How do I Earn a Clinical Psychology PhD?

The clinical psychology PhD prepares people to practice in psychology in research settings, as psychotherapists, or in work that employs testing or psychological assessment. Depending on the school, it is a rigorous program of study with varying requirements for entry, and should be differentiated from related doctorates in forensic or counseling psychology. The PhD also differs from the other doctoral degree in psychology, the Psy.D, which has a clinical focus more limited to the practice of psychotherapy. Students interested in earning any doctorate in psychology need to first investigate programs to determine how closely they match their interests, and then determine the program requirements to see if they meet them.

The minimum requirement for entry into a clinical psychology PhD program is an undergraduate degree in psychology. Many schools do not admit students unless they have a master’s degree in this field, and the most prestigious schools only take students who have already demonstrated some skill in the field through academic publication or work experience. Any degree is not enough alone, and schools use other measures to determine a student’s fitness for doctoral studies.

These additional assessments tend to include analysis of grade point average, which usually has to be fairly high. It’s hard to get into a program without at least a 3.0 or greater. Applicants to clinical psychology PhD programs also need to construct very strong personal statements or submit scholarly writing samples, and they will need sterling letters of recommendation from professors or employers. Many programs require students to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or prove language competency, if they are foreign-born.

When a school offers a clinical psychology PhD, focus leans on learning to test, research, evaluate, diagnose and treat, and this study is thought more rigorous than the Psy.D. Those simply interested in becoming psychotherapists can be well served with the latter degree and it typically takes a little less time to complete. The average time needed to complete the clinical psychology PhD is about six years, though a few earn the degree in less time. The lengthier time period to finish studies is due to its multiple areas of focus, and students will take core and elective classes, participate in significant research, engage in a variety of practical studies, and possibly teach. These studies are combined with dissertation work, which usually begins in the third or fourth year of school.

The dissertation is undoubtedly one of the most challenging aspects of completing PhD studies. It is an original work, which usually includes original research that aims to contribute new ideas to the field. These take about two to three years to complete and they must be presented to and approved by the faculty before the student can earn the clinical psychology PhD. Earning the degree is usually not the final step for practicing in this field, and most people must obtain a license, which requires completing examinations and 1000 or more hours of supervised practice after the doctorate is obtained.