Licensed Psychological Associate (LPA)

Step 1: Education

PER 201 KAR 26:200 Education Requirements

NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY:KRS 319.032(1) (a) requires the Board of Examiners of Psychology to promulgate administrative regulations to establish requirements, standards, and tests to determine the moral, intellectual, educational, scientific, technical, and professional qualifications of applicants for licensure. KRS 319.050 establishes requirements for licensed psychologists. KRS 319.064 establishes requirements for licensed psychological associates. KRS 319.053(1)(c) requires an applicant for licensure as a licensed psychological practitioner to document at least sixty (60) hours of graduate study in psychology or a related field acceptable to the board. This administrative regulation establishes education requirements for licensure by the board.

Section 1: Psychology Degree Requirements.

For purposes of licensure, a degree in psychology shall:

Be from a recognized institution of higher learning as established in this administrative regulation;
Be clearly identified by the granting institution as a psychology program wherever the program may be administratively housed;
Be specified in pertinent institutional catalogs and brochures as intended to educate and train professional psychologists;
Stand as a recognizable, coherent, organized entity within the institution;
Require within the psychology faculty clear authority and primary responsibility for the core and specialty areas whether or not the program cuts across administrative lines;
Be an integrated, organized sequence of study;
Require an identifiable psychology faculty and a psychologist responsible for the program;
Require an identifiable body of students who are matriculated in that program for a degree; and
Include educational experiences with titles, such as practicum, internship, or field training, including:
- For a master's degree, require a minimum of 600 supervised hours in course-related field experience, practica, and formal internship, as part of the degree program.

Section 2: Psychology Curriculum Requirements.

In determining the approval of curricular experiences and course work, the board shall consider:

The duration of graduate study: For a master's degree, a minimum of forty-five (45) semester hours.
In addition to instruction in scientific and professional ethics and standards, research design and methodology, statistics and psychometrics, the core program shall require each student to demonstrate competence by including a minimum of three (3) or more graduate semester hours (five (5) or more graduate quarter hours) in each of these four (4) areas:
- Biological bases of behavior, including the subject matters of physiological psychology, comparative psychology, neuropsychology, sensation and perception, and psychopharmacology;
- Cognitive-affective bases of behavior, including the subject matters of learning, thinking, motivation, and emotion;
- Social bases of behavior, including the subject matters of social psychology group process and organizational psychology and systems; and
- Individual differences, including the subject matters of personality theory, human development, and abnormal psychology.
In addition to the core program, the curriculum shall include appropriate course work in the specialty area of training
- For candidates who seek to deliver or supervise psychological health services, the training shall include specific training in diagnosis, psychological testing, assessment of individual differences, and the design and implementation of appropriate intervention techniques, such as psychotherapy, counseling, and consultation.
- The applicant shall provide any relevant documentation requested by the board to confirm compliance with or satisfaction of the requirements of this administrative regulation.
- A deficiency in course work or other requirements shall be corrected by appropriate remedial work.

Section 3.Psychology Accreditation Requirements.

A regionally accredited educational institution shall be accredited by one (1) of the following, or an equivalent accreditation entity:
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools;
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education;
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools;
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges;
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools;
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities;
- Northwest Accreditation Commission; or
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Accreditation shall include accreditation by one (1) of the associations established in subsection (1) of this section at:
- Level 3, master's degree granting accreditation;
- Level 4, doctoral degree granting accreditation; or
- Level 5, graduate or professional degree granting accreditation;
Licensed psychological practitioner educational requirements.
- Graduate course work shall be related to psychological practice and may include independent study and distance learning. All graduate course work shall have been offered by a regionally accredited university meeting the standards described in this administrative regulation. Continuing education credits shall not qualify to meet this requirement.
- The applicant shall provide any documentation required by the board in the manner and form prescribed by the board to confirm compliance with or satisfaction of the requirements of this section.
- At the discretion of the board, any deficiency in course work or other requirements may be corrected by appropriate remedial work.

Section 4.

A regionally-accredited educational institution shall be accredited by any one (1) of the following:
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools;
- Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools;
- New England Association of Colleges and Schools;
- North Central Association of Colleges and Schools;
- North Western Association of Schools and Colleges; or
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Accreditation shall be by one (1) of the associations listed in this section at Level 3, master's degree granting accreditation.

Step 2: Experience

To be eligible for licensure as a psychological associate, you must demonstrate that you have had at least 600 hours of supervised experience that was part of your master's degree training. Pursuant to 201 KAR 26:190, at least half of the supervision shall be provided by one or more psychologists with an appropriate doctorate degree and license. These educational experiences typically have titles such as practicum internship, or field training and they MUST be reflected on your graduate transcript. Please complete the following form listing your educationally related supervised experiences. Total of all experience should equal or exceed 600 hours

Step 3: Apply per 201 KAR 26:280

License Application form $100 FEE

201 KAR 26:280.Licensed psychological associate: application procedures and temporary license.

After the requirements established in KRS 319.064(2) are met, an application for a credential to perform certain functions as a licensed psychological associate may be submitted to the board, to an online application management system contracted by the board for the purposes of application screening, or as the board directs.
The application required by subsection (1) of this section shall be made to the board or to the online application management system and shall:
- Include a certification by the applicant that the:
  - Information in the application is true, correct, and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief; and
  - Applicant is aware that the board may take disciplinary action if the application contains a misrepresentation or falsification.
- Be accompanied by payment of the application fee that shall:
  - Be made payable directly to the Kentucky State Treasurer if the application is processed through the board; or
  - Be made to the online application management system as directed by the board.
- Include three (3) letters of reference or completed Recommendation Form for Licensure as a Psychological Associate from persons qualified to evaluate the applicant's professional ability, including two (2) persons who have received a doctorate in psychology (Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D.); Recommendation form and
- Include an official transcript for all levels of education required for licensure. Transcripts shall be received in sealed envelopes or electronically directly from the school or a third-party clearinghouse.
Incomplete Application. An incomplete application shall be determined to be expired one (1) year from the date of filing, and may be destroyed.

Earn Your Masters Degree To Qualify For Licensure

University of Louisville Masters Education in Counseling and Personal Services (Counseling Psychology)

The program fulfills the KY State Board of Psychology’s educational requirements to sit for Psychological Associate exam.

To complete the specialization in Counseling Psychology, you must complete a total of 600 hours of field work and 4 comprehensive psychological assessments over the course of one counseling practicum (ECPY 673), one assessment practicum (ECPY680), and one counseling internship (ECPY 683). Two clinical field experiences cannot be taken in one semester. You must submit an application to be placed in practicum or internship (fall for spring placement, spring for summer or fall placement).

Degree Assessment: All program coursework with a 3.0 cumulative GPA.

60 Credits which can be completed in 2 years, but there are 3 and 4 year models for part time.

Click here to apply to the Graduate School at University of Louisville