Psychology Accreditation, Licensing, and Certification

Importance of Accreditation in Psychology

There are two kinds of accreditation: institutional and specialized.

Institutional accreditation certifies that an institution has met minimum standards of quality. It is granted by 1 of 7 regional accrediting organizations recognized for this purpose by the US Department of Education. Membership in the American Psychological Association (APA) requires that one’s doctoral degree in psychology or equivalent be from an accredited institution.

Specialized accreditation only applies to professional programs. It certifies that the program meets the minimal standards of quality as defined by that profession.

In the field of psychology, specialized accreditation is granted by the APA Committee on Accreditation and applies only to doctoral programs, internships, and postdoctoral residency programs in professional psychology.

Increasingly, employers and health services reimbursement companies require that the psychologists they employ or reimburse be graduates of accredited programs in professional psychology.

You can contact the following organization for more information about accredited programs:

APA Education Directorate
750 First Street, N.E.
Washington, DC 20002-4242
e-mail: education@apa.org.

Licensing & Certification

To practice as an independent clinical psychologist anywhere in the United States or Canada, you must be licensed.

• Licensed Psychologists usually have doctorates in clinical psychology
• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists usually have master’s degrees in clinical psychology

Before granting permission to take the licensing exam, the state licensing board will review your educational background. A doctoral degree does not automatically make you eligible, because requirements vary from state to state.

States require that your doctorate be in psychology or a field of study “primarily psychological in nature” and that it be from a regionally accredited institution. You also must have had at least 2 years of supervised professional experience.

Information about state and provincial licensing requirements can be obtained from the following organization:

American Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPS)
P.O. Box 4389
Montgomery, AL 36103

Read about Professional Organizations