The doctorate in clinical psychology is a part of the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences

Clinical psychology sessions take place in the BGSU Psychological Services Center (PSC) on our Ohio campus.
  • Doctorate Available
  • Doctorate Available

Doctorate in

Clinical Psychology

The BGSU doctorate in clinical psychology is a combined master’s and doctoral degree program with a 100 percent placement matching record for students applying in the past five years.  

The program prepares you for both clinical and research work. Mentored research experiences, coursework and clinical training are combined to form a coherent program of study that will provide you with the skills needed to contribute meaningfully to the science and practice of psychology. 

Advance your career

In our training program, we stress the importance of sensitivity to individual differences and human diversity as essential to the discipline of psychology. 

We prepare graduates for careers as scientist-practitioners in a variety of settings including medical centers, community mental health centers, hospitals, research centers, private practices, colleges and universities.  

You are encouraged to pursue life-long learning to foster personal and professional development. Please note: students typically meet the requirements for the master's degree en route to the doctorate. We typically do not admit students only seeking a master's degree.

The American Psychological Association has accredited the BGSU Doctorate in Clinical Psychology since 1971.

Stand Out in courses

  • Psychological Assessment
  • Clinical Intervention Theories
  • Basic Clinical Skills Practicum
  • Clinical Child Psychology
  • Behavioral Medicine
  • Community Psychology
  • Research Methods

BGSU has one of Ohio’s most active psychology research programs.

Curriculum

Training within the context of the scientist-practitioner model allows you to take courses that reflect the breadth and depth of psychology and obtain foundational knowledge relevant to clinical psychology. You will also gain discipline-specific knowledge and professional-wide competencies.

During the first two years of the program, you will complete core courses in clinical psychology. You will then take advanced-level courses and specialized seminars consistent with your developing interests during the last two years. You may also complete a residence at our Psychological Services Center on campus.

In your fifth year, you will complete a required one-year internship at an off-campus facility or practice. This period of intensive clinical training is usually completed at an APA-approved facility. Students from our program compete very favorably at well-respected training centers throughout the United States. Our students often select medical schools, community mental health centers, Veterans Affairs installations, university counseling centers, private hospitals, military medical centers, prisons and state hospitals to complete their internships.

GO FAR in your career

  • School Psychologist
  • VA Psychologist
  • Behavioral Health Consultant
  • Organizational Psychologist 
  • Research Psychologist
  • Clinical Psychologist

Research

Your research training will go hand-in-hand with your developing clinical psychology interests and progression through the course sequence. During the first year, all clinical students enroll in a survey course and join faculty-student research groups. ​​These activities, along with regular meetings with an advisor, prepare you to develop your own program of research.

Formal research requirements include: 1) Complete a master's level research project; 2) Complete a post-master’s research project or an examination in your area of research specialization; and 3) Complete a doctoral dissertation.

Psychological Services Center (PSC) 

The Psychological Services Center (PSC) is our on-campus practicum and training facility. It is a crucial component of the mental health network in northwest Ohio and provides you with hands-on experience. The Center draws clients from agencies in northwest Ohio, including referrals from human services and health departments, law enforcement agencies and the juvenile justice system, domestic relations courts, physicians, rehabilitation facilities, clergy, schools and mental health agencies.

The Center also provides indirect services consistent with a community psychology model, such as educational programs and consultations with community agencies.

Career

Increased focus on mental health means clinical psychologists are in great demand, both within clinical practice and in allied careers.

This doctoral program will train you to work in various settings (e.g., academic centers, clinics, school systems, business or governmental organizations) where there are many opportunities for a fulfilling and well-rewarded career in clinical psychology. 

Placement Objectives for Clinical Psychology Graduates

In a survey of BGSU students who received their doctorate in clinical psychology from 1995 to 2000, we found that 100 percent of these alumni obtained jobs in the field of psychology. Thirty-six percent obtained employment in academia, 24 percent in the industrial-business sector, 14 percent in purely clinical positions, 14 percent in clinical-research settings and 12 percent in purely research positions.

BGSU’s doctorate of clinical psychology program has a 100 percent placement internship matching record for five consecutive years.

BGSU clinical psychology graduate students present post-master’s level research posters on our Ohio campus.

BGSU Arts and Sciences white

The doctorate in clinical psychology is a part of the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences

Licensing Eligibility

As of August 2021, our research indicates that the clinical program curriculum contains all of the elements needed for licensing in 45 out of the 50 United States of America. Listed below is information about licensing in the 5 states that have additional coursework and/or experiential training requirements. Many of these requirements can be accomplished within the clinical program by taking specialized courses and/or pursuing additional training experiences. The licensing laws of states are continuously evolving, so it is important for you to routinely check for any changes in licensing laws that may occur during your studies.

See the additional Clinical Psychology licensing requirements for California, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey and New York.

Accreditation

Bowling Green State University [BGSU] is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.  BGSU has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since 01/01/1916. The most recent reaffirmation of accreditation was received in 2012 - 2013. Questions should be directed to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.

The Developmental Psychology program, Industrial/Organizational Psychology program and Experimental Psychology (Neural & Cognitive Sciences) program will go through Program/Cluster Review during the Academic Year 2020/21.

Our doctoral program in clinical psychology has been continuously accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1971.

More information on accreditation

Professional Licensure

Bowling Green State University programs leading to licensure, certification and/or endorsement, whether delivered online, face-to-face or in a blended format, satisfy the academic requirements for those credentials set forth by the State of Ohio.

Requirements for licensure, certification and/or endorsement eligibility vary greatly from one profession to another and from state to state. The Clinical Psychology, Ph.D. program requires professional licensure.

Requirements for licensure, certification and/or endorsement eligibility vary greatly from one profession to another and from state to state. The Developmental Psychology program, Industrial/Organizational Psychology program and Experimental Psychology (Neural & Cognitive Sciences) program do not lead to professional licensure.

Gainful Employment

Under the Higher Education Act Title IV disclosure requirements, an institution must provide current and prospective students with information about each of its programs that prepares students for gainful employment in a recognized occupation.

The clinical psychology doctoral program is a recognized occupation that requires a Gainful Employment disclosure.



* Job placement and salary information was compiled by the Office of Academic Assessment through the Graduation Survey from AY2015-2018. The data are gathered around the time of Commencement and a follow-up survey six months post Commencement. For the salary question, data for programs with fewer than fifteen responses are not included. Salaries for those programs are from the National Association of Colleges and Employers Summer 2019 Survey. For questions regarding the data, contact assessment@bgsu.edu.

Updated: 10/20/2023 09:45AM