PsyD stands for Doctor of Psychology. The PsyD in Clinical Psychology focuses on the clinical aspects of psychology to prepare graduates for careers to directly apply their knowledge to helping people with culturally-competent care.

A PsyD, or Doctor of Psychology, degree focuses on applied knowledge of psychology in clinical settings. A PhD is a Doctor of Philosophy degree, which emphasizes research and academia. 

To put it simply: if you’re interested in working directly with patients in a clinical setting, then the PsyD is the right path for you. If you’re interested in teaching or scientific research in psychology, the PhD will give you better paths to your ideal career. Ultimately, your career goals in psychology should dictate which is right for you.

Below is a list of some of the most important differences between a PsyD and PhD.

The PsyD at PHSU St. Louis takes 5 years to complete from start to completion of clinical experience. Graduation requires a minimum of three full-time academic years of graduate study and 2,000 hours of clinical hours, in addition to other practicum hours. 

The five years of the PsyD includes a total of 86 credit hours, 11 elective credits, completion of a doctoral dissertation, over 1,000 hours of practicum, and 2,000 predoctoral internship hours in a clinical setting. Learn about the full PsyD curriculum on our course descriptions page.

The PsyD program at PHSU St. Louis uses the same curriculum as the PsyD program approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) at the Ponce Health Sciences University main campus in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The administration of the St. Louis campus notified APA that it will be seeking intent to apply for accreditation status, the first step in the multi-year process required to obtain full APA accreditation.

As of 2020-2021, the PsyD at PHSU St. Louis costs $936 per credit hour. You can learn more about the cost of our PsyD on our Tuition and Fees page.

Yes, it is a terminal degree in psychology. With a PsyD, graduates reach the highest level of education available in psychology. A PsyD can help graduates obtain leadership or executive-level positions in psychology, as well as some of the highest salaries in psychology.

PsyD students are required to obtain 2,000 hours of clinical experience in their fifth year of the program before graduating. However, students will start their clinical practicum for course credit in the first semester of the PsyD program. In total, PsyD graduates will accrue over 3,300 hours of clinical experience through the duration of the program.

PHSU St. Louis takes a holistic approach to reviewing the entire application of each applicant. However, we specifically seek students who show promise with their completed academics, GRE score, and recommendation letters for the PsyD program. In addition, we seek students from historically underrepresented backgrounds who match the values of our program and are passionate about clinical psychology.

A GRE is required, but there is no minimum score required to be admitted at PHSU St. Louis. Applicants are also required to have a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, a bachelor’s degree, and a minimum of 15 credits in psychology.

Applicants to the PsyD in Clinical Psychology program should meet the following requirements:

• ‘=Minimum 3.0 GPA and science GPA on a 4.0 scale
• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited university (Note: Applicants with master’s degrees in Psychology, Psychiatric Nursing, Social Work, Counseling or other mental health-related fields, are accepted, pending the other requirements.)
• Minimum of 15 credits in psychology, including the following prerequisites.
• Minimum 279 GRE score or higher

No, students are not required to have a bachelor’s degree specifically in psychology. However, students must have earned their bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college and 15 credits in psychology.

Up to 24 credits may be transferred from other graduate programs or from a master’s degree. The following requirements will guide (but not restrict) the evaluation process of those courses submitted for approval:

1. Courses need to be relevant to the field of Clinical Psychology
2. The student must have approved the course with a minimum of a “B” grade.
3. The student must demonstrate in an objective manner, or through formal written and/or oral examination, that he/she has the skills expected of such courses.

It is the student’s responsibility to provide the course description from the official catalog of the institution in which the courses were taken.

PHSU St. Louis has a number of courses and practicum that are not substituted with courses or practicum transferred from other institutions, unless the student demonstrates specific competencies in such areas. However, many of the elective courses may be waived based upon the number of credits transferred. This will allow students who enter the PsyD with a Master’s degree to complete the academic portion of the program faster, allowing them more time to work on their Dissertation or Case Study and with the internship requirements.

The deadline to submit an application is July 30. The PsyD program begins every fall. You can view the application and apply to the PsyD program here. Or learn more about applying to PHSU St. Louis before filling out your application.

Yes! We’d be happy to schedule a tour for you. Our campus is located in the Globe Building in St. Louis, Missouri, at 2351 Market St., St. Louis, MO 63103. Tours are regularly scheduled for Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

We may be able to schedule outside of these times, but you will have to contact our admissions office. You can call 314-499-6540 or email stl-admissions@psm.edu to set up your campus visit.

Visit our financial aid page for all the information about financial aid at PHSU St. Louis. In short, you should complete the FAFSA and complete the PHSU Application Request for Aids and Loans, then read and sign the PHSU Student Authorization.

Yes, PHSU St. Louis has partnerships with local mental health facilities in the St. Louis areas to place students in clinical settings to complete their internships. PHSU St. Louis has a wide range of opportunities, to place students in clinical settings that are best suited to their long-term career goals and areas of interest in clinical psychology.

No, PHSU St. Louis does not currently offer any online options for the PsyD program. All students must attend full-time classes at our campus in downtown St. Louis.