PhD Prerequisites

Applicants to the PhD in Clinical Psychology program must have completed all prerequisite courses before the first day of classes. Prerequisite courses do not need to be completed before students submit their applications to the program. However, students with substantial exposure to coursework in psychology may be viewed as better prepared for doctoral-level work.

Abnormal Psychology
- Courses satisfying this prerequisite will cover a broad range of topics typically covered in an Introduction to Abnormal Psychology course at the undergraduate level. Topics should include theories and historical perspectives of mental illness, sociocultural considerations in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, and separate weeks covering major categories of disorders.
Biological Psychology
- Courses satisfying this prerequisite will cover a broad range of topics typically covered in an Introduction to Biopsychology course at the undergraduate level. Topics should include basic brain/nervous system anatomy and functioning, including basic cellular and biochemistry processes, as well as sensation/perception, motor functioning, sleep/dreaming, and biological aspects of learning, memory, cognition, emotions, motivation, and mental health.
Statistics
- Courses satisfying this prerequisite will cover a broad range of topics typically covered in an Introduction to Statistics course at the undergraduate level. Topics should include descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, populations and samples, frequency distributions (normal curve), sampling error, confidence intervals, effect sizes, scales of measurement (e.g., nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio), and appropriate statistical analyses for variables based on type (e.g., chi-square, t-test, ANOVA, correlation).

These courses sometimes go by other titles, depending on the institution. If you have questions about whether a course will satisfy a prerequisite requirement, please contact the Office of Admissions.

Many students complete their prerequisites while completing their Bachelor's degree. You may also complete these courses independently if you have not done so. Guidelines for prerequisite courses include:

Courses should be completed from a college or university.
Courses should be completed at the undergraduate level (high school or AP courses will not be accepted). However, courses do not need to be completed at the upper-division (300 or 400) level. Graduate-level coursework will also be accepted.
Courses may be taken online (synchronous or asynchronous) or in person.
Courses should be passed with a grade of "B" or better. Pass/no pass grades may be approved on a case-by-case basis. Please reach out to the Office of Admissions to discuss this.
Final grades must be available to the Office of Admissions before the first day of class. Official transcripts are required for all prerequisite courses.

Where Can I Take These Courses?

We generally recommend that students first reach out to their local community colleges. Most community colleges offer these courses to students in Psychology associate's degree programs and are usually low-cost options. If you are crunched for time, both National University and the University of Phoenix offer short-term courses that may be completed in as few as four weeks.