How to Become a Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Choosing to pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology is both an academic and personal journey. It's a commitment to understanding the depths of the human psyche and facilitating profound personal transformation. Whether you are motivated by a desire to help others heal, explore the unconscious dimensions of human experience, or develop integrative treatment approaches tailored to each individual's unique lived experience, earning a Doctor of Psychology can help you turn your passions into practice.

At California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS), the Doctor of Clinical Psychology program offers an integral, holistic approach grounded in depth psychology, transpersonal and social justice. The program emphasizes making the unconscious conscious as a pathway to personal development and expansion. Through this focus on individual transformation—which naturally extends to collective transformation—students learn to create treatment models uniquely suited to each client's life story and inner world. Faculty at CIIS are committed to fostering a creative, inclusive, and transformative environment. Through a balance of theoretical study, practicum experience, and personal growth, CIIS prepares students to be resourceful and integrative clinical psychologists after graduation. 

Admissions and Requirements

The first step in pursuing licensure as a clinical psychologist is to complete a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. While some doctoral programs require an undergraduate major in psychology, a background in psychology is not required for admission to the CIIS Doctor of Clinical Psychology program. Additionally, CIIS does not require a master’s degree to apply to the doctoral program.

At CIIS, we seek individuals who demonstrate curiosity about how internal processes, external relationships, lived experiences, and positionality shape perspectives, choices, and behaviors. The Entry Requirements section provides full details about the application process and requirements.

The Doctoral Program

To become a licensed clinical psychologist, in some states including California, you must complete a doctorate from a regionally accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Programs may vary in focus, ranging from forensic psychology to industrial or organizational psychology, but all share the goal of preparing students for professional practice.

CIIS’ Clinical Psychology program begins with three years of coursework and practicum training, totaling 85.0 required units, 5.0 elective units, and 6.0-11.0 units of practicum. This is followed by a one-year internship and one year completing your dissertation.

All students pursuing licensure in California must also complete the following pre-licensure coursework, which is not part of the CIIS curriculum:

• Human Sexuality Training
• Training in Alcoholism/Chemical Dependency Detection and Treatment
• Child Abuse Assessment Training
• Spousal or Partner Abuse Assessment, Detection, and Intervention Strategies Training
• Aging and Long-Term Care
• Suicide Risk Assessment and Intervention

As a general requirement for initial licensure as a psychologist in California, applicants must complete a total of 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience, 1,500 of which must be accrued post-doctorally.

Clinical experience begins early in the CIIS program. During the first-year Foundations Practicum, you receive 2.5-5.5 hours of training per week. In the second and third years, you participate in year-long practicum placements at various settings (i.e., community agencies, hospitals, schools, etc.), committing 16-24 hours per week. After completing coursework and practicum requirements at CIIS, you’ll engage in a 2,000-hour predoctoral internship worth 3-4 units.

Institutions will require you to write a dissertation or complete a capstone project to graduate. At CIIS, you’ll spend one or two years completing a five-chapter, scholarly dissertation under the guidance of the dissertation chair, a member of the Doctor of Psychology core faculty. In addition to the aforementioned class units, practicum, internship, and dissertation, CIIS requires you to undergo 45 hours of personal therapy.

The minimum time to complete this degree at CIIS is five years; this tenure varies across institutions and by student.

Licensure After Graduation

After graduation, you must meet the licensure requirements of the state or province where you plan to practice. In most U.S. states and Canadian provinces, this includes passing the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), developed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards.

In California, licensure requires passing both the EPPP and the California Psychology Law and Ethics Examination (CPLEE), as well as completing 1,500 hours of post-doctoral supervised experience after graduation from your program. Those planning to practice outside California should verify local licensure requirements before enrolling, as requirements can vary by jurisdiction.

Earning a Doctor of Psychology is a significant commitment, but it offers a path to meaningful, impactful work. Clinical Psychology graduates serve through careers in therapy, management, administration, consulting, research, education, advocacy, and other fields. Through the program at CIIS, students learn not only how to help others heal, but also how to understand themselves more deeply. They graduate prepared to guide others through life’s challenges with skill, compassion, and respect for the full complexity of human experience.