Each applicant for licensure shall comply with all of the following requirements:
(a) Is not subject to denial of licensure under Division 1.5 (commencing with Section 475).
(b) Possess an earned doctorate degree (1) in psychology, (2) in educational psychology, or (3) in education with the field of specialization in counseling psychology or educational psychology. Except as provided in subdivision (h), this degree or training shall be obtained from an accredited university, college, or professional school. The board shall make the final determination as to whether a degree meets the requirements of this section.
(c) (1) On or after January 1, 2020, possess an earned doctorate degree in psychology, in educational psychology, or in education with the field of specialization in counseling psychology or educational psychology from a college or institution of higher education that is accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. Until January 1, 2020, the board may accept an applicant who possesses a doctorate degree in psychology, educational psychology, or in education with the field of specialization in counseling psychology or educational psychology from an institution that is not accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education, but is approved to operate in this state by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any student who was enrolled in a doctoral program in psychology, educational psychology, or in education with the field of specialization in counseling psychology or educational psychology at a nationally accredited or approved institution as of December 31, 2016.
(3) No educational institution shall be denied recognition as an accredited academic institution solely because its program is not accredited by any professional organization of psychologists, and nothing in this chapter or in the administration of this chapter shall require the registration with the board by educational institutions of their departments of psychology or their doctoral programs in psychology.
(4) An applicant for licensure trained in an educational institution outside the United States or Canada shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the board that he or she possesses a doctorate degree in psychology that is equivalent to a degree earned from a regionally accredited university in the United States or Canada. These applicants shall provide the board with a comprehensive evaluation of the degree performed by a foreign credential evaluation service that is a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), and any other documentation the board deems necessary.
(d) (1) Have engaged for at least two years in supervised professional experience under the direction of a licensed psychologist, the specific requirements of which shall be defined by the board in its regulations, or under suitable alternative supervision as determined by the board in regulations duly adopted under this chapter, at least one year of which shall be after being awarded the doctorate in psychology. The supervisor shall submit verification of the experience required by this subdivision to the trainee in a manner prescribed by the board. If the supervising licensed psychologist fails to provide verification to the trainee in a timely manner, the board may establish alternative procedures for obtaining the necessary documentation. Absent good cause, the failure of a supervising licensed psychologist to provide the verification to the board upon request shall constitute unprofessional conduct.
(2) The board shall establish qualifications by regulation for supervising psychologists.
(e) Take and pass the examination required by Section 2941 unless otherwise exempted by the board under this chapter.
(f) Show by evidence satisfactory to the board that he or she has completed training in the detection and treatment of alcohol and other chemical substance dependency. This requirement applies only to applicants who matriculate on or after September 1, 1985.
(g) (1) Show by evidence satisfactory to the board that he or she has completed coursework in spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention. This requirement applies to applicants who began graduate training during the period commencing on January 1, 1995, and ending on December 31, 2003.
(2) An applicant who began graduate training on or after January 1, 2004, shall show by evidence satisfactory to the board that he or she has completed a minimum of 15 contact hours of coursework in spousal or partner abuse assessment, detection, and intervention strategies, including knowledge of community resources, cultural factors, and same gender abuse dynamics. An applicant may request an exemption from this requirement if he or she intends to practice in an area that does not include the direct provision of mental health services.
(3) Coursework required under this subdivision may be satisfactory if taken either in fulfillment of other educational requirements for licensure or in a separate course. This requirement for coursework shall be satisfied by, and the board shall accept in satisfaction of the requirement, a certification from the chief academic officer of the educational institution from which the applicant graduated that the required coursework is included within the institution’s required curriculum for graduation.
(h) Until January 1, 2020, an applicant holding a doctoral degree in psychology from an approved institution is deemed to meet the requirements of this section if both of the following are true:
(1) The approved institution offered a doctoral degree in psychology designed to prepare students for a license to practice psychology and was approved by the former Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education on or before July 1, 1999.
(2) The approved institution has not, since July 1, 1999, had a new location, as described in Section 94823.5 of the Education Code.
(Amended by Stats. 2016, Ch. 484, Sec. 3. (SB 1193) Effective January 1, 2017.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018