Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (PsyD)

Pepperdine University GSEP does not offer full scholarships. You can read more about the available opportunities for new students here. Pepperdine University GSEP also offers graduate assistance, teaching assistance, and research assistance opportunities. GSEP does not provide tuition reimbursements.

Promoting Mental Health and Serving Society

The doctoral program in clinical psychology employs the practitioner-scholar model of professional training and prepares students to become licensed clinical psychologists, serving the community through applied clinical practice. It is accredited by the American Psychological Association. For further information about the accreditation status of this or any other psychology doctoral program, please contact the APA Office of Consultation and Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 First Street NE, Washington, D.C. 20002-4242, Phone: (202) 336-5979.

Program Overview

Through clinically relevant courses, clinical training, and applied scholarship, students develop a foundation of knowledge, skills, and values leading to meaningful careers as psychologists. The program curriculum is built upon the foundation of psychology as a science and offers comprehensive exposure to evidence-based assessment and treatment. Clinical training commences in one of four university community-based clinics and prestigious training institutions and medical centers throughout Southern California. Students participate in applied scholarship communities, conducting dissertation research with an emphasis on clinical application and sensitivity to multicultural contexts and individual differences.

Program Benefits

• Small class sizes provide a supportive learning environment with meaningful interactions between faculty and students
• Curriculum and course pedagogy link theory to clinical practice
• Dedicated assistance to help students secure internships
• Nationally ranked university, prestigious program, and expert faculty
• Dissertation research is completed within Applied Scholarship Communities, which provide close faculty mentorship and collaboration with peers and alumni
• Students receive the preparation needed to become licensed clinical psychologists

Key Facts

• Program Length / Units: 4 years / 82 units
• Unit Cost: $1,550
• Start Term: Fall
• Campus Location: West Los Angeles (Please note that your campus of choice cannot be guaranteed. Campus offerings are contingent upon availability and subject to change.)

Application Deadlines:

We are no longer accepting applications for Fall 2018 to this highly competitive program.

Fall 2019 application deadline: January 7, 2019

Note: A Master's degree in psychology is required to apply for the PsyD program. You can get started on your Master's degree by applying for the Fall 2018 Master of Arts in Psychology or Flexible Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Marriage & Family Therapy (Evening format). Both MA programs do not require a GRE.

Admission Requirements:

Applicants for the PsyD program must possess a master's degree in psychology or a closely related field that reflects a graduate-level foundation of knowledge in the following domains: biological aspects of behavior, cognitive and affective aspects of behavior, social aspects of behavior; psychological measurement, research methodology, and techniques of data analysis.

The PsyD Admissions Committee takes into consideration the breadth and depth of an applicant's foundation of general knowledge of psychology, and clinical and research experience in granting admission. Scores of the GRE, in addition to a review of undergraduate and graduate transcripts, provide an assessment of an applicant's general knowledge. The average undergraduate grade point average for students in the 2008-2012 entering classes was 3.36. The profession of clinical psychology requires individual and interpersonal competencies in addition to academic preparation. Interpersonal attributes and skills are therefore taken into consideration in assessing an individual's qualification for admission.

In an effort to process your application quickly, we only accept electronic application materials.

To apply for this program, please submit:

• Your application for admission with a nonrefundable processing fee, which includes a Clinical and Research Experience form.
• Official student transcripts from the accredited colleges or universities that awarded your baccalaureate and master's degrees via one of the following approved companies:
  • National Student Clearinghouse
  • Parchment
  • eSCRIP-SAFE
  • Please request all transcripts to be sent to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.
• Two recommendations using this Recommendation Form. If possible, one should be from a college professor familiar with your academic performance and one from a clinical supervisor familiar with your clinical skills. Your recommenders should email the completed forms to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.
• A 3-10 page Statement of Purpose describing your current interest in psychology, factors in your past that led to this interest, reasons for applying to this program, and professional plans ten years after graduating, emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.
• Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (General Test only), taken within the last five years. Please note: beginning with the 2019-2020 academic year, the GRE Psychology Subject Test is no longer required. Note that the GRE is given year-round in most locations, however not all test centers are open on all test dates.
• A brief résumé of professional experience both inside and outside the field of psychology (include current professional activities) emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.
• (Optional) If you're seeking an exception to our TOEFL test requirement, please fill out our Exception Request Form and email it to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.
• (Optional) Course descriptions of your master's degree courses to assist the PsyD Admissions Committee in assessing the breadth and depth of your academic preparation emailed to gsep-admissions@pepperdine.edu.

After the initial screening of the applications, the remaining candidates will be invited for interviews by the PsyD Admissions Committee. Special arrangements for telephone interviews may be made for applicants who reside outside the Southern California area. The committee bases its decisions on an entire mosaic of requirements rather than on any single factor. Students completing their master's degree at Pepperdine University should not assume automatic admission into the doctoral program.