Psychologist Licensure Procedures in Arkansas

How to become a Psychologist in Arkansas...

Click on the link that best describes your current situation.

Explore the information below and begin your journey toward becoming a licensed psychologist in Arkansas. The following procedures have been the same for many years; however, they are subject to change and it would be wise to contact the Arkansas Board of Psychology at (501) 682-6167 if you have any concerns or questions regarding requirements for earning your Arkansas psychologist license.

I'm a High School Graduate...

This is a fantastic time to begin looking further into your career prospects. At this point, you have only two issues you should focus on: 1.) Further your education and 2.) Continue researching career specializations. The following steps will help you do both.

Step One:

The first step to be taken is to get the ball rolling with regard to higher education. Begin requesting information from schools offering undergraduate programs in psychology.

Click on the links below to browse schools offering programs you are currently qualified to begin!

Step Two:

This step should continue throughout your higher education life, career research. A great way to begin this process is to volunteer with organizations who provide experiences closely related to psychology or counseling. The following are links to volunteer organizations in Arkansas:

Even if you are unsure whether a career in psychology is right for you, these two steps are great building blocks to any professional career you may eventually be interested in. Go ahead and get started!

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I've already received my Bachelor's or Master's degree...

Once you have your undergraduate or Master's degree you will need to earn your doctoral degree in psychology, educational psychology or an education degree that specializes in counseling psychology or educational psychology from an accredited college or university.

Step One:

Contact schools offering Master's, PhD or PsyD programs you are interested in.

Step Two:

When choosing a Master's or Doctoral program, you will be narrowing your career focus. Since there are a large variety of areas where you can go within the field of psychology, it would be wise to speak with the career services personnel at your school to learn more about various opportunities you may participate in to boost yourself higher on the list of possible applicants for school and/or for a professional position once you have completed your schooling.

Step Three:

Once you have completed your PhD or PsyD program, you may continue down to:

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I have finished my PhD or PsyD...

Follow the steps to learn how to acquire your Psychologist license in Arkansas.

Step One:

Make sure certain coursework requirements are met either through your doctoral degree program or through professional development courses. Required coursework is listed on the following webpage.

Step Two:

You will need to complete an internship with a minimum duration of 2 years. The internship needs to be approved by the APA. One of the two requisite years can be fulfilled while earning your degree. Find more information on APA website.

Step Three:

You will also need to complete one year of post-doctoral experience. It should either be full time for a year or you will need to reach 2000 hours over a maximum duration of 4 years. The requirements are outlined under section 5.4 on the Arkansas Psychology Board website.

Step Four:

Now you can submit your application and all necessary forms which can be downloaded here on the Arkansas Psychology Board website.

Step Five:

When your application is accepted, you will be allowed to take the written Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). A passing score on the EPPP will qualify you to sit for a formal interview and oral exam with the psychology board. Learn more about the EPPP examination process here.

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