College of Science and Health > Student Resources > Office of Advising & Student Services > Pre-Health Advising > Health Careers > Clinical and Community Psychology

Clinical and Community Psychology

Clinical Psychology is a broad branch of psychology that focuses on diagnosing and treating mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. Clinical psychologists provide professional services for the diagnosis, assessment, evaluation, treatment and prevention of psychological, emotional, psychophysiological, and behavioral disorders across the lifespan. 

Clinical Mental Health Counselors/Community Counselors are highly-skilled professionals who provide flexible, consumer-oriented therapy. Clinical Mental Health Counselors  evaluate and assist groups, families, couples, and individuals with various types of problems. They teach patients how to overcome problems and promote mental health.

American Psychological Association

American Counseling Association

Currently, there is no centralized application systems. Students who are interested in applying to clinical psychology or mental health counseling programs must apply directly to each individual school.

Clinical psychology and mental health counseling programs usually require students to take the Graduate Records Examinations (GRE). However, students should check each individual school to learn their specfic requirements. 

The 2021 cost of the GRE is $205.00.

GRE Information

Graduate Records Examination

PowerPrep II Software (Free)

Kaplan

Princeton Review

It is important for students to check each school's requirements carefully as some schools will require information not listed below. For more information about a specific program, please contact the school directly.


Typically most PsyD/PhD programs require:

  • A bachelor's degree
  • A minimum of 15 credit hours in psychology
  • A course in statistics
  • Research Experience
  • Graduate Record Examinations
  • A minimum GPA of at least a 3.2

Typically most MEd/MA in Community Counseling Require:

  • A bachelor's degree
  • Graduate Record Examinations
  • A minimum GPA of at least a 3.0

Clinical Psychology (PsyD/PhD) Programs

DePaul University

Midwestern University

Northwestern University

Loyola University

Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science

Roosevelt University

University of Illinois at Chicago

Community Counseling/Mental Health Counseling (MEd/MA) Programs

DePaul University

Loyola Unversity

Roosevelt University

Students should meet with their academic advisor and the pre-health advisor each quarter to make sure they are taking the correct courses for their major/professional interest.

Below is a sample timeline for a psychology major. Please be aware that most community counseling programs do not require or prefer a specific major and the below timeline should not be used to replace meeting with an academic advisor.

LGBTQ

Center on Halsted

Trevor Project 

HIV Outreach

AIDS Foundation of Chicago

Anti-Poverty/Public Health

Healthy Chicago

Heartland Alliance Heathcare Services

Abuse Centers

Connections for Abused Women and their Children (CAWC)

Chicago Metropolitan Battered Women's Network

Release Program (formerly incarcerated)

Safer Foundation

Homelessness

Teen Living Program

North Side Housing and Supportive Services

Healthcare

Howard Brown Health Center

Youth and Family
Children's Research Triangle

Family Focus

HighSight

Mental Health

National Alliance on Mental Illinois of Chicago

Mental Health America of Illinois

Thresholds

Crisis Test Line

Unfortunately, because clinical psychology/counseling programs do not have a centralized applications system, Pre-Health Advising does not have access to this data.
It is important for students to check each school's requirements carefully as some schools will require information not listed above. Students are responsible for checking the prerequisites for the classes above and for the prerequisites for each individual professional school. For more information about a specific program, please contact the school directly.​