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Imagine a psychology program where you don’t just study human behavior but you step into it. Where classrooms are only one part of the journey, and the real magic happens in therapy rooms, hospitals, outreach centers and quiet one-on-one conversations. That’s the Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology) in Clinical Psychology, a program built not just for scholars, but for doers. It’s an alternative doctoral degree in psychology, focusing on clinical and applied aspects of the field, rather than research and academia like a Ph.D

What Makes the Psy.D. Special?

• Not the typical research-heavy doctorate.
• Rooted in the practitioner-scholar model which is built for those who want to do the work, not just study it.
• 4-year, full-time journey focused on real clinical care.
• You don’t just learn therapy techniques but you use them.
• Ethics isn’t a chapter, it’s a lived, case-by-case practice.

Year-by-Year Growth –

• Years 1–3: Immersive clinical placements in hospitals, community centers, inpatient units, outreach programs.
• Personalized supervision from skilled faculty who are practicing clinical psychologists.
• Hands-on experience with the full spectrum of human struggle and healing.
• Year 4: Full-time internship, it is your chance to apply everything you’ve learned with confidence and care.

Training Hours –

• 4,000+ hours of direct clinical training.
• 2,000 hours dedicated to internship.
• Because becoming a clinical psychologist is about time in the field, not just theory.

Research Scope –

• Even though it’s practitioner-focused, still research methods and statistics are given ample importance.

For M.Phil. Holders

• If you’ve already completed an M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology and hold RCI registration, you’re eligible for lateral entry straight into Year 3.
• 2 intense years focused on advanced competencies, specialization choices and a professional internship.

Where Does Psy.D. Lead?

• By the end, you’re not just a graduate, you’re a professional!
• Ready for roles in private practice, hospitals, universities, NGOs and academia.
• Consulting, training, supervising, leading & even teaching as an Assistant Professor, shaping the next generation while continuing your own journey.

The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, established to regulate and standardize training programs in the field of rehabilitation and special education. In the domain of clinical psychology, RCI plays a crucial role by recognizing and licensing professionals qualified to practice as Clinical Psychologists in India. Only those who complete RCI-approved programs—such as M.Phil/ MA in Clinical Psychology, or Psy.D. programs are legally permitted to offer clinical services, including psychological assessments, diagnosis and psychotherapy. RCI ensures that practitioners meet ethical standards, receive adequate training, and are listed in the official Central Rehabilitation Register (CRR) which grants them legal authority to practice.

RCI recognized institutions offering Psy.D. in India –

Institutes offering Psy.D according to the RCI –

Link of the RCI document – https://rehabcouncil.nic.in/sites/default/files/approved_inst.pdf

Institution	Location	Eligibility Criteria	Selection Process	Number of Seats
Sweekaar Academy of Rehabilitation Sciences	Secunderabad, Telangana	Master’s Degree in Psychology with minimum 65% aggregate (60% for SC/ST)	Refer to the Institute’s website	02
Amity University, Noida	Noida, Uttar Pradesh	MA/M.Sc. in Psychology with minimum 65%; degree completed within last 5 years	Subject-Based Written Test + Personal Interview	03
Amity University, Jaipur	Jaipur, Rajasthan	MA/M.Sc. in Psychology with minimum 65%; degree completed within last 5 years	Subject-Based Written Test + Personal Interview	03
National Institute for the Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities (NIEPVD)	Dehradun, Uttarakhand	Master’s Degree in Psychology (usually 55–60% minimum; institute-specific criteria)	Refer to the Institute’s website	03

Semester	Course / Component
Semester 1	Practical: Psychological Assessments and Viva Voce [Practical]
	Submission: Ten cases of full-length Psychodiagnostics Report [Practical]
	Paper I: Psychosocial Foundations of Behavior [Core Courses]
	Paper II: Biological Foundations of Behavior [Core Courses]
	Paper III: Psychopathology [Core Courses]
	Paper IV: Psychiatry [Core Courses]
	Foreign Business Language
	Open Elective Courses
	Outdoor Activity Based Courses
Semester 2	Practical: Psychological Therapies & Viva Voce [Practical]
	Submission: Ten fully worked-out Psychotherapy Records [Practical]
	Paper I: Psychotherapy and Counseling [Core Courses]
	Paper II: Behavioral Medicine [Core Courses]
	Paper III: Evidence Based Practice and Clinical Research Issues [Core Courses]
	Paper IV: Statistics and Research Methodology [Core Courses]
	Foreign Business Language
	Open Elective Courses
	Outdoor Activity Based Courses
Semester 3	Theory and application issues related to Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology [Specialisation Elective Courses]
	Theory and application issues related to Cognitive-Behavior Therapies [Specialisation Elective Courses]
	Practical: Interventions Related to Elective – Cognitive – Behavior Therapies including Viva Voce [Practical]
	Practical: Interventions Related to Elective – Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology including Viva Voce [Practical]
	Submission: Five Video Recording or Written Transcripts of one of the Treatment Sessions Related to Elective – Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology along with printed case records. [Practical]
	Submission: Five Video Recording or Written Transcripts of one of the Treatment Sessions Related to Elective – Cognitive-Behavior Therapies along with printed records. [Practical]
	Foreign Business Language
	Open Elective Courses
	Outdoor Activity Based Courses
Semester 4	Clinical Internship [Supervised Independent Learning/ Non-Teaching Credit Courses]
	Empirical Research [Supervised Independent Learning/ Non-Teaching Credit Courses]
	Foreign Business Language
	Open Elective Courses
	Outdoor Activity Based Courses

This RCI-approved course awards you the title of ‘Doctor’ and a RCI license to practice as a Clinical Psychologist in India. After completing it, you’re officially qualified to work in institutions or even open your own private clinic.

Psy.D. vs. M.Phil. vs. Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology –

Feature	Psy.D.	M.Phil. in Clinical Psychology (MA Clinical Psychology – Next year onwards, as per RCI )	Ph.D. (Clinical Psychology)
Degree Level	Professional doctoral degree (practice-focused)	Advanced master’s – hospital-based (2 years, professional training)	Academic research doctorate (3–6 years)
Core Focus	Intensive clinical skills, hands-on practitioner training, licensure-ready	Combination of clinical training + research, gate to RCI licensure	Original research, theory-building, and academic scholarship
Duration	4 years full-time	2 years full-time	3–6 years (depending on thesis/research scope)
Research Component	Limited, primarily trained to appraise and use research	Moderate, includes dissertation but clinical practice is dominant	Intensive, involves original dissertation and publication focus
Licensing & Practice	Qualifies as RCI-licensed Clinical Psychologist (“Doctor” title)	Also leads to RCI licensure, but without “Doctor” prefix	No RCI licensure, focused; more for academic/research roles (“Doctor” title)
Ideal For	Clinical practice, therapy, assessment, private practice, hospitals	Clinical roles, institutional therapy, early-career psychology practice	Academic faculty, research scientist, advanced theoretical and empirical work

The Psy.D. is more than a degree—it’s where knowledge meets action, and theory transforms into healing. With RCI-approved training and thousands of clinical hours, you step into the real world of mental health care.At Power Within Psychology, we’re here to guide you on this powerful journey of becoming a clinical expert.Advance your path—join us, follow us, and stay connected for more insights, updates, and opportunities.