Become a Psychologist in Oklahoma - OK

By allied health world contributing writer
Published: February, 19 2010

According to the Psychologists Licensing Act in Oklahoma, one must be licensed in order to practice as a psychologist in the state. The Oklahoma State Board of Examiners of Psychologists is the board that a psychologist applies to for licensure in the state of Oklahoma.

It is important to note for those interested in how to become a psychologist in Oklahoma that there are certain prerequisites that must be met before a person can become licensed.  These are as follows:

• The Oklahoma applicant must have successfully completed a doctoral program in psychology.  The program must be regionally accredited.
• The program must have been accredited specifically by the American Psychological Association (APA) and also meet the following qualifications as well:
  • The doctoral program must have been designated as a psychology program specifically
  • The program must cover core and specialty areas
  • The program must have an orderly sequence
  • The program must have a psychologist heading the program and psychology-specific faculty
  • Students must be working toward a degree in that program.
• The applicant interested in how to become a psychologist in Oklahoma must have done two years of postdoctoral training supervised by someone in a related field.  One of those years can be an internship in clinical, counseling, or school psychology, and must be in one of those three fields.
• Must have three years including two of full-time study actually on campus during doctoral studies unless studying school psychology.  This is not including an internship.  If studying school psychology in Oklahoma, it is one year full-time defined by the academic institution that is post master’s study.
• The application fee is $400 and an additional $450 for the Examination for the Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP).
• During the licensing process for those interested in knowing how to become a psychologist in Oklahoma, one can work under an exempt status under supervision of a licensed psychologist and this fee is $200.
• The applicant must pass the EPPP and earn at least a percentage score of 70%, if using a raw score, earn a 140, or a scaled score of 500.
• Another exam called the jurisprudence exam must be passed with a 70%.
• An oral exam must also be passed through the board.

Applications must be received 30 days before a board meeting.  They should be sent to:

Oklahoma State Board of Examiners of Psychologists
201 N.E. 38th Terrace, Suite 3
Oklahoma City, OK  73105
Telephone: (405) 524-9094
Fax: (405) 524-9427
Website:  http://www.ok.gov/OSBEP/Become_a_Licensed_Psychologist/index.html