Pictured are faculty, staff and students of the clinical psychology program.
Ph.D. program recognized for myriad strengths
UC Irvine's clinical psychology program has reached a significant milestone in its development, receiving “accredited, on contingency” status from the American Psychological Association's (APA) Commission on Accreditation.
The achievement marks a crucial step in the program's growth and recognition within the field of clinical psychology.
Jason Schiffman, professor of psychological science and director of clinical training announced the news in an email to colleagues and students: “We have been granted the status we were seeking at this stage in our program development: ‘accredited, on contingency.’ ”
The accreditation, backdated to Oct. 29, 2024, brings numerous benefits to the program and its students, Schiffman noted, adding that the students in the program now are officially considered members of an APA-accredited program. As a result, fourth-year students now can apply for a wider range of APA-accredited internships and after they graduate, they will be eligible for licensure across the United States.
The APA recognized several strengths of UC Irvine’s program, including its strong alignment with a clinical-science training model, full funding and subsidized housing for all students, and the successful launch of an in-house training clinic.
“The Commission also noted that our training is thoughtfully designed to be sequential, cumulative, and developmentally appropriate, a testament to the many brilliant faculty and staff who developed the program's structure well before it launched,” Schiffman said.
In addition, the accreditation process revealed the program’s strong support from faculty, staff, and the university, as well as the high quality of its students.
“The positive evaluation is also largely driven by the impressions of our site visitors, who served as the eyes and ears of the APA,” Schiffman emphasized. “They were uniformly impressed with not just the quality of the program, but the quality of our character and our collective values.”
Looking ahead, the program will be eligible for full accreditation without the “contingency” status upon the graduation of its first students.
“With the progress of our students, we are well on our way toward the next step in the process and will be up for review for the next phase in the summer of 2027," Schiffman said.
“This achievement further proves that we have a top-notch clinical psychology program and I expect it will continue to attract applicants and accolades as it continues to grow and thrive,” said Jon Gould, dean of the School of Social Ecology, which launched the program in 2021 in response to growing mental health needs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about one in five Americans aged 18 or older suffer from a significant mental health concern.
The clinical psychology program is preparing its students as clinical scholars and mental health leaders. The first nine students are expected to complete their Ph.D.s in 2027. A total of 26 students are currently enrolled with full tuition and housing support through grants, fellowships, teaching assistantships and scholarships.
Madeline Snyder, who is in her fourth year, said she is thrilled to be part of the well-respected program.
“The accreditation milestone is a testament to the substantial time and effort put in by our faculty, staff members, students, and community-based mental health partners to develop such an incredible clinical training program,” she said.