Best PsyD Programs in Ohio (2027)

Xavier's Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) follows a practitioner-scientist model that educates skilled practitioners who serve as local clinical scientists, and the program describes itself as rooted in the Jesuit tradition of cura personalis, care for the whole person. It is a full-time, in-person, five-year program of 120 credit hours: four academic years on the campus in Cincinnati, Ohio, then a full-year, full-time internship, usually in the fifth year and expected to come through the national APPIC match, with a master of arts in psychology awarded after coursework through the second spring semester. Practicum placements run through the second, third and fourth years, about 500 hours in the second year and about 1000 hours in each of the third and fourth, mostly at public sites serving underserved populations and including Xavier University's own Psychological Services Center. Students also complete a Clinical Competency Exam built on a video, a written work sample and an oral discussion with faculty examiners, and an empirical dissertation, which must be proposed, with the exam passed, before they apply for internship. Each student develops one of three areas of interest (children and adolescents, individuals with severe and chronic psychopathology problems, or health care psychology) through specialized courses, practicum placements and applied research.

Applicants need a bachelor's or master's degree from a regionally accredited institution, at least 18 semester hours of undergraduate psychology courses including general psychology, psychology statistics and research methods, and a minimum GPA of 3.0; GRE scores are waived for Fall 2027 applicants and will not be considered. Applications for the Fall 2027 cohort are due December 1, 2026, interviews are held in February, and each fall's cohort numbers 16 to 18 students. Students who already hold a master's degree in a field akin to clinical psychology may apply some prior graduate work, though at least 75 of the required 120 hours must be completed at Xavier. The School of Psychology strives to fund all first-year students with graduate assistantships that provide partial tuition credit and an hourly position; funding in later years is not guaranteed but includes assistantships, teaching assistant positions, paid practicum placements and adjunct teaching for third- and fourth-year students. Xavier says the program fulfills the academic requirements for licensure as a psychologist in Ohio; licensure is granted by each state's psychology board.

• The program totals 120 credit hours.
• The program is offered only in a full-time, in-person format.
• Practicum runs through the second, third and fourth years, about 1000 hours in each of the last two.
• GRE scores will not be considered for Fall 2027 admission.
• Each fall's cohort numbers 16 to 18 students.

APA area

Clinical Psychology

Program unit

School of Psychology

APA number

1102

Accredited since

May 4, 2001

Next site visit

2032

Schedule

full-time

Entry

bachelor's or master's degree

GRE

not required

Length

five years: four academic years and one internship year

Credits

120 credit hours

Tuition, full-time

$32,025 (first-year cohort, 2025-2026)

University fees

$55

EPPP

90.79% of 76 first-time takers passed (ASPPB)

Internship match

80 of 87 applicants matched to an APA- or CPA-accredited internship (APPIC)

Scored under methodology v2.0

The program follows a practitioner model with generalist training, and its curriculum is organized around a five-year plan of four years of coursework and clinical practica followed by a year-long doctoral internship. Supervised practice starts in the second year at a minimum of two days per week, and students complete at least three years of supervised clinical experience and 2,100 total hours. To apply for internship, students must pass the Comprehensive Clinical Examinations and have an approved dissertation prospectus, and they must finish the professional dissertation, which may be an empirical study, a program evaluation or a treatment protocol, before the internship begins.

Most classes meet face-to-face on Wright State's campus in Dayton, Ohio, and the curriculum runs year-round. Most students attend full-time, though the school says provisions may be made for part-time study during a portion of the program. Applicants need a bachelor's degree before starting, the school welcomes applicants who hold master's degrees, and GRE General Test scores are not required. The school says the PsyD meets the educational requirements for the psychology license in Ohio and that it has not determined whether the program meets requirements in other states.

• The degree requires 142 credit hours in the 2026-2027 academic catalog.
• The doctoral internship lasts one calendar year with a minimum of 2,000 clock hours.
• Practicum requires a minimum of 700 clock hours a year in the second, third and fourth years.
• Students in an emphasis area complete their electives within that emphasis.
• GRE General Test scores are not required for fall 2027 admission.

APA area

Clinical Psychology

Program unit

Wright State University School of Professional Psychology

APA number

63

Accredited since

March 16, 1982

Next site visit

2029

Schedule

full-time

Entry

bachelor's or master's degree

GRE

not required

Length

a five-year plan: four years of coursework and clinical practica followed by a year-long doctoral internship

Credits

142 credit hours

Tuition, in-state

$33,639 (first-year cohort, 2026-2027)

Tuition, out-of-state

$54,144 (first-year cohort, 2026-2027)

University fees

$350

EPPP

68.27% of 104 first-time takers passed (ASPPB)

Internship match

109 of 115 applicants matched to an APA- or CPA-accredited internship (APPIC)

Scored under methodology v2.0