Clinical Psychology: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is a doctorate in Clinical Psychology programme taught at University of Victoria in Victoria, Canada. The programme runs for 5.5 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition for international students is CAD 2,857 per semester (CAD 2,265 per semester for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Doctorate
Field:Clinical Psychology
Duration: 5.5 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 2,265 / semester
International tuition: CAD 2,857 / semester
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This PhD prepares graduates for clinical practice or academic and research careers in psychology, with training covering social, developmental, biological and cognitive psychology alongside assessment, diagnosis, intervention, psychopathology, ethics, cultural diversity, research methods and clinical supervision. Applicants need a master's degree in psychology and submit a one-to-two-page letter of intent naming a specialization area and at least two faculty members, plus references and transcripts. The expected timeline is five to six years, including candidacy examinations, dissertation research and defense, followed by a required one-year clinical residency. Applications are due November 30 for the standard September start, and the doctorate is delivered full-time and on-campus throughout candidacy, coursework, dissertation research and the clinical residency year that follows the defense, preparing graduates for licensure as clinical psychologists.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission follows UVic's general Doctoral requirements: an acceptable master's degree (or equivalent) recognized by the university, or, for direct entry, the equivalent of an A- average over the final two years of a bachelor's degree, plus program-specific criteria. The program requires a master's degree (or equivalent) in psychology; it does not publish its own minimum grade average. Applicants submit a one- to two-page letter of intent naming a primary specialization, either clinical lifespan or clinical neuropsychology, research interests, at least two faculty members they wish to work with, and financial-support needs, plus the names and email addresses of two referees and post-secondary transcripts. English-language proficiency follows UVic's general graduate standard for applicants whose first language is not English (IELTS Academic 6.5 overall, no band below 6.0, or TOEFL iBT 90, no section below 20, among other accepted tests). September entry applications are due November 30.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through EducationPlannerBC, which opens for 2027-entry applications on 1 October 2026: most degree programmes see September 2027 entry close 31 January 2027, January 2027 entry close 30 September 2026, and Summer 2027 entry close 31 March 2027, though Teacher Education post-degree programmes close 2 January 2027, Indigenous Education post-degree admits on an ongoing basis, and Engineering's Summer entry (high-school graduates only) closes 31 December 2026. International applicants use the same portal and face identical dates, since UVic publishes no separate international deadline. UVic treats these as fixed annual dates rather than rolling admission, though it warns any programme can close early without notice. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
