Whereas individual practitioners of psychology are licensed, programmes in psychology can be accredited.
It is the doctoral or internship programme (not its students) that must voluntarily apply for and undergo accreditation. A student can claim to have graduated from an accredited programme, if the programme was accredited at the time of the student’s graduation.
Accreditation is a voluntary process but allows doctoral and internship programmes to demonstrate that they have met a community standard of training.
Although, graduation from an accredited doctoral programme is not a requirement for registration as a psychologist and not always a requirement of employers, it can be an advantage. Applicants for registration or licensure who have graduated from accredited programmes often receive ‘fast-track’ credential reviews by regulatory bodies. Further, accredited programmes are encouraged to hire faculty and staff who themselves have graduated from accredited programmes.
The CPA accredits doctoral programmes and internships in professional areas of psychology. A listing of all CPA-accredited programmes can be found on our Web site.
The CPA’s Accreditation Standards and Procedures for Doctoral and Internship Programmes in Psychology is available in PDF format from the CPA Web site.
Bound copies of the Standards and Procedures are also available from the Accreditation Office.