Consistently ranked among the best in the nation, this clinical science program emphasizes the integration of research and practice in training, activities and experience, bringing together the rich scholarly resources and offerings of a Department of Psychology located in a College of Sciences (SDSU) and a Department of Psychiatry located in a School of Medicine (UC San Diego).

Students are actively involved in clinical research activities throughout their stay in the program. We regard the development of research skills and attitudes as a basic feature in the training of clinical psychologists who will have duties encompassing teaching, research, diagnosis, treatment, consultation, and program evaluation and design, and who will need to apply research skills and knowledge to varied content areas and settings.

Major Areas of Study

Phenomenal Practicum Placements

All students complete their first clinical practicum at the SDSU Psychology Clinic and then also complete a year at one of broad array of sites around sunny San Diego. Clinical activities, integrated with more formal instruction at all levels, increase in responsibility and independence in the later years of the program as students acquire greater clinical proficiency.

 

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion

San Diego State University is designated as an Hispanic-Serving Institution and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. Research projects and clinical practicum sites for the doctoral program provide opportunities to work with and on behalf of diverse populations.

The program's Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Committee was initiated in 2019 as a student-led collaborative committee focused on diversifying the field of clinical psychology, improving culture-specific student training, and developing community outreach programs. For the JEDI Committee, diversity is broadly defined and includes identification by race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, ability/disability, religion, language, socioeconomic status, immigration status and age.

Research Excellence

Our doctoral students regularly publish articles as first-authors in prestigious journals. Below is a list of some recent student publications.