Clinical Psychology PhD
Ph.d. in clinical psychology.
Welcome to the doctoral program in Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. The Clinical Psychology Program was founded in 1947-1948. It was APA-accredited in the first group of programs that were reviewed for accreditation in 1948 and that status has been uninterrupted. Our most recent site visit from the APA occurred in 2021, and we have been accredited until June 2031.
Our program operates according to a scientist-practitioner model. We are, thus, dedicated to training students to generate empirically-based knowledge in clinical psychology and to perform clinical work that is constantly informed by traditional and emerging scholarship in the field. We expect our students to learn to expertly produce, analyze, and discuss scientific material. We also expect our students to become proficient at providing clinical services to a diverse population. And, most importantly, we expect our students to learn to integrate these two goals. As our mission statement in the TC catalog notes, “The driving goal of our Clinical Psychology Program is to provide rigorous training in both contemporary clinical science and clinical assessment and intervention.”
A good deal of the training, especially that related to research, occurs through intensive participation in a research lab directed by a specific faculty mentor. It is this context, through this lab, that students develop their scientific skills and begin presenting their work at professional conferences and publishing in professional journals. Each student, of course, is also part of a cohort of doctoral students with whom they learn, collaborate, and socialize.
In recent years, graduates of our doctoral program have gained employment in tenure-track academic positions, as research scientists in medical schools, and as clinical researchers in a broad range of treatment settings. In addition, many of our graduates practice independently as well as in community settings for under-served populations.
The list of faculty reviewing and potentially accepting applicants for each cycle is listed on the application itself. Please check the application itself or email the admissions office at
[email protected] for clarification.
Helen Verdeli, Ph.D. & Barry Farber, Ph.D. (co-Directors of Training)
Professor, Director of Clinical Training
Research Centers
Dean Hope Center for Educational and Psychological Services
The Dean Hope Center for Educational and Psychological Services (DHCEPS) is an integral part of the teaching and training programs in Clinical, Counseling, School Psychology, Learning Disability and Reading Specialist. The Center works in a two-folded way; first it offers students the opportunity to integrate theoretical coursework with practicum experience within a multidisciplinary setting. This training is foreseen by highly qualified supervisors. Simultaneously, the DHCEPS offers affordable psychological and educational services to individuals, couples, and families residing in the nearby neighborhood of the New York City area. The emphasis is on respecting and working with clients from diverse, multicultural contexts regardless of age, racial and ethnic background, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, and religious or cultural affiliations. Additionally, DHCEPS is committed to maintaining a liaison with community-based agencies and organizations such as schools, hospitals, and mental health clinics, among others.
Teachers College Resilience Center for Veterans and Families
The Resilience Center for Veterans & Families pairs groundbreaking research on human emotional resilience with clinical training of therapists to assist veterans and their families as they transition back to civilian life.
Dean Hope Center for Psychological Services
The Dean Hope Center for Educational and Psychological Services (DHCEPS) is an integral part of the teaching and training programs in Clinical, Counseling, School Psychology, Learning Disability and Reading Specialist. The Center works in a two-folded way; first it offers students the opportunity to integrate theoretical coursework with practicum experience within a multidisciplinary setting. This training is foreseen by highly qualified supervisors. Simultaneously, the DHCEPS offers affordable psychological and educational services to individuals, couples, and families residing in the nearby neighborhood of the New York City area. The emphasis is on respecting and working with clients from diverse, multicultural contexts regardless of age, racial and ethnic background, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, and religious or cultural affiliations. DHCEPS also commits to maintaining a liaison with community-based agencies and organizations such as schools, hospitals and mental health clinics.
Admission Information
Displaying requirements for the Spring 2025, Summer 2025, and Fall 2025 terms.
Doctor of Philosophy
- Points/Credits: 95
- Entry Terms: Fall
- Enrollment Formats: Full-Time Campus-Based
Application Deadlines
Select programs remain open beyond our standard application deadlines , such as those with an extended deadline or those that are rolling (open until June or July). If your program is rolling or has an extended deadline indicated above, applications are reviewed as they are received and on a space-available basis. We recommend you complete your application as soon as possible as these programs can close earlier if full capacity has been met.
Application Requirements
For admission-related inquiries, please contact [email protected] .
Requirements from the TC Catalog (AY 2024-2025)
Displaying catalog information for the Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025 terms.
View Full Catalog Listing
The Program requires the following:
The completion of 95 points of academic credit during three to four years of residence at the College.
A full-time, twelve-month clinical internship during the fourth or fifth year of study.
An original piece of empirical research, which also serves as a qualifying paper, to be completed during the second year of study.
A passing grade on the certification examination (on Research Methods) during the third year of study.
A Clinical case presentation as well as a research presentation, during the third year, each demonstrating the student’s ability to integrate theory, research, and practice.
A doctoral dissertation, which must be completed no later than the seventh year after matriculation.
During the first year of study, in addition to participating in a research lab, doctoral students typically take the following didactic courses: Ethical and professional issues in clinical psychology (CCPX 5030); Psychological measurement (HUDM 5059); courses on statistics and modeling; Research methods in social psychology (ORLJ 5040); Child psychopathology (CCPX 5034); Adult psychopathology (CCPX 5032); History and systems of psychology (CCPX 6020); and Dynamic psychotherapies (CCPX 5037). Students also take two semesters of psychological testing and diagnostic assessment (CCPX 5330, CCPX 5333) and a course in clinical interviewing (CCPX 5539).
Second Year
During their second year, students’ didactic courses include Brain and behavior (BBS 5068, 5069); Cognition, emotion, and culture (CCPX 5020); Psychotherapy with children (CCPX 5531); Cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal therapies (CCPX 5038); Clinical work with diverse populations (CCPX 5036); and Seminar on life course development (HUDK 6520). In addition, students sign up for a full year of research practicum with a faculty member (culminating in an empirical second-year project), a full-year adult psychodynamic psychotherapy practicum (CCPX 6335), and an additional elective full-year clinical rotation (e.g., on child and adolescent psychotherapy; on neuropsychological assessment).
Third-year didactic courses include Group dynamics: A systems perspective (ORL 5362); and Dissertation seminar (CCPX 7500). There is also a full-year advanced psychodynamic clinical practicum (CCPX 6336) and a one-semester supervision and consultation practicum (CCPX 6333). Most students also elect a full-year family therapy practicum (CCPJ 6363).
Fourth and Fifth Year
The fourth year is typically focused on clinical externship (CCPX 5230) and extensive work on the dissertation. A full-year fourth year psychotherapy practicum (CCPX 6338) is recommended, though not required. Year five is usually spent on a full- year clinical internship (CCPX 6430).
The program allows only 12 points of graduate work from another institution to be transferred. No transfer credits are awarded for practica, workshops, or independent study.
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Teachers College, Columbia University 328 Horace Mann
Contact Person: Rebecca Shulevitz
Phone: (212) 678-3267 Fax: (212) 678-8235
Email: shulevitz@tc.columbia.edu
Explore the 10 Best Graduate Clinical Psychology Programs
Graduates with Ph.D. degrees in clinical psychology often work in academia.
(Getty Images) |
Clinical psychologists help treat mental illness.
With the rise in mental health awareness, clinical psychology has become an attractive career path for those who care about mental health issues. Clinical psychologists diagnose and treat mental health problems and often work in private practice or health care facilities. These are the Best Graduate Clinical Psychology Doctorate Programs , based on the results of peer assessment surveys sent by U.S. News to academics in the field in fall 2019.
Scott Goldsmith | Aurora for USN&WR
- 10 (tie). Harvard University
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Peer reputation score (scale of 1-5) : 4.3
Key facts about the program: "The main emphasis of the program is research, especially on severe psychopathology," Harvard's website explains. "The program includes research, course work, and clinical practica, and usually takes five years to complete." Required courses for the program include classes in psychological testing, diagnostic interviewing and psychometric theory.
Learn more about Harvard University .
Indiana University |
- 10 (tie). Indiana University—Bloomington
Location: Bloomington, Indiana
Key facts about the program: This graduate program is very small and highly selective; it usually admits between three and five students per year. The curriculum of each student is tailored to the needs of that student, which means that students can define their own majors. "We have minimal course requirements, which enables our students to learn by doing," the program website states.
Learn more about Indiana University—Bloomington .
Andy Colwell |
- 10 (tie). Pennsylvania State University—University Park
Location: University Park, Pennsylvania
Key facts about the program: This clinical psychology Ph.D. program offers two tracks, one that focuses on adults and another that focuses on children. Doctoral students generally spend three to four years on coursework, and then spend a year apiece on producing a dissertation and completing a predoctoral internship. "The program includes courses in clinical psychology, neuroscience, personality, research design, psychopathology, psychotherapy, clinical assessment, and statistics," the Penn State website explains.
Learn more about Pennsylvania State University—University Park .
Temple University photography |
- 10 (tie). Temple University
Location: Philadelphia
Key facts about the program: "The overarching mission of the program is to train creative and accomplished clinical scientists who produce, consume, and disseminate psychological science and who function successfully in academic, research, and applied settings," the program website states. From the start of their Ph.D. program, Temple University clinical psychology graduate students gain research and clinical experience, and they receive education on mental, behavioral and emotional disorders, according to the university.
Learn more about Temple University .
Photo by Glenn Asakawa | University of Colorado
- 10 (tie). University of Colorado—Boulder
Location: Boulder, Colorado
Key facts about the program: The university's clinical psychology Ph.D. students are encouraged to work on interdisciplinary projects, according to the university website, which notes that the school has several interdisciplinary academic institutes that relate to clinical psychology. These include the Institute for Behavioral Genetics, the Institute of Behavioral Science and the Institute of Cognitive Science. The clinical psychology graduate program also operates several clinics, such as The Raimy Psychology Clinic, Sutherland Center for Bipolar Disorder, The Attention Behavior and Learning Clinic, and Brain Behavior Clinic.
Learn more about the University of Colorado—Boulder .
Daryl Marshke | MichiganPhotography
- 10 (tie). University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
Key facts about the program: Alumni of this program often find jobs at top-flight academic institutions. "Our recent graduates have obtained post-doctoral appointments at some of the most prestigious programs such as the University of Minnesota, UCLA, and the University of Pittsburgh Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic," the program website states. "Our graduates also hold tenure track positions at leading universities such as the University of Michigan, the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Emory University, and NYU."
Learn more about the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor .
The University of Texas at Austin |
- 10 (tie). University of Texas—Austin
Location: Austin, Texas
Peer reputation score (scale of 1-5): 4.3
Key facts about the program: Doctoral students must complete four years of graduate-level coursework, a second-year research project and a clinical practicum sequence to gain hands-on experience interacting with patients. They also need to finish a one-year predoctoral internship at a specific treatment site and successfully defend a dissertation in order to qualify for a doctorate. It typically takes six years, particularly for students who want to compete for academic positions, to complete the program, according to university faculty.
Learn more about the University of Texas—Austin .
Joe Angeles | WUSTL Photo
- 10 (tie). Washington University in St. Louis
Location: St. Louis
Key facts about the program: This clinical science training program is accredited by the American Psychological Association and the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System, according to the program website. Students sometimes specialize in neuropsychology, clinical aging or health psychology. "Our students do not need to choose whether they will be scientists or practitioners; they must see these activities as being inherently intertwined, and they must be able to function in both roles," the program website states.
Learn more about Washington University in St. Louis .
University of Pennsylvania | University Communications
- 8 (tie). University of Pennsylvania
Peer reputation score (scale of 1-5) : 4.4
Key facts about the program: This program is tailored to the needs of aspiring clinical researchers, according to the program website. "Clinical training (in assessment, diagnosis and psychotherapy) is seen as an integral part of the education of highly qualified, creative clinical scientists," the website states, adding that "the principal goal of Penn clinical students is to become expert psychological scientists, not simply expert clinicians, and the program is designed to support that goal."
Learn more about the University of Pennsylvania .
University of Pittsburgh |
- 8 (tie). University of Pittsburgh
Location: Pittsburgh
Key facts about the program: The mission of this program is to prepare future research scientists to conduct groundbreaking research on mental health issues and to advance understanding of those issues, according to the university. "Program faculty members include presidents of national organizations, journal editors, and members of federal grant review committees," the program website states. "Faculty research funding was several million dollars for the past year, which supports extensive laboratory facilities."
Learn more about the University of Pittsburgh .
University Relations Department, University of Minnesota Crookston |
- 5 (tie). University of Minnesota—Twin Cities
Location: Minneapolis
Peer reputation score (scale of 1-5) : 4.5
Key facts about the program: According to the university, the Clinical Science and Psychopathology Research program's faculty particularly excel in personality and behavioral genetic research, as well as research into psychological disorders. The program's faculty conduct psychological experiments and epidemiological studies. "Our program is designed to train students who wish to become academic clinical psychologists or research scientists, although of course graduates will also find themselves well-prepared for various careers as clinicians or more applied researchers," the university website states.
Learn more about the University of Minnesota—Twin Cities .
Dennis Wise | University of Washington
- 5 (tie). University of Washington
Location: Seattle
Key facts about the program: A goal of the Ph.D. program in clinical psychology is to prepare students to become excellent researchers who can discover new information about mental health conditions and potential treatments, according to the university website. "Our training program is primarily an apprenticeship for a career that will encompass making significant contributions to scientific clinical psychology," the university website states. "The program is not appropriate for those interested solely in clinical practice and not in research."
Learn more about the University of Washington .
Bryce Richter | UW-Madison
- 5 (tie). University of Wisconsin—Madison
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Key facts about the program: Because this program involves mentorships between faculty and students, one of its admissions criteria is the alignment of student and faculty research interests, according to the university website. Most students selected for the program majored in psychology, but some have majors in other related academic disciplines. The university encourages prospective clinical psychology students to conduct research on the school's faculty in this field.
Learn more about the University of Wisconsin—Madison .
Stony Brook University |
- 3 (tie). Stony Brook University—SUNY
Location: Stony Brook, New York
Peer reputation score (scale of 1-5) : 4.6
Key facts about the program: This Ph.D. program in clinical psychology is most appropriate for students interested in either a research or academic career, according to the Stony Brook University website. The program historically placed a heavy emphasis on behavioral psychology, but it has evolved to embrace a broader array of psychological perspectives while still providing a strong foundation in behavioral psychology. The program is designed to teach students how to take an empirical approach to the practice of psychology, according to the university.
Learn more about Stony Brook University .
Steve McConnell | UC Berkeley Public Affairs
- 3 (tie). University of California—Berkeley
Location: Berkeley, California
Key facts about the program: Doctoral students are matched with a faculty mentor at the beginning of their first year, and that person oversees the student's research, according to the university. The psychology clinical science program involves a combination of research and "hands-on clinical experience," according to the program website. It includes a one-year clinical internship. Berkeley's program is a member of the Academy of Psychological Clinical Science, a coalition of doctoral programs that is focused on advancing clinical science.
Learn more about the University of California—Berkeley .
Dan Sears UNC-Chapel Hill |
- 2. University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Peer reputation score (scale of 1-5) : 4.7
Key facts about the program: Students in this program have a choice between two tracks, one focused on adult mental health and the other on the mental well-being of children and families. "We emphasize training in clinically-informed research and evidence-based clinical work and recognize that students have varying career aspirations that may evolve over the course of graduate training," the program website states.
Learn more about the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill .
- 1. University of California—Los Angeles
Location: Los Angeles
Peer reputation score (scale of 1-5) : 4.8
Key facts about the program: This is a six-year, full-time-only Ph.D. program. UCLA's psychology department does not offer separate M.A. or Psy.D. programs. The Ph.D. course of study includes a full-time, one-year internship. The Ph.D. program's mission is to train influential experts in the field of clinical psychology.
Learn more about the University of California—Los Angeles .
Learn more about top graduate schools.
Find out what you can do with a psychology degree , and check out all of the 2021 Best Graduate Schools rankings to find the right program for you. Stay up to date on education news by following U.S. News Education on Facebook , Twitter and LinkedIn .
(Christa Renee | Getty Images)
Explore the highest-ranked clinical psychology doctoral programs.
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