials and supplemental materials by our application deadline.

Application Fee: $65.00 Application Fee

International Degree Evaluation Fee: $50.00 Evaluation Fee for degrees (bachelor's or higher) earned from institutions outside the United States.

Applicants should complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by February 15. Visit the Office of Financial Aid for additional information.