BGSU has one of Ohio’s most active psychology research programs.
Career opportunities
Increased focus on mental health means clinical psychologists are in great demand, both within clinical practice and in allied careers.
This doctoral program will train you to work in various settings (e.g., academic centers, clinics, school systems, business or governmental organizations) where there are many opportunities for a fulfilling and well-rewarded career in clinical psychology.
Career paths
- School Psychologist
- VA Psychologist
- Behavioral Health Consultant
- Organizational Psychologist
- Research Psychologist
- Clinical Psychologist
Quick Facts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
BGSU’s doctorate of clinical psychology program has a 100 percent placement internship matching record for five consecutive years.
Curriculum
Training within the context of the scientist-practitioner model allows you to take courses that reflect the breadth and depth of psychology and obtain foundational knowledge relevant to clinical psychology. You will also gain discipline-specific knowledge and professional-wide competencies.
During the first two years of the program, you will complete core courses in clinical psychology. You will then take advanced-level courses and specialized seminars consistent with your developing interests during the last two years. You may also complete a residence at our Psychological Services Center on campus.
In your fifth year, you will complete a required one-year internship at an off-campus facility or practice. This period of intensive clinical training is usually completed at an APA-approved facility. Students from our program compete very favorably at well-respected training centers throughout the United States. Our students often select medical schools, community mental health centers, Veterans Affairs installations, university counseling centers, private hospitals, military medical centers, prisons and state hospitals to complete their internships.
Sample courses
- Psychological Assessment
- Clinical Intervention Theories
- Basic Clinical Skills Practicum
- Clinical Child Psychology
- Behavioral Medicine
- Community Psychology
- Research Methods
Research
Your research training will go hand-in-hand with your developing clinical psychology interests and progression through the course sequence. During the first year, all clinical students enroll in a survey course and join faculty-student research groups. These activities, along with regular meetings with an advisor, prepare you to develop your own program of research.
Formal research requirements include: 1) Complete a master's level research project; 2) Complete a post-master’s research project or an examination in your area of research specialization; and 3) Complete a doctoral dissertation.
Psychological Services Center (PSC)
The Psychological Services Center (PSC) is our on-campus practicum and training facility. It is a crucial component of the mental health network in northwest Ohio and provides you with hands-on experience. The Center draws clients from agencies in northwest Ohio, including referrals from human services and health departments, law enforcement agencies and the juvenile justice system, domestic relations courts, physicians, rehabilitation facilities, clergy, schools and mental health agencies.
The Center also provides indirect services consistent with a community psychology model, such as educational programs and consultations with community agencies.
Placement Objectives for Clinical Psychology Graduates
In a survey of BGSU students who received their doctorate in clinical psychology from 1995 to 2000, we found that 100 percent of these alumni obtained jobs in the field of psychology. Thirty-six percent obtained employment in academia, 24 percent in the industrial-business sector, 14 percent in purely clinical positions, 14 percent in clinical-research settings and 12 percent in purely research positions.
Licensing Eligibility
As of August 2021, our research indicates that the clinical program curriculum contains all of the elements needed for licensing in 45 out of the 50 United States of America. Listed below is information about licensing in the 5 states that have additional coursework and/or experiential training requirements. Many of these requirements can be accomplished within the clinical program by taking specialized courses and/or pursuing additional training experiences. The licensing laws of states are continuously evolving, so it is important for you to routinely check for any changes in licensing laws that may occur during your studies.
See the additional Clinical Psychology licensing requirements for California, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey and New York.
The doctorate in clinical psychology is a part of the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences
Updated: 09/05/2024 02:12PM