Psychologist Licensure Procedures in Oregon

How to become a Psychologist in Oregon...

Click on the link that best describes your current situation.

Explore the information below and begin your journey toward becoming a licensed psychologist in Oregon. The following procedures have been the same for many years; however, they are subject to change and it would be wise to contact the Oregon Board of Psychologist Examiners at (503)-378-4154 if you have any concerns or questions regarding requirements for earning your Oregon psychologist license.

I'm a High School Graduate...

Your in a great position to expedite your journey toward Oregon psychologist licensure. Doing your career research as a high school graduate puts you at a great advantage, so keep up your momentum!

There are only a couple steps you should be focusing on right now that will continue your progress toward Oregon psychologist licensure as well as to help you gain confidence with your career direction. The following are those steps...

Step One:

Continue your education! This is by far the most important step you can take for your future career whether you become an Oregon psychologist or you enter a different career field.

Oregon psychologist licensure requires candidates to possess a doctoral degree. In addition, practically all professional positions require a college degree to even be considered a candidate.

The next step is to learn how you can enroll in an associate or bachelor degree program.

Click on the links below to browse schools offering psychology programs!

Step Two:

Secondly, you will find it highly useful to learn more about the psychology career environment. You can do this a number of ways such as speaking with professors, other psychology professionals, you school's career services center, or by volunteering with organizations who specialize in helping others.

Volunteering is a fantastic way to learn more about possible working environments as well as a great way to boost your work resume and college application. Volunteer work displays your motivation and your strong character, both of which are highly desirable to employers and colleges.

Below are a few links to volunteering organizations in Oregon:

If volunteering is out of the question, look to find paid work or speak with professors about career options as soon as possible in your academic career.

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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 continue on and earn your doctorate 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 Oregon.

Step One:

You will need to complete 2 years of supervised work experience under a qualified supervisor. One of these years can be completed as part of the doctoral program, such as an internship. The remaining year of 1500 hours needs to be completed after receiving your degree.

More details about the professional experience and supervisor qualifications can be found on the following Oregon Board of Psychologist Examiners webpage.

Step Two:

Next, you should download the Oregon psychologist licensure application and submit the application along with all supporting documents and required fees to the Oregon Board of Psychologist Examiners any time after completing the education requirements.

You may download the application from the following Oregon Board of Psychologist Examiners webpage.

Step Three:

Once the Board has verified your educational requirements and received professional recommendations, you will be eligible to take the national Examination of Professional Practice in Psychology. You will need to submit a written request to the Oregon Board to take the exam. The Professional Examination Service will then send you an exam application packet.

For more information about the national psychologist examination can be found on the ASPPB website.

Step Four:

When you have passed the national psychologist examination and completed the two years of supervised experience, you will be able to take the state administered Jurisprudence Examination. If you provided an application before completing your work experience in order to take the national exam, you will need to submit another application. You will also need to submit another written request to the Board to take the state exam. Once eligible, you will be notified and provided more information about the examination process.

Applications are available on the following Oregon Board of Psychologist Examiners webpage.

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