MS in Clinical Psychology

To see a recording of Dr. Erin Woodhead's informational session about the Clinical Psychology Program from October 2024, click here!

If you are considering different graduate schools and career pathways, click here to review a recording of Dr. Matthew Capriotti's April 2023 webinar on "Graduate School and Career Pathways in Mental Health and Social Services."

Our Mission

The mission of this program is to train evidenced based Masters level psychotherapists for work in a variety of clinical settings including hospitals, schools, public agencies, and private practice. Evidence based practice of psychotherapy places the client first and considers the conceptualization of the client’s problem including important contextual and cultural variables, is informed and guided by relevant empirical literature, and gathers data to determine choices and allow accountability.  The diversity of settings and populations in which our graduates work requires that our students be flexible and open to differing clinical and cultural perspectives. Faculty in the program represent a variety of theoretical, clinical, and research interests, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Behavior Therapy, Mindfulness and Acceptance based approaches, Psychodynamic traditions, Cross-cultural interventions, Feminist Therapy, Community Psychology, and the biopsychosocial model inherent in Behavioral Medicine/Health psychology.

As a faculty we value diversity in thinking and encourage our students to sample ideas from different points of view.  While we do not require conformity to any one specific theoretical orientation, we do require that any approach our students take be supported by a high standard of professional ethics and an established body of professional literature, including empirical clinical research.  Graduates of this program adhere to ethical standards and demonstrate a basic familiarity with the major approaches to assessment, diagnosis and treatment, a respect for cultural diversity, and accountability for service delivery.  We expect that our graduates have the ability to read and critically evaluate the literature in the field, and we require them to achieve a basic level of proficiency within at least one psychotherapeutic approach.  In short, our graduate is evidence based, broadly educated, critically minded, and has the ability to ethically apply theory to practice in a diverse and changing community.

Welcome

San Jose State University's (SJSU) MS in Clinical Psychology program prepares graduate students for licensure as a Marriage Family Therapist (MFT) in California. The program is approved by the California state licensing board (the Board of Behavioral Sciences) to provide the education required to move toward licensure as an independent psychotherapist in the state. Here are some quick facts [pdf] about the program.

In compliance with Federal law 34 CFR § 668.43, we have not made a determination that the MS Clinical program curriculum at SJSU meets the state educational requirements for licensure or certification in any other state than California. While the program does meet the licensing requirements for California for the MFT, every state has different requirements, and it will be up to each student to determine whether they will meet licensing requirements in any other US state or territory of the US after completing the curriculum at SJSU. 

After thoroughly reviewing the website, please email questions to ClinicalPsych@sjsu.edu. Dr. Woodhead will respond to your message at that email address.