After completing most or all of the other Ph.D. requirements, clinical students seek 2,000 hour, block-time internships that are approved by the American Psychological Association. There are hundreds of these internships, listed in each December issue of the American Psychologist. It is expected that students will complete their dissertation before leaving for internship. Research training in UNCG's clinical program begins during the first year through course work in clinical research methodology and in statistics. Also in the first year students associate themselves with research laboratories.
Many students also conduct research as part of a departmental research assistantship responsibility.
During the first year, students begin to develop a thesis research project through the clinical research methods course and under the direction of a faculty member. It is expected that second year students make a presentation at the Graduate Research Conference, scheduled early in the fall term. The thesis is typically completed during the second or third year. An independent doctoral research project, which is usually pilot work for the dissertation, is generally done during the third or fourth years, and the doctoral dissertation during the fourth or fifth years. Students also have the opportunity to participate in non-required research throughout their training.