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Best Clinical Psychology Grad Programs in California (CA)

Find the best online and campus clinical psychology programs in California and learn how they can start you on your path to a rewarding career in behavioral and mental health.

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This guide provides a comprehensive overview of graduate-level clinical psychology degree and certificate programs offered throughout California, whether you’re interested in conducting research in Los Angeles or working with clients in San Jose. You’ll find valuable information on the various types of degrees and certificates available at both public and private universities, along with our top school recommendations. In addition, you’ll gain insight into online clinical psychology programs, the significance of program accreditation, sources for funding your education, and much more. Read on to begin your journey towards obtaining a high-quality clinical psychology credential in California and embark on a fulfilling career in the realm of mental and behavioral health.

2024 Rankings: Best Clinical Psychology Programs in California

Here are three of the leading institutions in California that provide clinical psychology programs. Our choices are based on several vital program features, such as accreditation, affordability, comprehensive curriculum, flexible course options, and access to faculty and student support services. Understanding what the finest programs provide will help you identify a quality program. These highlights also provide a sneak peek of our upcoming complete rankings of California clinical psychology programs, so remember to revisit to learn more.

1

Alliant International University (AIU)

AIU is a private university with its main campus in San Diego and several satellite campuses throughout the state. AIU offers several options for students interested in clinical psychology, most notably two doctoral degree programs. The PhD in Clinical Psychology is designed for students seeking a career focused primarily on research or academics. The program is available on four California AIU campuses: Fresno, Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco. AIU’s PsyD in clinical psychology prepares graduates for careers in direct clinical practice. The PsyD program is available on five AIU campuses in the state: Fresno, Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and San Francisco. Each campus offers its own unique selection of emphasis areas within its PhD and PsyD programs that allow students to further tailor their studies to meet their own professional interests. All AIU clinical psychology programs are accredited by the American Psychological Association and prepare graduates for professional licensure in California and most other states.

Additional clinical psychology degrees in California include a postdoctoral MS in Clinical Psychopharmacology that qualifies licensed psychologists to prescribe psychotropic medications in state and federal jurisdictions where they have prescriptive authority. AIU also offers a Doctoral Respecialization Certificate in Clinical Psychology for individuals with a doctorate in another area of psychology seeking to respecialize in clinical psychology and become license-eligible psychologists. Both the MS and certificate programs are available online.

2

California Lutheran University

Cal Lutheran offers two graduate clinical psychology programs in California, starting with its Master of Science of Clinical Psychology. The MS program emphasizes practical research and clinical skills to prepare graduates for direct employment related to program evaluation or measurement of clinical outcomes in healthcare settings. This clinical psychology degree in California is also designed for students intending to continue their studies to earn a doctorate in clinical psychology or a closely related field. The 37- to 40-credit program is available on Cal Lutheran’s campuses in Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, and Westlake Village. Both full-time and part-time formats are available and the entire program can be completed in two to three years.

Also located on the Oxnard campus, Cal Lutheran’s APA-accredited PsyD in Clinical Psychology program combines academic coursework with comprehensive, hands-on clinical training to provide students with the practice and research skills needed to succeed in careers as licensed clinical psychologists. Clinical training in the program is comprised of three components: an internal practicum completed at one of two university-operated clinics (Oxnard and Westlake Village) that provide low-cost counseling services to patients in their communities; an external practicum in which students work with professionals in the field at community partner facilities; and a one-year, full-time or two-year, part-time internship. Among the best clinical psychology programs in California, this 114-credit program is typically completed in five years.

3

University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA)

UCLA’s PhD in Clinical Psychology is designed to produce graduates who influence practice, research, and policy development as leaders in the clinical psychology field. The program is six years in length and includes academic coursework, four-and-a-half years of part-time practical placements in the university’s Psychology Clinic or other local agencies, and a one-year, full-time internship. The program culminates with a dissertation presentation and defense. This PhD in clinical psychology program in California is accredited by both the APA and the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS).

To be eligible for admission, applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. Although a psychology major is not mandatory, a robust background in psychology coursework, including lab courses and classes in research and statistical analysis, is preferred. GRE Psychology Subject Test scores are required. Admission to the program is extremely competitive, with academic performance, formal coursework in psychology, and research experiences and interests serving as the basis for selection. Program costs are consistent with those of comparable programs at other public universities. This program is among California’s premier clinical psychology programs, and it aims to offer some form of financial aid to all students, such as stipends, fellowships, training grants, or program-related employment.

California’s Top Online Clinical Psychology Programs in 2024

Due to the requirement for face-to-face interaction between the therapist and patient in clinical psychology practice, only a handful of clinical psychology programs in California offer online coursework. Furthermore, clinical psychology degree programs usually mandate a substantial number of supervised professional practice hours that must be completed in-person and are necessary to obtain a license as a professional counselor (LPC), marriage and family therapist (LMFT), or psychologist in California.

Students who choose one of the few available online clinical psychology programs in California will complete all or part of their coursework online, supplemented by in-person clinical training experiences such as practicums and internships. Most programs also require students to attend one or more face-to-face residencies (such as orientations, seminars, conferences, etc.) on the school’s campus or other designated locations.

To learn more about the best clinical psychology graduate degree programs available online in California, browse our rankings list below.

About the ranking

College Ranking Methodology

Generate List of Eligible Schools and Programs

To be eligible for this ranking, schools were required to meet the following criteria based on government data provided by The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS).

  • Institutional accreditation from an organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
  • At least one program in the subject area offered partially or fully online.

Assign Weightings

After generating the list of eligible schools, the STEPS data team then assigned weights and ranked schools based on their performance in a variety of key categories. Affordability metrics received the heaviest weightings.

Online Learning

  • Number of online programs in subject area self-reported by school to the U.S. Department of Education.
  • Percentage of graduate students at the school taking at least one class online

Affordability

  • Relative cost of attendance compared to peer schools on the list. Based on in-state tuition for undergraduates per academic year.

Academic Quality

  • Student-to-faculty ratio: Schools with lower ratios ranked higher.
  • Percentage of students admitted. More selective schools ranked higher.

About Our Data

All STEPS rankings use the latest official data available from The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Most recent data pull: August 2023

Accreditation Glossary

ABHE: Association for Biblical Higher Education, Commission on Accreditation

ABHES: Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools

ACCJC: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges

ACCSC: Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges

DEAC: Distance Education Accrediting Commission

HLC: Higher Learning Commission

MSCHE: Middle States Commission on Higher Education

NECHE: New England Commission of Higher Education

NWCCU: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

SACSCOC: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

TRACS: Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Accreditation Commission

WSCUC: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

1

Fielding Graduate University

Santa Barbara, California

Fielding Graduate University offers a fully online PhD program in Clinical Psychology, so students can remain connected to their communities. In addition to the core course requirements, you will be completing over 600 residency hours under the supervision of the Fieldling faculty. Conveniently, you will be working in a facility local to you. You will also complete a doctoral dissertation and have the option to further specialize in forensic psychology, neuropsychology, social justice and diversity, or health psychology. However, keep in mind that students who choose to specialize will have additional original research requirements. Prospective students should have at least an undergraduate GPA of 3.0, and applications must be accompanied by three recommendation letters.

Program Highlights:

PhD in Clinical Psychology

  • Credits: 179
  • Length: 5-6 Years
  • Cost: $9,890/term
  • Mode: Online
  • Accreditation: American Psychological Association (APA)
Academic Counseling Yes
Career Placement Implied no
Student-to-Faculty Ratio N/A
Tuition (In-State) $$
Accreditation WSCUC
Online Students 96%

2

Saybrook University

Pasadena, California

At Saybrook University, the fully online (with a residential experience at their California campus) PhD program in Clinical Psychology can be completed in as few as five years of full-time study. Once you are enrolled, you will be studying foundational graduate-level psychology in preparation for a career in clinical settings. Students may declare a specialization in the offered concentrations like Jungian Studies, Creativity Studies, and Complex Trauma the Healing Process. There are additional courses required for those entering the program without a prior master's degree, and students in the process of writing their dissertations will pay a different tuition rate than those enrolled in the coursework portion of their degree.

Program Highlights:

Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology

  • Credits: 100-109
  • Length: 5 Years
  • Cost: Varies
  • Mode: Online
  • Accreditation: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
Academic Counseling Yes
Career Placement Implied no
Student-to-Faculty Ratio N/A
Tuition (In-State) $$$
Accreditation WSCUC
Online Students 100%

3

Meridian University

Petaluma, California

Meridian University offers a doctorate in psychology through their graduate clinical psychology program. You can complete the 108-credit program in 3-4 year, either in person or through online learning. However, the online degree may still require some travel to their California campus. This program is designed to prepare you for a patient-focused career in psychology, whether as a licensed psychologist working with patients one-on-one, a marriage and family therapist, or any other form of practice. This program meets the education credentials required of all psychology and counseling licensure programs by The State of California's psychology and counseling licensure programs have an education requirement which this program fulfills, although it does not include the clinical hours which may be needed for licensure. Prospective students have the opportunity to apply every quarter, and financial aid may be available.

Program Highlights:

PsyD in Clinical Psychology

  • Credits: 108
  • Length: 3-4 Years
  • Cost: $676/credit
  • Mode: Online, Hybrid
  • Accreditation: Accrediting Commission, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Academic Counseling Yes
Career Placement Implied no
Student-to-Faculty Ratio N/A
Tuition (In-State) $$$
Accreditation WSCUC
Online Students 100%
Academic Counseling Yes
Career Placement Yes
Student-to-Faculty Ratio 5:1
Tuition (In-State) $$$
Accreditation WSCUC
Online Students 90%

5

Pepperdine University

Malibu, California

Academic Counseling Yes
Career Placement Yes
Student-to-Faculty Ratio 13:1
Tuition (In-State) $$$$
Accreditation WSCUC
Online Students 53%

Spotlighting Online CA Clinical Psychology Degrees

1

Pepperdine University

Pepperdine University is a private research university affiliated with the Church of Christ. Through its Graduate School of Education and Psychology located in West Lost Angeles, Pepperdine offers an online MA in Clinical Psychology that prepares students for licensure and careers as LPCs and LMFTs. The course includes online academic coursework and four terms of clinical practicums in which students receive supervised clinical training at an approved site in or near their local communities. The program is designed to ensure that graduates have met all academic requirements for California’s LPC and LMFT licensure examinations. It also prepares students for LPC and/or LMFT licensure in several other states. (See the full state list on the program’s webpage.) The entire clinical psychology program in California can be completed in as few as 27 months.

Admission into the MA in Clinical Psychology program requires a previously earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution. Other application requirements for this clinical psychology degree in California include two letters of recommendation and a two- to five-page statement of purpose. GRE scores are not required. Students must reside in the United States upon application to and throughout the duration of the MA program. Cohorts begin each winter, spring, summer, and fall.

Types of Clinical Psychology Grad Degrees in California

California colleges and universities offer several types of graduate-level clinical psychology programs, each designed to prepare graduates for specific psychology careers and each with its own set of admissions and graduation requirements. Keep reading to find descriptions of these clinical psychology credentials along with examples of California programs currently available for each:

Clinical Psychology Master’s Degree Programs in California

Earning a master’s in clinical psychology from a regionally accredited California college or university (and completing the clinical training hours required for licensing) qualifies graduates to sit for the state exams to become LPCs or LMFTs. Along with private practice, clinical psychology master’s graduates are prepared to work as therapists and counselors in a wide range of settings, including schools, government facilities, hospitals, mental health clinics, substance abuse programs, and residential health centers. Students intending to apply for the best clinical psychology PsyD and PhD programs in California and elsewhere often earn a clinical psychology master’s to become more competitive candidates.

Examples of Accredited California Universities with This Clinical Psychology Program

California State University Fullerton

  • City: Fullerton
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school)

California State University Northridge

  • City: Northridge
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school)

San Francisco State University

  • City: San Francisco
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school)

San Jose State University

  • City: San Jose
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school)

San Francisco State University

  • City: Costa Mesa
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school)

Clinical Psychology PsyD Programs in California

Introduced in the 1970s, the Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree was developed to provide a practice-oriented doctorate alternative to the more research-focused PhD in psychology. The curricula of clinical psychology PsyD programs, therefore, are built around coursework in evidence-based applied psychology and clinical training designed to prepare graduates for direct practice with patients. PsyD programs culminate with a dissertation or doctoral project that addresses a specific applied clinical topic or problem. PsyD programs typically accept more students, and therefore are somewhat easier to be admitted into, than PhD in psychology programs. Most clinical psychology PsyD students complete their programs in four to five years.

Examples of Accredited California Universities with This Clinical Psychology Program

Azusa Pacific University

  • City: Azusa
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school); APA (program)

California State University Northridge

  • City: Los Angeles
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school); APA (program)

San Francisco State University

  • City: La Verne
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school); APA (program)

San Jose State University

  • City: San Francisco
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school); APA (program)

San Francisco State University

  • City: Berkeley
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school); APA (program)

Clinical Psychology PhD Programs in California

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in clinical psychology programs in California offer research-focused curricula that integrate scientific and psychological theory, experimentation and data analysis, coursework in applied psychology, and clinical training practice. The PhD in clinical psychology degree is the ideal choice for graduates intending top-level careers in research and academia. However, many PhD graduates also establish successful careers as clinical practitioners working directly with patients. Admission requirements for the best clinical psychology PhD programs in California are usually more rigorous, and acceptance into PhD programs more competitive, than for PsyD programs. Program lengths generally run five to seven years including all coursework, dissertation preparation and presentation, and completion of substantial clinical training requirements.

Examples of Accredited California Universities with This Clinical Psychology Program

Loma Linda University

  • City: Loma Linda
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school); APA (program)

Palo Alto University

  • City: Palo Alto
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school); APA (program)

San Diego State University/University of California San Diego (Joint Degree)

  • City: San Diego
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school); APA (program)

University of California Berkeley

  • City: Berkeley
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school); APA (program); PCSAS (program)

University of Southern California

  • City: Los Angeles
  • Delivery: On-Campus
  • Accreditation: WASC (school); APA (program); PCSAS (program)

Graduate Certificate Programs in California

Currently only a few clinical psychology graduate-level certificate programs are available in California, including the two listed below. The most common type of clinical psychology certificate offered is the doctoral respecialization certificate. Respecialization certificate programs offer psychology doctoral degree holders the most efficient means for obtaining the necessary education and clinical training (practicum/internship) hours needed to meet the requirements for state licensure to become licensed psychologists. Students intending to apply to a clinical doctoral degree program and seeking to increase their chances for admission into such a program may want to consider a post-baccalaureate clinical psychology certificate program.

Examples of Accredited California Universities with This Clinical Psychology Program

Alliant International University

  • City: San Diego (main campus)
  • Delivery: Online
  • Accreditation: WASC (school)

Fielding Graduate Institute

  • City: Santa Barbara
  • Delivery: Online (Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Clinical Psychology); Hybrid (Post-Doctoral Certificate in Clinical Psychology)
  • Accreditation: WASC (school)

Accreditation for Clinical Psychology Programs in California

Accreditation is the process by which postsecondary education programs–and the schools that offer them–are determined to meet specific standards of academic quality. Proper accreditation is how you can be sure that the clinical psychology degree or certificate program in California that you choose is worth your time and money. There are two types of accreditation to look for in your search of the best clinical psychology programs in California: institutional and programmatic. Institutional accreditation concerns the vetting of a school’s academic quality as a whole. It is an absolute must for any school offering a graduate-level clinical psychology program. This is especially true for master’s programs because clinical psychology master’s programs in the U.S. are not programmatically accredited. Institutional accreditation of California colleges and universities is administered primarily by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

Programmatic accreditation refers to the vetting of specific degree programs. The primary accrediting body of clinical psychology PsyD and PhD programs in the U.S. is the APA. In addition, a small but growing number of clinical psychology PhD programs in California are accredited by the PCSAS. Consider only those clinical psychology doctoral degree programs that are APA and/or PCSAS accredited.

You can check the accreditation status of clinical psychology programs by using these WASC, APA, and PCSAS search engines.

Financial Aid for Clinical Psychology Grad Students in California

Paying for a clinical psychology degree or certificate program in California is a major issue for almost every college student. Fortunately, most clinical psychology grad students in California have access to several potential financial aid resources. The biggest source includes scholarships and grants, assistantships and fellowships, and student loans (particularly federal student loans). Clinical psychology programs and the psychology departments that offer them often have dedicated funding opportunities specifically for their students. Examples include UCLA and the San Diego State University/University of California San Diego Joint Degree programs.

Contact the financial aid office of each clinical psychology program and school in California that you’re considering to find out about specific financial aid opportunities. And be sure to visit the STEPS scholarships guide and financial aid guide to learn more about ways to fund your education at the best clinical psychology programs in California.