Type of qualification
Level of study
Once you’ve graduated with a bachelor’s degree – or have equal experience – you can study at the postgraduate level. Doctoral qualifications require additional entry requirements.
Our courses follow the New Zealand Qualification Framework (NZQF) levels.
Time to complete
Where you can study
International students
International students are not New Zealand citizens or residents.
Study a Doctor of Clinical Psychology – DClinPsych
Note: All Doctor of Clinical Psychology students need to pass health screening (including full COVID-19 immunisation, see further details below under Entry Requirements) to undertake clinical placements as a requirement of this qualification. Currently, some health organisations, including District Health Boards, community mental health, and community health care practices require vaccination as a condition of working in their organisation.
The Doctor of Clinical Psychology is a professional qualification that prepares you to integrate practice and research in your career as a clinical psychologist.
Places on this programme are highly sought-after and there is a competitive entry process.
Clinical psychology is an applied branch of psychology. It uses psychological techniques to help people solve a wide variety of mental, physical, behavioural and relationship problems.
What does the programme cover?
The Doctor of Clinical Psychology is a full-time qualification. You’ll take courses, do practical placements, complete an internship of supervised full-time practical work for at least one academic year and a doctoral dissertation (thesis).
Develop practical skills
You’ll get practical skills through practica placements. There are typically three placements in a variety of health service agencies, such as:
- child and family
- community mental health
- drug and alcohol
- rehabilitation
- secondary care
- forensic
- Massey Student Health and Counselling
- Psychological Service/Department of Corrections
- Massey psychology clinics.
Get a diverse perspective
Massey is committed to the principles embodied in the Treaty of Waitangi, Te Tiriti o Waitangi. You’ll be well trained from a variety of perspectives and be sensitive to the needs of people from diverse backgrounds and across their lifespan.
Our staff have a range of experience and interests. They approach clinical work from a variety of empirical and theoretical frameworks.
The scientist-practitioner model
Clinical training at Massey is based on the scientist-practitioner model. This emphasises the need for clinical psychologists to have a strong research background, as well as clinical skills. You’ll formulate an approach to understanding human behaviour that has a strong theoretical base.
Internationally recognised and market-leading in New Zealand
Massey graduates more researchers and clinical psychologists than any other university in New Zealand.
We’re connected to a wide range of community and statutory organisations. Our unique and applied psychology research and training is recognised nationally and internationally. This expertise enhances the reputation of your degree and ensures your knowledge is relevant to today’s society.
A DClinPsych is a good fit if you:
- want to become a registered clinical psychologist
- have completed an honours or master’s degree with at least second class honours division 1.
Entry requirements
Admission to Massey
All students must meet university entrance requirements to be admitted to the University.
Specific requirements
This programme is a selected entry qualification. This means there are a number of extra requirements you must meet.
To enter the Doctor of Clinical Psychology you will:
- have been awarded or qualified for a bachelor with honours or master’s in psychology with the award of first class or second class division I honours, or equivalent
- have passed the following courses (or their equivalent) in your qualifying degree:
- 175738 Psychological Research: Principles of Design
- 175781 Understanding Mental Distress
- 175782 Clinical Psychology Assessment
- 175783 Clinical Psychology Interventions
- have sufficient personal qualities, ethical standards and professional potential to satisfy the Doctoral Research Committee you have the capacity to successfully undertake the programme, and to satisfy the requirements for eligibility to practice as a Registered Psychologist in accordance with the Health Practitioners Competency Assurance Act of 2003 (or as amended)
- supply all documentation as listed below
- be offered a place in the programme following a selection interview.
Please note that there are more applicants than places, and candidates who meet the above conditions also need to be offered a place following a selection interview.
Applications close 1 September for study the following year. No late applications will be accepted.
You must ensure that all documentation is supplied well in advance of the closing date. If you are applying close to the deadline you will need to ensure your referees are advised, as their report must be received by the closing date.
English language requirements:
Academic IELTS score of 6.5 with no band less than 6.0 - this must be achieved in one sitting; or a minimum TOEFL iBT of 90 overall (minimum of 20 in writing). These tests are valid for two years. The Institute of Education requires a higher score.
Documents you need to supply
You will need to provide:
- verified copies of all academic transcripts for studies taken at all universities other than Massey University
- a current curriculum vitae or resume detailing your relevant training and experience
- a passport-sized photograph
- brief personal statement (up to 500 words) which includes your reasons for seeking a career in clinical psychology. You may also wish to list perceived strengths as well as skills you will bring to your studies and training as a clinical psychologist
- supporting statements from whānau/family (optional)
- name, occupation and email details of two referees. Referees will be automatically contacted to supply a confidential reference in relation to this programme. Referees are invited to comment, where they are able, on academic performance, ability to successfully complete further study, motivation and suitability for clinical psychology training, quality of interactions, and adherence to professional ethical standards.
Maximum time limits for completion
There are maximum time limits to complete postgraduate qualifications. If you do not complete within the maximum time, you may be required to re-apply for the qualification if you wish to continue your studies.
Official regulations
Review this important information before you apply for this programme. This gives you full details of the rules and regulations about what you need to study and what you must achieve in order to graduate with this qualification. That includes structure, courses and requirements.
Returning students
For returning students, there may be changes to the majors and minors available and the courses you need to take. Go to the section called ‘Transitional Provisions’ in the Regulations to find out more.
In some cases the qualification or specialisation you enrolled in may no longer be taking new enrolments, so may not appear on these web pages. To find information on the regulations for these qualifications go to the Massey University Calendar.
Please contact us through the Get advice button on this page if you have any questions.
Structure of the Doctor of Clinical Psychology
The Doctor of Clinical Psychology is a parts-based qualification. That means you must complete the first part, before moving to the second. It consists of courses and a thesis, totalling at least 360 credits:
- Part One: Provisional Registration
- Part Two: Full Registration
This includes:
- the courses listed in the Schedule for the qualification (check the regulations for more information)
- a thesis
- participation in compulsory activities including:
- presentation of a proposal at a confirmation event
- defending a thesis in an oral examination
- demonstrating the competencies required of a professional Clinical Psychologist at a practical oral examination.
You will need to do practica placements and an internship of supervised full-time practical work for at least one academic year.
Courses and specialisations
Key terms
- Courses
- Each qualification has its own specific set of courses. Some universities call these papers. You enrol in courses after you get accepted into Massey.
- Course code
- Each course is numbered using 6 digits. The fourth number shows the level of the course. For example, in course 219206, the fourth number is a 2, so it is a 200-level course (usually studied in the second year of full-time study).
- Credits
- Each course is worth a number of credits. You combine courses (credits) to meet the total number of credits needed for your qualification.
- Specialisations
- Some qualifications let you choose what subject you'd like to specialise in. Your major or endorsement is what you will take the majority of your courses in.
Credit summary
360 credits
- Compulsory courses – 120 credits
- Thesis – 240 credits
Requires completion of Part One Provisional Registration and Part Two Full Registration including a thesis.
Participate in required activities including presentation of a proposal at a confirmation event, defending a thesis in an oral examination, and demonstrating the competencies required of a professional Clinical Psychologist at a practical oral examination.
This is a parts-based qualification. This means there are regulations around your completion of Part One before progressing to Part Two, etc.
Course planning key
- Prerequisites
- Courses that need to be completed before moving onto a course at the next level. For example, a lot of 200-level courses have 100-level prerequisite courses.
- Corequisites
- Courses that must be completed at the same time as another course are known as corequisite courses.
- Restrictions
- Some courses are restricted against each other because their content is similar. This means you can only choose one of the offered courses to study and credit to your qualification.
Compulsory courses
Course code: 175920 Clinical Psychology Practicum A 15 credits
Provides structured supervision of the student's clinical activities in the workplace to fulfil clinical psychology practicum requirements. It included observation of the work of clinical psychologists, supervised practice of designated clinical psychology skills, and exploration of individualised psychotherapy approaches and formal treatment protocols in a selected domain of practice.
View full course detailsCourse code: 175921 Clinical Psychology Practicum B 15 credits
Provides further supervision of the student's clinical activities in the workplace to fulfil clinical psychology practicum requirements. It includes supervised practice of all the professional activities of a clinical psychologist, including working in professional teams, conducting assessments under supervision, and using the empirical literature to guide clinical decision making.
View full course detailsCourse code: 175922 Clinical Psychology Internship 60 credits
Supervised experience in all aspects of clinical psychology service delivery in a professional service setting, with increasing emphasis on independent ability to offer specialised assessment and treatment programmes to a diversity of clients in a safe, culturally appropriate, and ethical manner.
View full course detailsCourse code: 175935 Skills in Clinical Assessment 15 credits
Provides advanced training in applied skills of clinical psychology assessment across the lifespan, including interview skills, skills in case conceptualisation and psychological formulation, and skills in the selection, administration, scoring, interpretation and reporting of psychological and neuropsychological tests.
View full course detailsCourse code: 175936 Skills in Clinical Interventions 15 credits
Provides advanced training in applied skills of clinical psychology interventions across the lifespan, including behavioural and cognitive behavioural interventions, family and systems approaches, and neurorehabilitation interventions.
View full course detailsCourse code: 175991 Thesis Part A 90 credits
Thesis research builds the student's ability to carry out independent scientific inquiry which represents a significant contribution to knowledge and understanding in clinical psychology. In the initial stages of thesis preparation, students participate in a group seminar to review a number of specialised methodological issues that exist within clinical psychology.
View full course detailsCourse code: 175992 Thesis Part B 90 credits
Supports continued research activities, normally involving selecting and testing participants; other data collection strategies as needed by the research design; statistical analysis of data, conceptualisation of the findings, and the development of tentative conclusions.
View full course detailsCourse code: 175993 Thesis Part C 60 credits
Integrates the student's emerging ability to carry out independent research of direct relevance to conceptual foundations of clinical psychology. The candidate integrates the major study with clinical follow-up study or studies of a practical nature, derived from the concurrent internship experiences.
View full course detailsFees and scholarships
Fees, student loans and free fees scheme
Your tuition fees may be different depending on the courses you choose. Your exact fees will show once you have chosen your courses.
There will also be some compulsory non-tuition fees and for some courses, there may also be charges for things such as study resources, software, trips and contact workshops.
- Get an estimate of the tuition fees for your qualification
- View a list of non-tuition fees that may be payable
Already know which courses you're going to choose?
You can view fees for the courses that make up your qualification on the course details pages.
Student loans (StudyLink) and Fees Free scheme
You may be eligible for a student loan to help towards paying your fees.
The New Zealand Government offers fees-free tertiary study for eligible domestic students. Find out more about the scheme and your eligibility on the Fees Free website. To use the site's eligibility checking tool, you will need your National Student Number.
Current and returning Massey students can find their National Student Number in the student portal.
- Student loans (StudyLink)
- Fees Free
- Student portal
Scholarship and award opportunities
- Massey University Alumni Doctoral Scholarship
- Massey University Doctoral Scholarship
- Massey University Pacific Success Scholarship for Doctoral Students
Fees disclaimer
This information is for estimation purposes only. Actual fees payable will be finalised on confirmation of enrolment. Unless otherwise stated, all fees shown are quoted in New Zealand dollars and include Goods and Services Tax, if any. Before relying on any information on these pages you should also read the University's Disclaimer Notice.
Careers and job opportunities
Our clinical psychology graduates typically work in their community in:
- health
- education
- social services
- justice
- private practice.
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Useful planning information
Key information for students
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