How to Become a Counseling Psychologist: A Step-By-Step Guide
- To become a counseling psychologist, you’ll need a doctorate and several years of supervised experience.
- Candidates must also pass the EPPP and fulfill other state licensure requirements that may include taking a jurisprudence exam.
- Annual salaries for counseling psychologists average about $73,676.
Steps to Become a Counseling Psychologist
Counseling psychologists help clients overcome mental and emotional challenges. They provide counseling and psychological services, including assessment, diagnosis, and treatments such as therapy and psychoanalysis. To become one, you’ll need to complete a doctoral degree that includes the clinical training required to qualify for state licensure.
Explore the steps to become a counseling psychologist.
- Complete an Accredited Bachelor’s Degree Program
- Complete an Accredited Master’s Degree Program
- Complete an Accredited Doctoral Degree Program
- Gain Supervised Experience
- Pass the EPPP Examination
- Apply for State Licensure
- Apply for Jobs and Maintain Credentials
Step 1: Complete an Accredited Bachelor’s Degree Program
A bachelor’s in psychology provides foundational knowledge for graduate school. Students complete about 120 credits in four years of full-time study. Some graduate psychology programs admit students with non-psychology majors, but may require prerequisite coursework in the social sciences. While colleges typically do not offer an undergraduate counseling psychology major, you can use elective credit to explore this specialization.
Step 2: Complete an Accredited Master’s Degree Program
Students learn advanced psychological concepts and explore research methodologies in a master’s in psychology. The program requires about 30-36 credits and may offer a counseling psychology specialization. A master’s in counseling psychology typically requires 60 credits and may prepare you for counselor licensure in some states. Full-time students complete a master’s in 18-24 months on average.
Step 3: Complete an Accredited Doctoral Degree Program
Most states require a Ph.D. or Psy.D. for licensure as a psychologist. While a Ph.D. emphasizes research, the Psy.D. prepares participants for clinical practice. The doctoral curriculum takes at least 4-5 years to complete and includes research and clinical experiences in a variety of settings. Some states require American Psychological Association (APA) accreditation or the equivalent for state licensure. Note that some doctoral programs in psychology only require a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related major for admission.
Step 4: Gain Supervised Experience
You must complete supervised experience requirements to qualify for licensure as a counseling psychologist. While requirements vary by state, you must typically complete a total of 1,500-4,000 hours in supervised internship and postdoctoral fellowship training. A portion of that time is usually devoted to face-to-face direct patient/client contact.
Step 5: Pass the EPPP Examination
The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) is a computer-based, multiple-choice test developed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards. The first part consists of 225 questions covering eight content areas, such as the biological and cognitive-affective bases of behavior. The second part uses scenarios and interactive questions to assess competency, but is not yet required in all jurisdictions. Taking the EPPP costs $1,050 plus fees.
Step 6: Apply for State Licensure
Each state sets its application requirements and licensure process. In addition to passing the EPPP, some states require that applicants pass an oral or jurisprudence exam covering laws, regulations, and ethical standards of practice. A criminal background check is usually required. Applicants should consult their state psychology licensing board for more details.
Step 7: Apply for Jobs and Maintain Credentials
Applying for jobs as a counseling psychologist often includes networking and submitting job applications. Getting involved with professional organizations such as the APA and the American Counseling Association gives you access to job boards, job alerts, and networking events. Popular job search sites such as Indeed and ZipRecruiter can also be useful for identifying job opportunities.
Tailor your resume and cover letter to match the needs of each position’s clinical, research, and teaching duties. Bear in mind that some jobs may not include the term “psychologist,” so you may need to expand your job search titles for more opportunities. Once licensed, psychologists must fulfill state-specific continuing education requirements for license renewal every 2-3 years.
Counseling Psychologist Salary and Job Outlook
Counseling psychologists made an average annual salary of nearly $84,000 nationwide. Demand for all psychologists is estimated to be higher than average, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 6% job growth for psychologists between 2024-2034.
Common Work Settings
Where counseling psychologists work varies depending on their role. As clinicians, they typically work in medical offices and facilities. Offices for healthcare practitioners hire the most clinical and counseling psychologists, according to BLS data. Psychology teachers and researchers work in academic environments.
Become a Psychologist in Your State
The steps to become a counseling psychologist can vary depending on the state where you plan to practice. Learn more about specific requirements in some of the top states for psychologists:
Frequently Asked Questions
It typically takes 8-12 years to become a licensed counseling psychologist. This timeline assumes full-time enrollment for your undergraduate and graduate programs and the required clinical training and licensing examinations.
