Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology
Be on the Cutting Edge of Mental Health Research and Care with the PsyD in Clinical Psychology
As a clinical psychologist, you can do more than perform research studies to study the human mind – you can touch people’s lives for generations. By applying the most advanced research and the most profound knowledge of psychology, you can help people heal and grow through mental health challenges. Your studies can contribute to the work of other mental health professionals, allowing you to make an incredible impact. If you want to study to become a clinical psychologist so you can use your skills in research to help people, Liberty’s Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology may be the right choice for you!
Liberty’s PsyD in Clinical Psychology is designed to help prepare you to evaluate research and to understand the truth about human behavior from a biblical worldview. Our mission is to Train Champions for Christ. We fulfill this mission by training professionals to use science and biblical values to understand the full breadth of the human experience. Our unique, biblically-based approach to this field can help prepare you to positively impact those you work with.
Credit Hours
View CoursesNext start date: Aug 18, 2025
Liberty University is accredited by SACSCOC
Highlights
Highlights of Our PsyD in Clinical Psychology
Structured Course Sequence and Hands-on Experience
The PsyD in Clinical Psychology is designed to follow a pre-set course sequence with built-in opportunities to gain hands-on experience and develop your dissertation research. In the second year of the program, you will be placed in an affiliated practicum site in the Lynchburg area to gain experience in a clinical setting.
To give you a thorough background of experience and hands-on practice for your dissertation research, you will complete the final year of your program in a clinical internship. Through this process, you will work remotely with your dissertation chair and mentors.
Dedicated Faculty
Our dedicated faculty brings years of professional counseling experience from diverse settings, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, schools, churches, and private practices. Their expertise from both national and global contexts can help equip you with the skills and insights needed for a meaningful career in counseling.
Graduate Assistantship Program
Graduate assistantships are available to doctoral students, providing valuable opportunities for professional growth and academic development. These positions can allow you to gain hands-on experience while contributing to research, teaching, or other university initiatives.
Master’s Inclusion
During the Psy.D. program, you will also earn a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology after you complete specific courses on the degree plan.* This additional degree can help you complete your clinical requirements while earning your doctorate.
*Courses to earn the M.A. in Clinical Psychology in passing: PSYD 600, 601, 605, 610, 615, 701, 703, 704, 706, 707, 708, and 796 (twice)
Career Potential
What Can You Do With a PsyD Degree?
Liberty University’s Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Clinical Psychology can help prepare you for the following occupations:
- Clinical counseling ministry
- Clinical psychologist
- Counseling program department head
- Psychology professor
- Psychology researcher
#4 Best College Campus in America
At Liberty, you’ll find an affordable, high-quality education designed to help equip students like you for the real world. Our commitment to excellence has earned us recognition as the #4 Best College Campus in America by Niche.com.
Earning your degree from a nonprofit university with state-of-the-art resources like ours can help set you apart from your peers.
Courses
What Will You Study in Our PsyD in Clinical Psychology Degree?
Liberty’s PsyD in Clinical Psychology is designed to build on your previous study and experience in human psychology. Through this program, you can work to develop into a researcher and psychologist who demonstrates ethical and academic excellence while integrating biblical values into your practice.
The Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology is designed to help equip you with the top-level credentials, advanced studies in psychology, and practice-focused skills to become an expert in the field of mental health. Through this program, you can:
- Act in accordance with the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, relevant governance, professional standards, and guidelines.
- Apply ethical decision‐making processes to meet the most significant challenges of the field.
- Conduct evidence‐based mental health assessments consistent with the scope of Health Service Psychology, interpret assessment results, and effectively communicate assessment findings and implications to a range of audiences.
- Develop advanced research and scholarship with the potential to meaningfully contribute to the body of scientific, psychological, and professional knowledge.
- Discover how to administer and interpret cognitive and psychological tests such as family assessments, behavioral observation scales, objective personality tests, and more.
- Explore evidence-based therapies like emotion-focused therapies and how to use biofeedback and neurofeedback.
- Gain experience working in a wide range of settings: private practice, hospitals, community-based clinics, schools, and churches.
- Obtain a solid foundation in research design and statistics.
- Provide training, consultation, and supervision to other professionals: psychiatrists, physicians, social workers, and counselors.
- Study how to integrate a biblical worldview into the practice of clinical psychology.
- Study the structure of the brain, neurochemistry, and psychopharmacology.
Featured Courses
PSYD 601 – Introduction to Clinical Practice II
PSYD 605 – Lifespan Development I
PSYD 610 – Child and Adolescent Psychopathology I
PSYD 706 – Research Design II
Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Behavioral Sciences
- View the Degree Completion Plan
- Check out our course catalog
- Transfer in up to 39 credit hours
BENEFITS
Why Choose Liberty’s PsyD in Clinical Psychology?
Build a Strong Foundation in Clinical Psychology
In Liberty’s PsyD in Clinical Psychology, you can deepen your understanding of human thought and behavior. You’ll explore essential clinical techniques and behavioral theory while strengthening your research and writing skills to contribute meaningfully to the field.
Integrate Faith with Psychological Practice
Your coursework weaves biblical applications into every stage of your academic journey. This integration encourages you to develop as a professional without compromising your ethical appreciation for the value of human life.
Study Under Supportive Faculty
As you progress through the program, you won’t be on your own. Our caring and experienced faculty are dedicated to helping you grow both academically and personally, guiding you through challenges and celebrating your achievements.
Prepare to Make a Difference
This degree can help you engage critically and biblically with research and clinical practice. If you’re committed to pursuing academic excellence while making a meaningful impact on the lives of your patients, Liberty’s PsyD in Clinical Psychology can help prepare you for that path.
Admissions
How do You Become a Student in the PsyD in Clinical Psychology Program?
Every application is reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and all applicants must submit the following documents and meet the minimum requirements for admission:
- Admission application
- Current Liberty undergraduate students seeking preliminary acceptance into a graduate program must complete a degree completion application through their ASIST account
- A regionally or nationally accredited bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher from an accredited institution with at least 18 credit hours in Psychology*
- The GRE is not required, but applicants are strongly encouraged to take the GRE General Test. A minimum composite GRE score of 300 will contribute positively to the applicant’s success.
- 3 letters of recommendation (2 from professional sources and one from an academic source) that speak to the student’s character, work ethic, teachability, leadership potential, quality of academic work, and ability to do doctoral-level work.
- Personal Essay – 500-700 words in APA format, answering the following questions:
- Describe your understanding of the professional identity of a clinical psychologist and then identify any specialty areas you may be interested in pursuing as a clinical psychologist (Neuropsychology, Pediatric, Gerontology, Forensic, Health/Behavioral Medicine, Sports Psychology, or Other).
- Please tell us why you are pursuing a PsyD through Liberty University. Specifically, focus on any relevant life experiences that may have informed and shaped your decision, your career goals, and how you plan on navigating your current responsibilities with the demands of the program.
- Please tell us why you want a doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from this program.
- Department Approval – This includes a faculty interview with finalists during the application process.
- Self-certification form (for students who are in the final term of their bachelor’s degree)
*At least 18 semester hours in psychology are required and must be completed before the 2nd semester (spring) of the PsyD program, including at least one course in each of the following groups of courses: General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology or Psychopathology, Quantitative Methods, Statistics, Research Methods or Experimental Design, Personality Psychology or Theories or Psychotherapy, Physiological Psychology; One course from the traditional “Scientific Sub-disciplines” (i.e. Learning Cognition, Social or Developmental Psychology, or Sensation/Perception).
Have Questions?
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