Accreditation
You can learn more about accreditation on the APA Commission on Accreditation home page. Information on this page has been summarized from these resources, provided by the APA.
I. What is accreditation?
Accreditation is a formal process by which institutions (such as a university, college, or professional school) are recognized as legitimate and credible. People granted degrees by accredited institutions are verified to have participated in training that meets some standard set forth by the profession. Medical schools are accredited by the American Medical Association, law schools are accredited by the American Bar Association, and psychology graduate programs in clinical and counseling psychology are accredited by the American Psychological Association (and the Canadian Psychological Association in Canada). No other organization, other than the American Psychological Association, is authorized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit psychology doctoral training in clinical and counseling psychology (and, in Canada, the CPA). Institutions may hold accreditation from academic bodies to award degrees, but accreditations other than APA/CPA may not be recognized by employers.
This means that APA/CPA accreditation is the minimum standard to which professionals in the field are held—completing training at a program not accredited by the APA/CPA means that the quality of your training cannot be verified.
II. How does a psychology program become accredited?
APA/CPA Accreditation is voluntary, meaning that programs choose whether and when to apply. In applying for accreditation, programs have to describe:
• Training goals, objectives, and training opportunities
• Student, faculty, and financial resources
• Program policies and procedures
• Competencies students are expected to obtain
• Actual outcome data that demonstrates the achievement of these competencies
The self-study will undergo a review by the Commission on Accreditation (CoA) or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), with the following possible outcomes:
• Approval of a site visit, meaning that the self-study materials have met the criteria based on the Guidelines and Principles, and a site visit team of professional colleagues will conduct an on-site review of the program
• Denial of a site visit, meaning that the self-study does not yet demonstrate sufficient consistency with the Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology (G&P) in order for a site visit to be of value to the program. It is important to note that the CoA and CPA will work with the program to guide them until they are eligible for a site visit.
After the site visit, the reviewers submit a report to the CoA, and the program has an opportunity to review and comment on the report. Then, the program is placed on the CoA’s next program review agenda (CoA meets four times each year, with one meeting devoted to policy review). The CoA awards accreditation to programs judged to be in accordance with the G&P. The CoA can also deny accreditation to applicant programs if the program does not meet the G&P. Accreditation is granted for up to 7 years, typically 3, 5, or 7 years before the next self study is due.
II.I. What does this mean for applicants?
APA/CPA accreditation can be a complex process that can take time. Thus, it is a good idea to apply to programs that are already APA/CPA accredited, so that you know the program has gone through this process successfully in the past. If you apply to programs that are not accredited but that tell you they are going to seek accreditation, find out more about this. Have those programs applied in the past and been denied? What steps is the program taking to complete the self-study and bring itself into alignment with the G&P?
III. How long does this process take?
The process for initial accreditation takes about 18 months on average from the time a program submits a self-study until CoA reaches a decision. The process may take longer, as CoA can defer making a decision before or after the site visit to request more information from a program. Once accredited, the effective accreditation date is the date of the site visit. There is no guarantee that an applicant program will obtain accredited status, or even be granted a site visit. This means that, as a student, there is risk involved in entering a program that is not yet accredited. At this time (2012), doctoral programs submit their self-study for accreditation once they have students who have completed every stage of the curriculum process, including internship, so that outcome measurements are available across the graduate program--a process that typically takes 5-7 years from the time the graduate program opens.
Internships can submit a self-study after a full year of internship training and outcome measures are available. In addition, CoA is developing a process for “contingent accreditation” for internship programs who have everything in place to meet the G&P but no outcomes; once outcome data is available, full accreditation can be granted after the site visit process is complete. Likewise, they are considering a process where a program is determined to be “eligible for accreditation” after a review of Domains A, B, C, and D of the self-study, as a preliminary recognition of quality (until outcome data and the site visit are complete).
The Accreditation Operating Procedures is the document that fully articulates the accreditation process for doctoral programs, internships, and postdoctoral fellowships.
III.I. What does this mean for applicants?
Under the current rules, it can take 5-7 years after an institution opens for it to become accredited. There is no guarantee about how long accreditation will take, and no guarantee that the end result will be that the program gets accredited. Although important changes are in the works about this, presently this is the state of the accreditation process and applicants need to be aware of the fact that a program may not be accredited by the time they finish their degree, meaning that they will have graduated from a non-accredited institution.
IV. Why is it important to have attended an accredited doctoral program?
The APA Model Licensure Act and the ASPPB Licensure Act both highlight the importance of accreditation for doctoral programs as evidence of quality. All other health professions mandate that students attend nationally accredited doctoral and internship programs, and eligibility for federal funding (such as Graduate Psychology Education –GPE – funds) depends on accreditation status. At this time in 2012, a shift is in progress toward the expectation of accreditation for both internships and doctoral programs (whereas the Model Licensure Act currently allows an “equivalent” status for programs that are not accredited but meet criteria as determined by each state licensing board). It is anticipated that licensure in the practice of professional psychology will soon require participation in both an accredited doctoral program and internship. Further, there are a number of employment agencies that require attendance in accredited doctoral and internship programs, including the VA and most hospital settings, so attending a non-accredited program may negatively impact employment and licensure opportunities.
V. Upcoming changes?
Internships can now submit a self-study after a full year of internship training and outcome measures are available. In addition, CoA is developing a process for “contingent accreditation” for internship programs who have everything in place to meet the G&P but no outcomes; once outcome data is available, full accreditation can be granted after the site visit process is complete. Likewise, the CoA is considering a process where a program is determined to be “eligible for accreditation” after a review of Domains A, B, C, and D of the self-study, as a preliminary recognition of quality (until outcome data and the site visit are complete). This means that, in the future, the first class graduating from a new program may be able to graduate from an accredited program.
Resources:
The APA Commission on Accreditation maintains a list of accredited programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology, as well as combination programs. You can find those lists here, under Listings of Accredited Programs.
The equivalent list for Canadian programs is here.
I. What is accreditation?
Accreditation is a formal process by which institutions (such as a university, college, or professional school) are recognized as legitimate and credible. People granted degrees by accredited institutions are verified to have participated in training that meets some standard set forth by the profession. Medical schools are accredited by the American Medical Association, law schools are accredited by the American Bar Association, and psychology graduate programs in clinical and counseling psychology are accredited by the American Psychological Association (and the Canadian Psychological Association in Canada). No other organization, other than the American Psychological Association, is authorized by the U.S. Department of Education to accredit psychology doctoral training in clinical and counseling psychology (and, in Canada, the CPA). Institutions may hold accreditation from academic bodies to award degrees, but accreditations other than APA/CPA may not be recognized by employers.
This means that APA/CPA accreditation is the minimum standard to which professionals in the field are held—completing training at a program not accredited by the APA/CPA means that the quality of your training cannot be verified.
II. How does a psychology program become accredited?
APA/CPA Accreditation is voluntary, meaning that programs choose whether and when to apply. In applying for accreditation, programs have to describe:
• Training goals, objectives, and training opportunities
• Student, faculty, and financial resources
• Program policies and procedures
• Competencies students are expected to obtain
• Actual outcome data that demonstrates the achievement of these competencies
The self-study will undergo a review by the Commission on Accreditation (CoA) or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA), with the following possible outcomes:
• Approval of a site visit, meaning that the self-study materials have met the criteria based on the Guidelines and Principles, and a site visit team of professional colleagues will conduct an on-site review of the program
• Denial of a site visit, meaning that the self-study does not yet demonstrate sufficient consistency with the Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology (G&P) in order for a site visit to be of value to the program. It is important to note that the CoA and CPA will work with the program to guide them until they are eligible for a site visit.
After the site visit, the reviewers submit a report to the CoA, and the program has an opportunity to review and comment on the report. Then, the program is placed on the CoA’s next program review agenda (CoA meets four times each year, with one meeting devoted to policy review). The CoA awards accreditation to programs judged to be in accordance with the G&P. The CoA can also deny accreditation to applicant programs if the program does not meet the G&P. Accreditation is granted for up to 7 years, typically 3, 5, or 7 years before the next self study is due.
II.I. What does this mean for applicants?
APA/CPA accreditation can be a complex process that can take time. Thus, it is a good idea to apply to programs that are already APA/CPA accredited, so that you know the program has gone through this process successfully in the past. If you apply to programs that are not accredited but that tell you they are going to seek accreditation, find out more about this. Have those programs applied in the past and been denied? What steps is the program taking to complete the self-study and bring itself into alignment with the G&P?
III. How long does this process take?
The process for initial accreditation takes about 18 months on average from the time a program submits a self-study until CoA reaches a decision. The process may take longer, as CoA can defer making a decision before or after the site visit to request more information from a program. Once accredited, the effective accreditation date is the date of the site visit. There is no guarantee that an applicant program will obtain accredited status, or even be granted a site visit. This means that, as a student, there is risk involved in entering a program that is not yet accredited. At this time (2012), doctoral programs submit their self-study for accreditation once they have students who have completed every stage of the curriculum process, including internship, so that outcome measurements are available across the graduate program--a process that typically takes 5-7 years from the time the graduate program opens.
Internships can submit a self-study after a full year of internship training and outcome measures are available. In addition, CoA is developing a process for “contingent accreditation” for internship programs who have everything in place to meet the G&P but no outcomes; once outcome data is available, full accreditation can be granted after the site visit process is complete. Likewise, they are considering a process where a program is determined to be “eligible for accreditation” after a review of Domains A, B, C, and D of the self-study, as a preliminary recognition of quality (until outcome data and the site visit are complete).
The Accreditation Operating Procedures is the document that fully articulates the accreditation process for doctoral programs, internships, and postdoctoral fellowships.
III.I. What does this mean for applicants?
Under the current rules, it can take 5-7 years after an institution opens for it to become accredited. There is no guarantee about how long accreditation will take, and no guarantee that the end result will be that the program gets accredited. Although important changes are in the works about this, presently this is the state of the accreditation process and applicants need to be aware of the fact that a program may not be accredited by the time they finish their degree, meaning that they will have graduated from a non-accredited institution.
IV. Why is it important to have attended an accredited doctoral program?
The APA Model Licensure Act and the ASPPB Licensure Act both highlight the importance of accreditation for doctoral programs as evidence of quality. All other health professions mandate that students attend nationally accredited doctoral and internship programs, and eligibility for federal funding (such as Graduate Psychology Education –GPE – funds) depends on accreditation status. At this time in 2012, a shift is in progress toward the expectation of accreditation for both internships and doctoral programs (whereas the Model Licensure Act currently allows an “equivalent” status for programs that are not accredited but meet criteria as determined by each state licensing board). It is anticipated that licensure in the practice of professional psychology will soon require participation in both an accredited doctoral program and internship. Further, there are a number of employment agencies that require attendance in accredited doctoral and internship programs, including the VA and most hospital settings, so attending a non-accredited program may negatively impact employment and licensure opportunities.
V. Upcoming changes?
Internships can now submit a self-study after a full year of internship training and outcome measures are available. In addition, CoA is developing a process for “contingent accreditation” for internship programs who have everything in place to meet the G&P but no outcomes; once outcome data is available, full accreditation can be granted after the site visit process is complete. Likewise, the CoA is considering a process where a program is determined to be “eligible for accreditation” after a review of Domains A, B, C, and D of the self-study, as a preliminary recognition of quality (until outcome data and the site visit are complete). This means that, in the future, the first class graduating from a new program may be able to graduate from an accredited program.
Resources:
The APA Commission on Accreditation maintains a list of accredited programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology, as well as combination programs. You can find those lists here, under Listings of Accredited Programs.
The equivalent list for Canadian programs is here.