San Diego Clinical PhD: A Scholar-Practitioner Program

The APA-accredited clinical PhD program located on the San Diego Campus follows a scholar-practitioner model and has two major goals:

• First, we prepare students to become effective professional psychologists who are skilled at evaluating psychological functioning and providing efficacious interventions with diverse clients across a range of settings.
• Second, we prepare students to conduct applied research in clinical psychology, thereby contributing to the knowledge base in the field.  Our training philosophy promotes the view that research training and professional skill development should be closely intertwined and based on a core body of knowledge in scientific psychology.

APA Education & Training Outcomes

The CSPP San Diego Clinical Psychology PhD program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), which requires that we provide student outcome data, including time to completion, program costs, internships, attrition and licensure. Please follow the link below for that information. We hope this information will help you to make an informed decision regarding your graduate study. Student Outcome Data

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

Students learn about effective assessment and treatment modalities and how to apply them. In addition, students develop independent research skills that will prepare them for the dissertation and for further empirical work across a range of populations.

Program Philosophy and Goals

The program embraces the value that effective professional psychologists must appreciate the significance of their professional training and roles in a broader social context. Students must obtain proficiency in providing service to individuals of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Thus, the program aims to produce professional psychologists who can appreciate the social significance and impact of their work, and who have the knowledge, skill, and professional attitudes necessary to be effective and ethical practitioners with a variety of groups in multiple settings.

The program places significant emphasis on the importance of integrating research and clinical training throughout the educational experiences of its students. The research training in the program primarily addresses applied clinical problems and approaches (e.g., treatment efficacy, assessment, and diagnostic issues) that complement students’ clinical training activities and the scholar-practitioner model. Research training occurs through formal courses in research methodology and design, the research practicum, and through completion of the dissertation process.

How the PhD Differs from the PsyD

The Clinical PhD is clearly differentiated from the Clinical PsyD in terms of program length, philosophy and objectives, curriculum requirements, and the PhD emphasis on research education and training. Developing the ability both to conduct research and also to think scientifically is a major goal of the program as well as a core value of the PhD faculty. Our program prepares individuals for both clinical practice and clinical research careers. 

Overview of Curriculum

The standard curriculum is designed to provide a strong, broad-based clinical program. In addition, students may elect an area of emphasis through the choice of elective courses, professional training sites, research projects, and the PhD dissertation topic. (Please click links above for more detailed information about research projects, professional training and curriculum.)

Virtually all students complete their coursework in four years, leaving only the completion of their dissertations or clinical hours. The standard amount of time needed to complete the PhD program’s coursework and internship is five years.

Alumni of the Program

An exciting range of career paths is open to graduates including clinical and forensic practice, applied research, teaching, consulting and administration. Many graduates (30%) report working as psychologists in institutions while others enter private practice, serve as administrators, or occupy research positions.

Graduates embrace the integration between research and practice. Since 1996, 32% of the alumni report having published a scholarly article, while 14% reported two or more publications since graduation. Many graduates (39%) made presentations at scholarly meetings.

Accreditation

 The PhD Program has full accreditation from the Committee on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association.

American Psychological Association's office of Program Consultation and Accreditation:
750 First Street, N.E.
Washington DC 20002-4242.
Phone: 202-336-5979