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Nevada State Licensing Requirements

The state of Nevada has much to offer if you desire to become a social worker, therapist, counselor or psychologist. But what degree should you pursue, and what do you need to do to get licensed to practice in the helping professions?

If you want to get the education and skills to help people cope with life issues like depression and anxiety, overcome more serious mental-health problems, and generally improve the quality of their lives, keep reading to learn about going to psychology or human services school in Nevada.

How to Get Licensed to Practice in Nevada

Licensing is a critical and necessary step before you can become a practicing social worker, psychologist, therapist or counselor in Nevada.

Once you’ve earned your degree, you’ll need to pass a Nevada state and/or national exam and meet other licensing requirements in your particular field of study. Here are some of the requirements to practice in the following fields, according to the Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners and other regulatory bodies. Make sure to consult the relevant regulatory body for the full requirements.

For Psychologists

• Doctoral degree in psychology from an institution of higher learning accredited by the American Psychological Association, or another accrediting institution
• Two years of supervised clinical experience, including a pre-doctoral internship, that is the equivalent of full-time employment: each year must consist of not less than 1,750 hours, the second year must be post-doctoral but meet the requirements of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards
• Passing score on the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)

Clinical psychologist salary in Nevada

For Clinical Mental Health Counselors

• A master’s or doctoral degree in counseling from an accredited university or college of at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours, including 12 semester hours or 18 quarter hours in an advanced counseling practicum, and a one-year internship of 20 hours per week in mental health counseling
• A passing score on the National Clinical Mental Health Counselor Examination of the National Board of Certified Counselors, or an acceptable substitution, such as the National Counselor Examination (NCE)
• After receiving a master’s degree, 2,000 hours of supervised post-graduate direct client contact offering clinical, counseling or therapy over the course of two years, with a minimum of 100 hours of post-degree supervised casework

For Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT)

• A master’s or doctoral degree of at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter credits in marriage and family therapy from an accredited program
• A passing score on the Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB)
• A one-year supervised practicum in marriage and family therapy, consisting of a minimum of 12 semester hours or 18 quarter hours
• Supervised experience in marriage and family therapy of 2,000 hours in at least two years, with a minimum of 100 hours of supervision of post-graduate work experience

For Licensed Independent Clinical Social Workers (LICSW)

• Master’s degree or higher in social work from a CSWE-accredited program
• 3,000 hours of supervised, post-graduate social work approved by the Board.
• Pass the clinical-level national exam administered by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)

For more details, consult the Nevada Board of Examiners for Social Workers.

Making the Most of Your Degree

Once you’ve begun your psychology degree, you should seriously think about joining one of the professional associations in your field that accept students. Membership in organizations such as the Nevada Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers offers great benefits:

• Access to job databases and community resources
• Information about legislation that affects your work
• Forums for interacting with peers and experts in your field
• Consultation with advocates in your profession regarding legal and ethical issues

So which field of psychology is right for you: counselor, therapist, social worker or psychologist? Make sure to get off on the right foot, and research your degree options and licensure requirements early to ensure that you’ll be efficient in your studies and can get into the right helping profession for you.

_{Sources: www.psyexam.nv.gov, www.marriage.nv.gov, www.socwork.nv.gov}