College of Allied Health:

PhD in Clinical Psychology

The PhD in Clinical Psychology program is designed to prepare graduates to qualify to sit for psychology licensing exams in some states. This program is designed to meet the academic licensure requirements of some state psychology boards. However, Walden University’s PhD in Clinical Psychology is not accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) and has not received designation by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards/National Register (ASPPB/NR), which are requirements for licensure in many states.

Walden enrollment specialists can provide guidance on licensure issues, state-by-state educational requirements, and internship and practicum requirements; however, it remains the student’s responsibility to evaluate and understand the licensure requirements for the state in which he or she resides, as requirements vary widely. Walden University enrollment specialists can provide general guidance on licensure requirements; however, it is the responsibility of each student to understand and comply with the most current psychology licensure information for his or her individual state. Walden makes no guarantee that its PhD in Clinical Psychology program will meet the licensure requirements in any state.

Prospective students should review the specific, detailed licensure requirements applicable to their state(s) of residency to see if the Walden program meets all of the requirements to sit for licensure as set forth in the state regulations. Additionally, some states have additional coursework, residency, or fieldwork requirements that students will need in order to be eligible for licensure as a psychologist in that state.

Prospective students enrolling in licensure-leading programs are advised that relocation to another state may impact the student’s ability to complete field experiences and/or to obtain professional licensure, certification, or other credential in another state. Prospective students are advised to carefully review, evaluate, and understand the requirements of the applicable licensure board in the state in which they intend to relocate.

• Doctoral Writing Assessment
• Professional Development Plan and Program of Study
• Foundation course (1 credits)
• Core courses (54 credits)
• Research courses (25 credits)
• Electives courses (5 credits)
• Research Skills Labs (0 credit per term for a minimum of 5 terms)
• Professional Development Series (0 credit per term for a minimum of 12 terms)
• Field Experience Preparation Course (0 credit)
• Clinical practicum (6 credits)
• Internship (12 credits)
• Blended Academic Year in Residence (40 credits; 45 credits for Illinois students)
• Completion of the Doctoral Dissertation
  • Dissertation writing courses (20 credits; taken continuously until completion)
  • Completion of a beginning-of-quarter, mid-quarter, and end-of quarter plan for each term
• Four PhD residencies

Foundation Course (1 credit)

Core Courses (45 credits)

Research Courses (25 credits)

Elective Courses (5 credits)*

For the General program, select one course from any of the PhD in Clinical Psychology specialization courses as an electives. 

* 5 credit Elective course is not required for Illinois students

Research Skills Labs (0 credits)

Professional Development Series (0 credits)

Clinical Practicum (6 credits)

Internship (12 credits)

Blended Academic Year in Residence (40 credits; 45 credits for Illinois)

The courses associated with the Blended Academic Year in Residence (BAYR) must be completed consecutively within a 12-month calendar year. Students that stop the course sequence and do not complete in a consecutive calendar year will need to resume the BAYR course sequence again from the beginning.

* PSRI courses are for Illinois students only

Residency Requirements

• Residency 1 – Complete in term 2. Required alongside CPSY 8401 Doctoral Research Seminar 1 and CPSY 8781 Psychopathology From a Clinical Perspective.
• Residency 2 – Complete in term 5.
• Residency 3 – Complete in term 8. Residency 3 required in term 8. Required alongside CPSY 8403 Doctoral Research Seminar 2 and CPSY 8209 Ethics and Standards of Psychological Practice.
• Residency 4 – Complete in term 15. Required alongside CPSY 8405 Doctoral Research Seminar 3 and CPSY 8110 Research Skills Lab.
  • Residency 4 General

Completion of the Doctoral Dissertation

Students are continuously enrolled until completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval.

To complete a doctoral study, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.

*Students are continuously enrolled until completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval.

To complete a doctoral study, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.

Field Experience Preparation  

Walden is committed to providing students with resources and support in preparation of field experience(s). To help ease anxiety in the field experience process, Walden offers a 0-credit Field Experience Preparation course, a structured experience that guides students through the application process and currently available readiness resources. The course is designed to complement other pre-requisite courses needed in preparation for field experience(s). The goal is that students submit their field experience application by the end of the course. Of course, there may be reasons why a field experience needs to be postponed, or the readiness course may not be needed if a field experience opportunity has already been secured. In this instance, students may opt-out of the course.  By opting out of the Field Experience Preparation course without having submitted a complete field experience application you are notifying Walden that you have chosen to delay the beginning of your field experience indefinitely, it is your responsibility to notify Walden when you plan to begin the field experience component of your program. In some instances, opting out of the Field Experience Preparation course indicates the foundational components of the field experience process have been satisfied and submission of the field experience application is pending. While the course is not yet available for Tempo students, the same readiness resources are available to Tempo students seeking field experience. 

Walden awards the MS in Psychology, Applied Psychology specialization degree to recognize PhD in Clinical Psychology students for academic achievement leading up to their dissertation. With an MS, students will be able to demonstrate a background in the development and application of psychological theories, basic scientific methods, and principles of psychological science.

Student Eligibility: PhD in Clinical Psychology students who began the program on February 26, 2024 and thereafter.

Eligible students may apply for this credential while continuing their PhD in Clinical Psychology program once they have:

• Successfully completed the following courses in the PhD Clinical Psychology program: CPSY 8002, CPSY 8215, CPSY 8225, CPSY 8421, RSCH 8110, RSCH 8210, CPSY 8316, CPSY 8247, CPSY 8401, CPSY 8781, CPSY 8403, CPSY 8405

• Achieved a required minimum 3.0 GPA.