Alabama Psychology Education Programs
Psychology Licensure in Alabama
There are many opportunities for the human services worker who has become a licensed Psychologist. Within the state of Alabama you could find a fulfilling career as school Psychologist in Mobile, or work at a hospital in Montgomery. With 4.8 million inhabitants, Alabama is a state that has a huge need for licensed psychologists. On the Bureau of Labor and Statistics website, their information shows that in Alabama the Mean Wage for Psychologists is $98,900 – 104,190(2022) . If you find working in the medical industry a compelling career environment you may want to look for work in one of Alabama’s 137+ major hospitals2.You might also find yourself drawn to find a job at a school in one of Arizona’s 172+ school districts. There are a multitude of organizations both public and private that are in need of licensed psychologists. With the licensure info below you will be ready to find the perfect niche to match your personal career dreams.
Are you thinking about becoming a psychologist? The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that job opportunities are expected to increase for Alabama psychologists between 2010 and 2020. More people are turning to psychologists to help them with issues such as depression, addiction, family problems, job stress and aging. This guide presents a series of steps for aspiring psychologists to follow on their journey toward achieving their career goals.
2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary and employment figures for Psychologists in Alabama reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed May 2023.
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Education Requirements
High School Graduate
If you have completed high school and are hoping to get an early start on the path that leads to becoming a psychologist, apply for a bachelor’s degree in a field that will increase your chances of eventually being accepted into a master’s degree program in psychology. Undergraduate schools will ask for one or more of the following:
- High school diploma or GED certificate
- High school transcripts
- Minimum grade point average (GPA)
- Acceptable scores on entrance exams, such as the ACT or SAT
- Evidence of high school classes or life experiences in the psychology field
Some College
If you have completed some college courses or earned a degree from a two-year college, you might be accepted into a bachelor’s degree program as a transfer student.
Requirements for admission typically include:
- Minimum grade point average (GPA)
- Exit from previous college in good standing
- Acceptable scores on ACT or SAT
- College classes in psychology field
- Experience showing interest in helping people or in psychology
Bachelor’s Degree
Students who have a bachelor’s degree are eligible to apply for admission to graduate school. Universities and graduate programs have their own requirements for master’s degree candidates, including:
Bachelor’s degree in psychology or in another acceptable major
- Minimum GPA
- Transcripts of academic coursework
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) test scores
- Fulfillment of prerequisites for graduate coursework
- Undergraduate classes such as:
- General psychology
- Research
- Statistics
- Human behavior
- Clinical psychology
- Humanities
- Social Sciences
- Biology
Master’s Degree
Successfully completing a master’s degree program in psychology will give you the opportunity to progress toward a psychology doctorate. Each doctoral program has its own specific requirements, including:
- Master’s degree in psychology or in a related academic field
- Transcripts of undergraduate and graduate coursework
- Minimum GPA
- Completion of prerequisites in academic areas such as:
- Abnormal psychology
- Statistics
- Research methods
- Clinical psychology
Depending on your master’s degree curriculum, you might consider completing requirements necessary to become a School Psychologist, which is a master’s level profession. Refer to the National Association of School Psychologists for details.
(http://www.nasponline.org/about_sp/whatis.aspx)
Doctoral Degree
A doctoral degree in psychology is essential to becoming a licensed psychologist in Alabama. To reach this milestone, you will need to have accomplished the following:
- Finished all coursework
- Completed pre-graduation experiential requirements
- Graduated with a doctorate, either a Ph.D. or a Psy.D.
- Researched and planned your next step, which is to apply for licensure.
Experience Required
Most states require a specific number of supervised hours of experience in the psychology field. Each state has specific criteria that must be met:
- Pre-doctoral
- Students beyond their doctoral program’s first year will be placed in one-year assistantships
- The clinic offers training and provides clinical experience supervised by a licensed psychologist
- Post-doctoral
- All clinical students are required to complete a one-year full-time internship after completing their doctoral coursework.
- The clinical psychology internship consists of professionally supervised training experiences in a clinical setting
Licensing Requirements
Licensure as a psychologist involves meeting requirements in various interconnected areas:
- Education
- Supervised clinical experience
- Examination(s)
- A doctoral degree in psychology
- Recommendation from supervisors
To apply for licensing in Alabama, you will need to submit the following:
- Licensing application form
- Application and payment for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP)
- Official transcripts
- References from licensed psychologists
- Internship Documentation Form
(Alabama Board of Examiners in Psychology: Information for Psychologist Applicants http://www.psychology.alabama.gov/PDFS/Info_Brochure_Psychologists03.pdf)
Examination
All psychologists must pass an official licensing exam:
- The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) is required in most states
- The EPPP exam evaluates knowledge and competence
Some states also require:
- A state-specific law, rules and ethics examination
- An oral examination
(Entry Requirements for the Professional Practice of Psychology
(http://www.asppb.net/files/public/09_Entry_Requirements.pdf)