Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology

96 credit hours
Master’s thesis
Comprehensive exam
Dissertation
Predoctoral Internship (one year, full-time)

The Ph.D. program in clinical psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association. Completion typically requires six years of study beyond the bachelor’s degree, including a one-year full-time predoctoral internship. Students with prior graduate work or a master’s degree may transfer in some credits and/or waive the master’s thesis requirement following procedures articulated in our program handbook. The program follows a scientist-practitioner model and emphasizes the integration of clinical practice and applied clinical research. Working with a faculty mentor, students begin research training their first year and complete a master’s thesis and a dissertation independent research project. Students complete three years of 15-20 hour/week clinical practicum training that includes a wide variety of assessment and treatment experiences with a broad range of clients, including minoritized and underserved populations. Training sites include medical centers, community mental health centers, and clinics throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. The comprehensive exam involves integrating research literature into the case conceptualization and treatment of a clinical case. All students complete an APA-accredited predoctoral internship. The program prepares students to be license-eligible in the state of Illinois and most other states. Graduates typically function as practitioners and researchers in medical centers and multi-disciplinary clinical settings.