Becoming a Clinical Psychologist in Texas
Find Programs for Clinical Psychology Degrees in Texas
If you want to be a clinical psychologist, Texas is an excellent state in which to study and practice! Texas is home to some of the highest-rated clinical psychology programs in the country, boasting the #8 spot with the University of Texas Austin, according to the most recent rankings published by US News and World Report.
OnlinePsychologyDegrees.com is the best online resource for you to discover and contact schools in your area that offer psychology degrees with a focus on clinical studies. Use our directory to review schools throughout the state of Texas, and then request information from the programs best suited to help you achieve your career goals in the rewarding field of clinical psychology.
Our directory of featured accredited colleges will help you to get started!
Find Programs for Clinical Psychology Degrees in Texas
Clinical Psychology Schools in Texas
| School | Programs | Location |
| University of Texas, Austin | Ph.D. | Austin |
| Texas A&M University | Ph.D. | College Station |
| Baylor University | Psy.D. | Waco |
Many clinical psychology doctoral students earned a master’s in psychology before beginning their doctoral program, although it isn’t required. You can also go straight into a doctoral program after earning your bachelor’s. There are also some doctoral programs that award students master’s degrees as they work towards their masters. These master’s degrees are not “terminal” and are awarded when the student earns her doctorate degree.
When you decide to earn a graduate degree in clinical psychology, you have two main options:
- Ph.D. – this is the more common and better choice for students who desire a career in research and education, perhaps supplemented with psychological assessments and treatment.
- Psy.D. – this is the better option for students who want to be clinical practitioners with a strong scientific background.
Scholarships for Clinical Psychology in Texas
Many graduate programs offer partial to full funding to their Ph.D. students in the form of stipends, fellowships, teaching assistant positions and research opportunities. While Psy.D. students typically encounter higher tuitions, some programs such as Baylor University offer full funding to its students for the estimated four years on campus it will take them to pursue a Psy.D.
Though not specific to Texas, The American Psychological Association offers a tool for graduate students and postdocs to search for funding in the form of scholarships, grants and fellowships from a variety of public and private sources.
License Requirements
The Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists issues four different types of licenses. The name and qualifications for each type of license are:
Licensed Psychologist in Independent Practice requires:
- completion of a doctorate degree
- two years of supervised practice
- previous licensure as a Provisionally Licensed Psychologist
- passing the state oral exam for psychologists.
Provisionally Licensed Psychologist requires:
- a Ph.D. in psychology
- passing the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology at 70% at the doctorate level
- a 90 percent or higher score on the Texas Jurisprudence Exam.
Licensed Psychological Associate requires:
- completion of a master’s degree
- passing the Texas Jurisprudence Exam at 80 percent or better
- passing the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology at 55% at the master’s level
- 450 hours of supervised practice
Licensed Specialist in School Psychology requires:
- passing the National School Psychology Exam with a score of 165
- passing The Texas Jurisprudence Exam at 90%
- obtaining a master’s degree in psychology or completing an accredited school psychology training program
- completing 1200 hours of a formal internship
Career Outlook for Psychologists in Texas
According to the latest employment statistics published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Texas ranked as the third highest state for employment of clinical, counseling and school psychologists. Over 5,000 people were employed in this occupation as of most recent statistics, earning an hourly mean wage of $31.40 and a yearly mean salary of $65, 310 (BLS, 2017). Nationally the average hourly and annual salary was reported as $35.23 and $73, 270, respectively.
Employment in this sector is predicted to increase by 20.83 percent, according to TexasCareerCheck, a database maintained by the Texas Workforce Commission (2017).
If you are ready to pursue a career as a psychologist in Texas, request information from our featured programs below to get started!
