Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology

Combine professional training as a clinical psychologist with doctoral research

The Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Clinical Psychology course is perfect for those looking to take their career to the highest levels and have both the passion and commitment to see it all the way through.

This course will help you complete all the requirements of masters-level professional training including; learning advanced assessment, evaluation, and intervention skills, and participating and publishing an independent research project - which in turn will allow you to register as a psychologist once you graduate.

This course will provide you with everything that you will ever need to start working as a practicing psychologist.

To be considered for the Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology course, a prospective student must (by the 30th September):
- Apply for the Master of Clinical Psychology component: Domestic applicants must apply through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) http://www.uac.edu.au/postgraduate/
- AND Apply for the PhD component (specifying Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology) directly to the University of Canberra via the HDR Application Portal: How to Apply - University of Canberra https://www.canberra.edu.au/research/graduate-research/future-research-students/how-to-apply
Note: applications must ensure all requirements for BOTH courses are included as part of each application process.

Applications for scholarships typically close the last Friday in September. The Master of Clinical Psychology course has an early closing date to submit applications by the 15th October of every year. Referee reports must be submitted through the Australian Psychology Postgraduate Program Reference Request System for the Master of Clinical Psychology application component. https://www.psychologyreference.org/ Applicants must ensure they share the reference with the University of Canberra. If the reference is not shared, we cannot access the referee report and the application will be deemed incomplete and not be processed further. Please note that separate referee reports are required and to be submitted via the UC HDR Application portal for the PhD component of the admissions process.
Admission to the degree is highly competitive, based on GPA, a written research proposal, referee reports, research, and publication history along with a clinical suitability interview. Successful candidates will need to meet admission requirements for both courses to be offered a place.

Applicants must meet the following minimum criteria:
1. Completion of a four-year APAC accredited sequence in psychology, typically an honours degree, within the last 10 years with a minimum GPA of 80%; and
2. be eligible for, or hold, provisional registration as a psychologist with AHPRA.


Course Transfers:
Candidates in the Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology course seeking to transfer into the Master of Clinical Psychology course will require course convener approval, and they must have successfully met all the admissions requirements (including passing the clinical suitability interview) for the Master of Clinical Psychology course within the past two years. If it has been more than two years since the candidate successfully passed a clinical suitability interview, they will be required to undertake and pass another interview prior to a course transfer being approved.

There are non-standard English language requirements for this course. To be eligible you must have an academic IELTS or equivalent of 7.0. Students who have undertaken all of their education in an English speaking country (as defined on UC website) are deemed to have met our English language proficiency requirements.

Career opportunities for Clinical Psychologists are considerable, and UC graduates are in high demand in a wide range of services within the public and private sectors, such as: