Psychology in Alaska: A Human Services Profession
Psychology Licensure in Alaska
According to the BLS, the average Mean Wage for Psychologists in Alaska is $72,1301. There are many venues to start a career in Human Services as a Psychologist. There are School Psychologists, those who work in private practice and those who work for some of the many corporations that operate in Alaska. You could choose to work in any of Alaska’s 25 major hospitals2.You could choose to work in one of the almost 500 schools in Alaska’s 53 school districts3. There are many different organizations public and private in need of licensed Psychologists. With the help of our step-by-step instructions you will be able to figure out the exact education and experience you need.
You can also take a shorter path to join the social services workforce by preparing for other important roles in human services..
You will need to have earned your Bachelor of Psychology in order to open the door to getting your later degrees. With a Bachelor of Psychology you will be able to enter into a number of human services jobs, so the degree is valuable outside a Psychology licensure paradigm.
With a Master’s degree in Psychology some states will allow limited practice with Master’s level licensure. However, Alaska is not a state that allows for licensure at less than the doctoral level. A Master’s in Psychology is also very useful in a variety of other occupations other than as a licensed psychologist and is a necessary degree to earn in the process of licensure.
Licensure in Alaska will require that you have already earned both your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Psychology and have gone on to earn your doctorate. Alaska recognizes the specialties of clinical psychology, counseling psychology or another field of psychology accepted by the Alaska Psychology Board which can be found here:
To begin your path to licensure you will need your doctorate in psychology from a board approved school. Once you have your doctorate you will need to earn your field experience.
Sponsored School(s)
Field Experience:
To begin earning your field experience on the way to licensure, you will need to do the following:
- Apply for your temporary license with the board.
- You will need to submit proof of your education and also your supervision plan to obtain the required experience for licensure.
- The license is valid for two years.
- You will need to log 1500 supervised hours of experience including at least 1 hour per week of direct one-on-one supervision.
- Once you have earned 1500 supervised hours you will be able to apply for your exam.
Examination
Once you have completed your field experience you can apply to take the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). You will also be required to pass an Alaskan State Law and Ethics Examination that will be administered by the Alaska Psychology Board.
You can find some helpful information about your exam here: