• Becoming a clinical psychologist requires a rigorous program that balances experience with scholarly expertise.clinical image by JASON WINTER from Fotolia.com
  
  Becoming a clinical psychologist requires a rigorous program that balances clinical experience with scholarly expertise. Programs in Clinical Psychology pair students with faculty mentors who guide them through their clinical trials and advanced coursework as they develop the skills they need to pursue their specialty. Because that mentor relationship is key, it is crucial that you find and learn about the faculty member you want to work with and apply to that college.
  
  

University of California Los Angeles

• The Clinical Psychology graduate program at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) offers a flexible curriculum that is individualized for students under the supervision of their advisors. Students can tailor their program to specialize in one of 11 fields, including minority mental health, cognitive-behavior therapy, and child or adult psychopathology and treatment. The program can be completed in either 5 or 6 years, which includes a 1-year internship after the student passes the clinical qualifying exam and the preliminary oral examination for the dissertation project. Faculty and doctoral students staff the departmental psychology clinic. Competitive applicants should have an undergraduate degree in psychology with courses in psychological statistics and those in learning and developmental psychology, though students with other majors who demonstrate adequate preparation may be admitted. The general GRE and subject test in psychology is also required.
  
  University of California Los Angeles
  Department of Psychology
  1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563
  Los Angeles, CA 90095
  310-825-2961
  psych.ucla.edu
  
  

University of Washington

• The Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle integrates research and clinical training over the 5 to 7 years it typically takes students to graduate. Because UW's program is mentor-driven, it is important for applicants to decide when applying which of the following eight fields they want to pursue: adult clinical, animal behavior, behavioral neuroscience, child clinical, cognition and perception, developmental, quantitative or social psychology and personality. Applicants will be asked to select up to three faculty members they want to work with. Two will be assigned to the student upon admission. After the first year of required coursework grounded in the fundamentals of clinical research, students spend the second year focusing on the program's clinical component by seeing clients under their mentor's supervision in the Psychological Services and Training Center. The student's mentors choose the remaining required coursework, after which students complete a 1-year clinical internship at an independent training facility in the Seattle area. An undergraduate degree in Psychology is not required but the GRE is. A student's statement of purpose weighs heavily in the application process. Applicants should outline their motivation for a career in psychology as well as their previous research experience.
  
  Department of Psychology
  University of Washington
  119A Guthrie Hall
  UW Box 351525
  Seattle, WA 98195
  206-543-2640
  web.psych.washington.edu
  
  

University of Wisconsin-Madison

• The Department of Psychology at University of Wisconsin-Madison (UWM) prides itself on producing scholars and researchers. All students must complete a research project in their first year and present its findings to the entire department in the fall of their second year. Many have significant publications before they graduate. Those interested in pursuing Clinical Psychology at UWM integrate that scholarly detail with clinical practicum guided by a mentor. From the third to their last year, students work in "Small Group Practicum" beginning in the departmental Research and Training Clinic and following with one of the agencies the department has relationships with. Coursework can take more than five years to complete. Once students have, they must intern at least one full year of full-time clinical experience at an approved facility, either locally or nationally. On top of their records of academic excellence and GRE scores, applicants are chosen for their compatibility with the faculty members who will mentor their program. Before applying, check the department's website to make sure that the faculty member you want to work with is available.
  
  University of Wisconsin-Madison
  Department of Psychology
  1202 W. Johnson St.
  Madison, WI 53706
  608-262-1041
  psych.wisc.edu