Clinical Science: Accreditation
PCSAS – Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System

The Clinical Science Program at the University of California, Berkeley was accredited in 2013 by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS). PCSAS was created to promote superior science-centered education and training in clinical psychology, to increase the quality and quantity of clinical scientists contributing to the advancement of public health, and to enhance the scientific knowledge base for mental and behavioral health care. The Berkeley program is deeply committed to these goals and proud to be one of the select group of programs accredited by PCSAS. To correspond with PCSAS, or for additional information: http://www.pcsas.org/

 

APA – American Psychological Association (Accreditation status: Accredited, Inactive)

The Clinical Science Program, a doctoral program in Clinical Science, accredited as a program in clinical psychology, has been accredited by the American Psychological Association since 1948. (Office of Program Consultation and Accreditation, American Psychological Association, 750 First Street NE. Washington, DC 20002-4242. Telephone: 202-336-5979)

 

New Program Statement on Future Accreditation Plan (January 27, 2020)

The Clinical Science doctoral program at the University of California, Berkeley, provides students with the highest-quality training in the integration of science and practice. Reflecting this aspirational goal, the program has been accredited continuously by the American Psychological Association (APA) since 1948 and by the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) since 2013. The staggering personal, social, and economic burdens of mental illness and related problems--and the difficulty of making progress in reducing these burdens--have  created an increasing need for training clinical psychologists who have even more intensive clinical research training, greater experience working in interdisciplinary research teams, broader exposure to a range of clinical problems, and deeper knowledge in emerging fields (e.g., neuroscience and genetics).

 

The Clinical Science program at the University of California, Berkeley is committed to training clinical psychologists who are prepared to make significant contributions to basic research on mental illness and well-being; to the development, evaluation, delivery, and dissemination of new assessments and treatments to diverse populations; and to reducing the burden of mental illness and related problems in living. Increasingly, we view the evolving curricular and other demands associated with APA accreditation as inconsistent with this approach to training. We are currently accredited by APA and PCSAS through 2023. After careful deliberation and discussion, the Clinical Science faculty has come to the decision as a group that it is our intention to not seek accreditation by APA after our current APA accreditation expires in 2023. We will continue to maintain our PCSAS accreditation.

 

Applicants to our program may have concerns about the implications of these changes for professional training, licensure, and employment. Our program will remain committed to training students who are among the field’s best clinical psychologists, fully prepared for positions at the forefront of modern clinical science and practice. In service of this goal, we will continue to maintain our in-house Psychology Clinic and the Center for Assessment, which play a central role in providing clinical training for our students, house numerous clinical research projects, and provide high-quality, evidence-based clinical services to the Berkeley community. Further, our graduates will still be eligible for professional licensure in states that recognize PCSAS and/or do not require APA accreditation (currently California, New York, Illinois, Delaware, Missouri, and New Mexico, and under consideration in a number of other states) after meeting other state-specific requirements.