Section 1: Psychology Degree Requirements
For purposes of licensure, a degree in psychology shall:
- Be from a recognized institution of higher learning as established in this administrative regulation;
- Be clearly identified by the granting institution as a psychology program wherever the program may be administratively housed;
- Be specified in pertinent institutional catalogs and brochures as intended to educate and train professional psychologists;
- Stand as a recognizable, coherent, organized entity within the institution;
- Require a dissertation for the degree as psychological in method and content and an expected product of doctoral training in psychology;
- Require that any thesis required for the degree shall be psychological in method and content and an expected product of master’s training in psychology;
- Stand as a recognizable, coherent, organized entity within the institution;
- Require within the psychology faculty clear authority and primary responsibility for the core and specialty areas whether or not the program cuts across administrative lines;
- Be an integrated, organized sequence of study;
- Require an identifiable psychology faculty and a psychologist responsible for the program;
- Require an identifiable body of students who are matriculated in that program for a degree; and
- Include educational experiences with titles, such as practicum, internship, or field training, including:
- For a doctoral degree, require a six (6) graduate semester-hour practica, three (3) hours of psychotherapy, counseling, or intervention and three (3) hours of assessment, excluding industrial and organizational psychology; or
Section 2: Psychology Curriculum Requirements
- In determining the approval of curricular experiences and course work, the board shall consider:
- The duration of graduate study:
- For a doctoral degree, a minimum of three (3) years, including a minimum of one (1) full academic year in residence at the institution (internship per 201 KAR 26:190 ), consisting of a minimum of 250 contact hours or its equivalent of curricular experiences and course work delivered through face-to-face in person context with other students and with faculty of the institution, without regard to the specific physical location in which the course work is conducted; or
- In addition to instruction in scientific and professional ethics and standards, research design and methodology, statistics and psychometrics, the core program shall require each student to demonstrate competence by including a minimum of three (3) or more graduate semester hours (five (5) or more graduate quarter hours) in each of these four (4) areas:
- Biological bases of behavior, including the subject matters of physiological psychology, comparative psychology, neuropsychology, sensation and perception, and psychopharmacology;
- Cognitive-affective bases of behavior, including the subject matters of learning, thinking, motivation, and emotion;
- Social bases of behavior, including the subject matters of social psychology group process and organizational psychology and systems; and
- Individual differences, including the subject matters of personality theory, human development, and abnormal psychology.
- In addition to the core program, the curriculum shall include appropriate course work in the specialty area of training. For candidates who seek to deliver or supervise psychological health services, the training shall include specific training in diagnosis, psychological testing, assessment of individual differences, and the design and implementation of appropriate intervention techniques, such as psychotherapy, counseling, and consultation.
- The duration of graduate study:
- The applicant shall provide any relevant documentation requested by the board to confirm compliance with or satisfaction of the requirements of this administrative regulation.
- A deficiency in course work or other requirements shall be corrected by appropriate remedial work.
Section 3.Psychology Accreditation Requirements
Kentucky Doctorate Psychology programs:
- Spaulding University
- University of Kentucky
- University of Louisville
- A regionally accredited educational institution shall be accredited by one (1) of the following, or an equivalent accreditation entity:
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools;
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education;
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools;
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges;
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools;
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities;
- Northwest Accreditation Commission; or
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
- Accreditation shall include accreditation by one (1) of the associations established in subsection (1) of this section at:
- Level 3, master’s degree granting accreditation;
- Level 4, doctoral degree granting accreditation; or
- Level 5, graduate or professional degree granting accreditation;
- Licensed psychological practitioner educational requirements.
- Graduate course work shall be related to psychological practice and may include independent study and distance learning. All graduate course work shall have been offered by a regionally accredited university meeting the standards described in this administrative regulation. Continuing education credits shall not qualify to meet this requirement.
- The applicant shall provide any documentation required by the board in the manner and form prescribed by the board to confirm compliance with or satisfaction of the requirements of this section.
- At the discretion of the board, any deficiency in course work or other requirements may be corrected by appropriate remedial work.
Section 4.
- A regionally-accredited educational institution shall be accredited by any one (1) of the following:
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools;
- New England Association of Colleges and Schools;
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools;
- North Western Association of Schools and Colleges; or
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
- Accreditation shall be by one (1) of the associations listed in this section at Level 3, master’s degree granting accreditation.
EXAM PREP
- The EPPP (Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology) is administered by Pearson VUE. The exam consists of 225 multiple-choice questions that each have four answers, only one of which is correct. You will have 4 hours and 15 minutes to complete the exam. Only 175 of the 225 items are scored; the remaining 50 items are experimental questions that are being assessed for future use and do not count toward your final score. The experimental questions are not identified, however, so you must answer every question with the same effort.
- How is the EPPP Scored and What is the Cutoff Score? Raw scores on the EPPP are converted to scaled scores ranging from 200 to 800. The ASPPB recommends a passing score of 500 as the cutoff for independent practice, but each state[1] and province establishes its own cutoff and you should check with your Board to determine the cutoff in your jurisdiction. Note that the raw score equivalent of a scaled score of 500 varies somewhat from exam to exam because each item is weighted in terms of difficulty level, and the exact number of items you will have to answer correctly depends on the difficulty level of the items in the version of the EPPP that you take. On average, however, a scaled score of 500 is equivalent to a raw score of 123 or 70% correct.
- How do I register for the exam? The ASPPB has transitioned to a new Web-based application system for the EPPP. Once you receive an email from ASPPB notifying you that you can register, you can do so at www.asppb.net. If you do not receive your eligibility email, contact your state or provincial licensing board to advise them that you need to be authorized.
- Practice EPPP Exams link
- EPPP Study Guides link
- EPPP Score Required by Content Area (KY is page 20) link
- Schedule your EPPP exam Pearson Vue link
Per KAR 319.050 Examination for license — Fee — Supervision and temporary licensure — Designation as “health service provider.”
Before granting a license to practice psychology and to use the title “licensed psychologist” the board shall require the applicant to pass an examination in psychology and to fulfill all requirements for supervised experience.
PATHWAY #1 PSYPACT
Currently PSYPACT grants psychologists the authority to practice telepsychology ($440 non-refundable application fee) and temporary in-person, face-to-face practice of psychology across state boundaries ($240 non-refundable application fee).
Kentucky is one of the participating states for the doctoral level of psychology. If you are coming from another state, contact your State’s licensure board or start your application now.
Psypact Application form
PATHWAY #2 RECIPROCITY
For those seeking permanent practice in Kentucky, see reciprocity application below
Reciprocity Application form
- A check or money order made payable to the Kentucky State Treasurer for the application fee of $100;
- Three (3) letters of reference from persons qualified to evaluate your professional ability, including two (2) persons who have received a doctorate in psychology (Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D.);
- An official transcript for all levels of education required for licensure (undergraduate and graduate) sent directly from the school or third-party clearinghouse or in a sealed envelope;
- A letter confirming membership in the National Register, your ABPP certification, or your CPQ; and
- Curriculum Vitae with sufficient detail to demonstrate five years of full-time practice.
PATHWAY #3 LICENSE FROM ANOTHER STATE
Pay a fee not to exceed two hundred dollars ($200)
PATHWAY #4
Application Form for Licensure as a Psychologist per KAR 319.050
The applicant shall:
- Pay a fee not to exceed three hundred dollars ($2300);
- Have received a doctoral degree in psychology that is acceptable to the board from a regionally accredited educational institution; provided, however, the board may grant a license to an individual otherwise qualified under this chapter who has received a doctoral degree in psychology that is acceptable to the board from an educational institution outside the United States, if the educational institution would otherwise be accredited by a regional accrediting body if located in the United States;
- Have passed the national EPPP examination at the doctoral level; and
- Have had at least two (2) years of supervised professional experience satisfactory to the board, one (1) year of which shall be an internship.
Upon acceptance of the application to sit for the examination in psychology, the applicant may practice psychology under the supervision of a licensed psychologist under conditions of supervision and temporary licensure established by the board. The board shall establish a grace period not to exceed sixty (60) days to allow for the employment and supervision of the applicant by an agency from the time the applicant’s degree requirements are completed to the submission of the complete application. During this period of supervision, the applicant for licensure may not supervise certified psychologists, licensed psychological associates, other applicants for licensure, or temporarily licensed persons, nor shall he engage in an independent practice, except under the employment of his supervising psychologist. Upon certification to the board of completion of the two (2) years of supervision satisfactory to the board, the applicant shall be examined on psychological practice, ethical principles, and the law.
The board shall grade and keep the examinations and results on file for one (1) year. Upon written request to the board, an applicant may arrange to discuss his or her performance on the examination.
Upon successful completion of the examination process, the board shall issue a license to practice psychology and the applicant may use the title “licensed psychologist.”
Licensed psychologists may function independently without supervision. Licensed psychologists who have the designation “health service provider” may retain that designation and may employ and supervise certified psychologists and licensed psychological associates. Licensed psychologists who have the designation “health service provider” may supervise no more than a total of six (6) certified psychologists, licensed psychological associates, or applicants for licensure at one (1) time.
From July 15, 2010, until July 1, 2013, the designation “health service provider” shall be made on the license of those licensed psychologists who have completed one (1) year of supervised experience under conditions of temporary licensure approved by the board or who have completed one (1) year of supervised experience acceptable to the board after achieving licensure status as a licensed psychologist. (b) Beginning July 1, 2013, the designation “health service provider” shall be made on the license of those licensed psychologists who have completed one (1) additional year of supervised experience satisfactory to the board in health care service delivery. This year of supervised experience shall be in addition to the supervised experience requirement for licensure as a licensed psychologist. Health service providers may provide supervision of direct health care services by applicants for licensure, certified psychologists, and licensed psychological associates. Health service providers may supervise no more than a total of six (6) certified psychologists, licensed psychological associates, or applicants for licensure at one (1) time. Effective: July 15, 2010 History: Amended 2010 Ky. Acts ch. 50, sec. 4, effective July 15, 2010. — Amended 2001 Ky. Acts ch. 80, sec. 7, effective June 21, 2001. — Amended 1992 Ky. Acts ch. 104, sec. 5, effective July 14, 1992. — Amended 1988 Ky. Acts ch. 291, sec. 4, effective July 15, 1988. — Amended 1986 Ky. Acts ch. 128, sec. 7, effective July 15, 1986. — Amended 1970 Ky. Acts ch. 120, sec. 11;
