School of Psychology Program Description Admission Requirements Admission Process Program Requirements Licensure Length of Study Tuition & Policies Program Q & A Contact Us

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A WASC accredited
graduate school

The Clinical Psychology
Program is APA approved.

PROGRAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

I earned a doctorate in a field related to psychology. Would this qualify me for admission to the Respecialization Program? Unfortunately, while many people with related degrees have experience that would provide a valuable foundation for their work as psychologists, the organizations that regulate our program do not allow us to admit anyone whose degree does not meet the criteria specified above.

I earned a Ph.D in Clinical Psychology from a program that is not accredited by APA. Am I eligible for your program? The Program is designed for applicants who have completed programs in non-clinical areas of psychology therefore applicants from non-accredited clinical programs are not eligible.

I have had several years of clinical experience as a psychologist: would this allow me to waive the clinical training requirements? We do not waive clinical training requirements.

I have taken some of the required courses elsewhere: can I waive these courses? We do not waive any courses that are required in our program.

How do I obtain my practicum and internship placements? The Director of Practicum Training works with students to match them with the appropriate practicum settings. Students are encouraged to apply for APA internships and apply through the APPIC match process.

Which factors influence the length of time required to earn the Certificate? Of course the amount of time that students are willing to devote to the program, the rate at which they work, and the number of additional courses that they need to fill in gaps in their prior learning will strongly influence the speed with which students complete the academic component of our program. Students' willingness to earn practicum hours concurrent with their academic work will also be a factor. Finally, choice of internship will be a determinant because, for example, APPIC and APA approved internships have set application deadlines and fixed beginning and completion dates. However, the minimum time is estimated to be 36 months.

Will I be eligible for licensure when I have earned your certificate? Licenses are issued by State Licensing Boards which have the sole authority to determine applicants' eligibility for licensure.

To learn more about licensure requirements, we suggest that you contact your State Board of Examiners for Psychology and/or consult the web site of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (http://www.asppb.org) and/or the National Registry of Psychology(http://www.nationalregister.org)

Are there any residency requirements for the RCP program?
There are no residency requirements. However, applicants should check with the state licensing requirements for complete listing of the state’s licensing requirements.

Can residents of California apply for the RCP program and eventually sit for licensure in California?
If you are living in California and you hold a doctorate in a non-clinical field of psychology, the following is useful information. Due to special circumstances, the California Board of Psychology does not recognize the respecialization certification. California inquirers are requested to contact the Board to become informed about the options regarding licensure. The RCP program accepts well qualified students who are aware that only certain kinds of practicum placements such as university counseling centers and other exempt placements will be permissible. For further information, please contact the Admission Office.

I am interested in the RCP program, but I am also interested in the Neuropsychology Postdoctoral certificate program. Can I combine the two programs?
RCP applicants interested in the Neuropsychology Postdoctoral certificate program have the option of taking some courses in Neuropsychology during their program. The Neuropsychology program cannot be combined with the RCP program, however it may be taken following completion of RCP.

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