Pennsylvania Psychology Education Overview
Psychology Licensure in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is a state with a great assortment of opportunities for human services workers who have taken the necessary steps to become licensed Psychologists. You have a wide variety of potential career niches with your license such as working at hospital in Philadelphia, or at a school in Pittsburgh. Pennsylvania has a population over 12.7 million people. A population that large gives rise to a great many circumstances where organizations will have need of a licensed Psychologist. In Pennsylvania, a Psychologist earns a mean yearly wage of $72,060 according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics1. If you find that you think you would enjoy helping children with emotional issues, you may want to research the possibility of finding work in one of Pennsylvania’s 500+ School districts2. If you enjoy the thought of working in a fast paced environment with fellow professionals, then you may want to consider finding a job at one of Pennsylvania’s 300+ major hospitals3. You will find you have a vast array of career paths once you have attained Licensure in Pennsylvania. We here at humanservicesedu.org, have produced a step-by-step guide on the “ins and outs” of becoming licensed as a Psychologist in Pennsylvania, you will find it below.
Required Educational Background
It is a challenging journey to earn your license in Psychology in Pennsylvania, but at journey’s end you will find that it was worth the considerable effort required. Before you can apply for licensure, you will first need to earn your Bachelor and Master of Psychology.
Going to school and earning your Bachelor of Psychology degree is both a great way to learn about your potential career in Psychology and it is also a great degree to have in its own right. Even if you find that you don’t wish to continue your schooling to have a career as a licensed psychologist, you will find that your degree in psychology is still extremely useful in human services.
Pennsylvania allows the practice of Psychology only for those who have a Ph.D. Your Master of Psychology should not be seen just as a mere stepping stone to licensure. It is a chance to help you narrow your focus and discover your specialty in Psychology. It is also a coveted degree for prospective human services employers. So, even if you choose not to pursue licensure, your degree will be very useful in finding employment.
Field Experience
To fulfill your field experience component, you will need to do the following actions:
- You are required to amass 2 full years of supervised field experience. This is equivalent to 3000 hours.
- You may earn one year of experience via an internship or practicum while you are completing your Ph.D.
- At least one of these years is required to be completed once you have earned your doctorate.
- You will need to apply for licensure, get approval for and take your examinations as explained below.
You will want to learn about the Pennsylvania specific rules and regulations for licensure. These laws change so it is good to make sure you have current information, you can find that information here:
Examinations
Once you have completed your field experience you can apply to take the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP).
- Pass the EPPP with a score meeting the Pennsylvania minimum.
- Pass the Pennsylvania Psychology Law Examination
You can find some helpful information about your EPPP here: