If you are interested in becoming a competent mental health professional committed to professional clinical practice from a religious perspective to encourage the spiritual, personal, and interpersonal growth of diverse clients, earning an accredited Christian clinical psychology degree is an excellent decision.
At the present time, there are six Christian institutions in the United States that offer doctoral training programs in clinical psychology that are devoted to helping graduate students integrate their Christian faith within their psychological studies.
The following are the only six clinical psychology degree programs with an emphasis on Christian values that have been accredited by the American Psychology Association (APA).
Azusa Pacific University
Department of Graduate Psychology
As an evangelical Christian community of disciples and scholars who seek to advance the work of God by delivering a liberal arts education for professional training, Azusa Pacific University is situated on a 103-acre suburban campus located 26 miles northeast of Los Angeles with six regional centers across Southern California. Considered a leader in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, APU is currently ranked as the 173rd best college in the entire nation by the U.S. News and World Report. From a Christian perspective, the Department of Graduate Psychology is committed to equipping professionals with the essential information to efficiently serve children and families.
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology
With a unique emphasis in Family Psychology to consider the individual, interpersonal, and environmental factors which impact human behavior, the PsyD in Clinical Psychology program follows the practitioner-scholar approach to educating clinical psychologists from a Christian values orientation that informs the practice of psychology with the integration of ethics and theology. Offered to students who already have an existing master’s degree and to those entering directly from the bachelor’s degree level, the program consists of 133 semester units for completion in five to six years full-time. Within the program, graduate students are actively engaged in supervised field practice from a Christian perspective with three years of advanced practicum and a full-time year-long internship in a clinical setting approved by the APA.
Accreditations
- American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact Information
901 East Alosta Avenue
Azusa, CA 91702
(626) 815-5008
[email protected]
https://www.apu.edu/bas/programs/psyd/
Biola University
Rosemead School of Psychology
Located outside of Los Angeles in sunny Southern California, Biola University is a leading private Christian institution offering a biblically centered education to prepare leaders for impacting the world for Lord Jesus Christ. Biola is currently ranked as the 177th best college in the United States by the U.S. News and World Report. Established in the belief that a Christian worldview is an essential part of understanding how people think, act, and relate to one another, the Rosemead School of Psychology integrates scientific research-driven study of human behavior with a biblical understanding of human nature.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Clinical Psychology
Within a supportive Christian environment that nurtures spiritual, emotional, intellectual, personal, social, and professional development, the PhD in Clinical Psychology program is focused on preparing graduates for ministering within clinical settings, leading in research and teaching in academia, and impacting the lives of individuals within the church community. Typically requiring at least four years of residency, the doctoral program consists of 133 semester hours of advanced coursework in psychology, psychotherapy laboratory, theology, integration seminars, and dissertation research. For completion, graduate students are required to successfully complete a one-year full-time clinical internship with a minimum of 50 hours of interpersonal therapy and 50 hours of individual therapy.
Accreditations
- American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact Information
13800 Biola Avenue
La Mirada, CA 90639
(562) 903-4867
[email protected]
http://www.rosemead.edu/programs/phd/
Fuller Theological Seminary
School of Psychology
Based in Pasadena with satellite locations across the western region of the country in Colorado Springs, Sacramento, Phoenix, Irvine, Menio Park, Seattle, and Houston, Fuller Theological Seminary is a private Christian institution with a diverse community committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. As the pioneer for integrating evangelical Christian faith with psychology by offering the first accredited Christian clinical psychology degree back in 1972, the School of Psychology is acclaimed for having the 164th best doctoral clinical psychology program in the entire nation by the U.S. News and World Report.
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology
With the purpose of preparing clinical psychologists whose actions are deeply informed by both psychology and the Christian faith to assist individuals on their journeys to spiritual and emotional wholeness, the PsyD in Clinical Psychology program uses the practitioner-evaluator Christian model of training to educate professionals on providing clinical services. As a five-year program that requires the completion of at least 258 units, students are awarded a Master of Arts in Psychology, Master of Arts in Christian Leadership, and the PsyD degree. With a high emphasis on field training throughout the Greater Los Angeles metropolitan area, the program encourages students to integrate psychology and theology in theory, research, and practice.
Accreditations
- American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Contact Information
135 North Oakland Avenue
Pasadena, CA 91182
(626) 584-5200
[email protected]
https://www.fuller.edu/phd-clinical-psychology/
George Fox University
Department of Psychology
As a private Christian institution situated on a suburban 108-acre campus in Newberg within close proximity to Portland and the Pacific Ocean, George Fox University is currently ranked as the 24th best college and 6th top university for veterans in the West by the U.S. News and World Report. Consistently enrolling the largest number of Portland’s valedictorians, George Fox is also recognized among the top four “best value” Christian colleges in the nation by Kiplinger’s magazine. The Department of Psychology focuses on the integration of a Christian worldview and the science of psychology at the philosophical, practical, and personal levels.
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology
Focused on a holistic view of mental health to give graduate students explicit training in the relationship between psychological principles and the Christian faith, the PsyD in Clinical Psychology program integrates a curriculum based on the practitioner-scholar model, intensive hands-on clinical practice, meaningful research experience, and a Christian faith perspective. While the degree provides training in the scientific foundations of psychology for mastery of research methods, it places a stronger emphasis on the development of clinical skills for practice in therapy, consultation, and psychological assessment. Within the five-year full-time program, students can choose to emphasize their studies in Assessment, Health Psychology, Integration of Faith and Psychology, Child and Adolescent Psychology, or Psychotherapy.
Accreditations
- American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
Contact Information
414 North Meridian St. Suite 104
Newberg, OR 97132
(503) 554-6168
[email protected]
http://www.georgefox.edu/psyd/
Regent University
School of Psychology and Counseling
Standing proudly on a beautiful 70-acre campus featuring state-of-the-art facilities and high-tech classrooms in Virginia Beach, Regent University is a fully accredited private Christian institution of nearly 6,000 diverse students. Founded in a strong liberal arts tradition with on-campus, online, and hybrid course offerings, Regent is recognized for being a top military-friendly university and ranks first in the nation among Christian schools for its online programs. The School of Psychology and Counseling has a mission of fostering students’ identity in Christ and expressing it through the identity of psychology to resolve the problems of human living.
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology
Designed to facilitate the integration of Christian perspectives with scientifically-based clinical procedures, the PsyD in Clinical Psychology program follows the practitioner-scholar model to develop clinical psychologists who will be capable of leadership in a variety of settings, including community clinics, outpatient centers, hospitals, correctional institutions, churches, universities, faith-based private practices, and more. Fully accredited by the APA to prepare graduates for state licensure as a clinical psychologist, the degree can be earned entirely on-campus at the Virginia Beach location or online. With the “integration across the curriculum,” the 121-credit program is faithful to the scientific and professional discipline of the psychology field while maintaining its distinctively Christian identity.
Accreditations
- American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Contact Information
1000 Regent University Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
(757) 352-4498
[email protected]
http://www.regent.edu/acad/schcou/academics/psyd/
Wheaton College
Psychology Department
First established in 1860 by the prominent pastor Jonathan Blanchard as an independent Christian institution situated within 25 miles of Chicago, Wheaton College is currently ranked as the 57th best liberal arts college in the nation by the U.S. News and World Report survey. Wheaton has also been recognized as the 20th best liberal arts institution for the number of alumni who advance their education to earn a doctoral degree by Time magazine. The Psychology Department aims to train its students from a community context at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels in a distinctive manner shaped by its foundational Christian values.
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology
Rooted in the practices of the Christian faith with the mission of developing highly competent clinical psychologists in the practitioner-scholar approach, the PsyD in Clinical Psychology program has a strong emphasis on preparing psychologists for professional service to the Body of Christ, the Church, and all people marginalized in our society due to social injustice. Throughout the intensive curriculum of 120 credit hours of coursework, students are taken on a journey for spiritual, personal, interpersonal, and professional growth. Furthermore, graduate students are required to complete extensive supervised field experiences before engaging in a one-year pre-doctoral internship for the application of learning from a Christian perspective.
Accreditations
- American Psychological Association (APA) Commission on Accreditation (CoA)
- Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact Information
Billy Graham Center Mezzanine Level
501 College Avenue
Wheaton, IL 60187
(630) 752-5104
[email protected]
https://www.wheaton.edu/graduate-school/degrees/psyd-in-clinical-psychology/
Whether you wish to earn a Christian clinical psychology degree to pursue career opportunities in research, academia, or clinical practice in faith-based mental health settings, it is essential that you find a degree program that has successfully met the high standards established by the Commission on Accreditation (CoA) of the American Psychological Association (APA). When you select an APA-accredited degree program, you can rest assured that you are gaining a good doctoral education for landing a quality internship and meeting licensure requirements. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you further investigate these top-notch accredited Christian clinical psychology degree programs to achieve your professional goals as a clinical psychologist from a distinctively Christian faith perspective.