{"id":112069,"date":"2021-01-06T09:48:15","date_gmt":"2021-01-06T15:48:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/?p=112069"},"modified":"2025-08-22T11:08:04","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T16:08:04","slug":"how-to-become-a-clinical-psychologist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thechicagoschool.edu\/insight\/career-development\/how-to-become-a-clinical-psychologist\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Become a Clinical Psychologist"},"content":{"rendered":"

Psychology involves the study of the human experience, specifically with respect to the human brain, memory, consciousness, language, personality, mental health, and more.<\/p>\n

As a result, psychology is often segmented to focus on different areas\u2014such as developmental psychology, educational psychology, cognitive psychology, counseling psychology, clinical psychology, and others.<\/p>\n

Those who study clinical psychology may start their journey by applying to The Chicago School\u2019s American Psychological Association (<\/span>APA<\/span><\/a>) accredited <\/span>Psy.D. Clinical Psychology<\/span><\/a> program. With five campuses spread across the United States, students can pursue the career path of becoming a clinical psychologist with their doctorate in clinical Psychology, one that trains students through practical evaluation, critical analysis, case studies and invaluable internships.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is clinical psychology?<\/h3>\n

Clinical psychology in particular deals with the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases that are concerned with the brain, emotional instability, and behavioral problems.<\/p>\n

Clinical psychologists use various approaches in their treatment, such as the psychodynamic approach<\/a>, humanistic perspective<\/a>, cognitive-behavioral perspective<\/a>, and more.<\/p>\n

Learn more about what clinical psychology entails here.<\/a><\/p>\n

How long does it take to become a clinical psychologist?<\/h3>\n

To become a clinical psychologist, it will take eight to 13 years of schooling before you are certified and practicing\u2014four to six years in college for undergraduate programs, and four to seven years of graduate school for a doctoral degree in clinical psychology.<\/a><\/p>\n

How to become a clinical psychologist<\/h3>\n

To be a professional in the field of clinical psychology, there are some clear steps you need to follow.<\/p>\n

Step 1: Complete a doctoral degree in clinical psychology<\/h4>\n

The first step in becoming a clinical psychologist is to complete a doctoral degree in clinical psychology<\/a>. This level of education\u2014either Ph.D. or Psy.D.<\/a>\u2014is often a necessary requirement to becoming certified.<\/p>\n

It is vital to research which schools are offering this course of study as well as other necessary program and application information. Then you can apply for the clinical psychology program that is best suited to your needs and interests. This could mean choosing a program based on location, length of the program, or offered specialties.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that you must have completed a bachelor\u2019s or master\u2019s degree prior to pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology<\/a>. While these precursor degree programs do not necessarily need to be in psychology-specific fields, there should be demonstrated interest in the field before applying for a doctorate.<\/p>\n

Some doctorate programs in clinical psychology will accept students with a bachelor\u2019s degree; others may require a master\u2019s degree in psychology or a related field.<\/p>\n

Some schools offer master\u2019s in clinical psychology programs<\/a>; however, these may not necessarily qualify you to become a practicing clinical psychologist upon graduation. For licensure, a doctorate is required.<\/p>\n

The Chicago School\u2019s Psy.D. Clinical Psychology program requires students to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. This doctoral program is accredited and leads to licensure, depending on the campus and state in which you wish to practice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 2: Complete clinical fieldwork and training<\/h4>\n

Practicums, internships, and other field training is an integral part of becoming a certified clinical psychologist. State licensures are usually dependent on the number of hours of field experience you have as a clinical psychologist.<\/p>\n

To achieve this, you\u2019ll work closely with a clinical psychology professional, learn how they work directly with counseling patients, and create appropriate treatment plans. You\u2019ll also collaborate with physicians and other healthcare professionals.<\/p>\n

Before you graduate from your master\u2019s program, you may have already been required to complete some hours of clinical fieldwork. But depending on your area, these hours may or may not be counted toward a person\u2019s requirement for practicum hours in your state.<\/p>\n

Step 3: Apply for clinical psychology licensure in your practicing state<\/h4>\n

A degree does not qualify you as an official clinical psychologist. In order to practice, you must first achieve licensure and certifications depending on the requirements of the state in which you wish to practice.<\/p>\n

Research the requirements to become certified in the state you live in and get the necessary documents in order. The requirements for most states include:<\/p>\n