Why apa accredited important

Graduate and professional school programs sometimes earn additional or advanced program accreditation. Generally, a school or degree program is accredited by a professional organization in the field that officially recognizes the program as meeting essential requirements, such as academic excellence.

For example, if you want to become an attorney, it is advantageous to go to a law school accredited by the American Bar Association. Interested in becoming a librarian? The same is true for doctoral programs in clinical, counseling, and school psychology. Founded over years ago, the APA is a scientific and professional organization with over , members, making it the largest association of psychologists worldwide. Pursuing graduate education in psychology involves a significant investment in time and resources.

It is important to ensure that your program is high-quality and appropriate for your professional goals. Graduating from an APA-accredited program:. Provides an educational and scientific foundation on which to build a career in psychology, providing evidence-based clinical service to the public.

May help qualify you for employment opportunities in settings that require completion of an accredited program. Facilitates licensure eligibility in states that require licensure candidates to have a degree from an APA-accredited doctoral program. For Licensing Boards. Licensure candidates should have the educational background to provide the best possible care to the public.

Graduates of APA-accredited programs are well-prepared for licensure because:. They have completed a program that met accreditation standards designed to ensure preparation for entry-level psychological practice. APA-accredited programs are evaluated for the extent to which they provide education and training in core psychological scientific and practice areas.

Some states require licensure candidates to either have a degree from an APA-accredited doctoral program or prove that their program is equivalent. For the Public. The ultimate goal of APA accreditation is to graduate psychologists who are uniquely qualified to protect the wellbeing of the public by providing quality psychological service. Psychologists who have graduated from APA-accredited programs: Have completed an educational program that trained them in the science and practice of health service psychology and prepared them to provide quality psychological care.

Accreditation FAQ. What is accreditation? What is the difference between APA accreditation and institutional accreditation? Why are "degree mills" and "accreditation mills" harmful? What are the different statuses of accreditation and what do they mean?

Learn more. Accreditation standards support quality training programs in health service psychology. Read more. Department of Education to accredit doctoral-level professional psychology programs. APA accreditation is only for doctoral programs in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, or school psychology, as well as doctoral internships and postdoctoral residencies in professional psychology. If you are earning your education with the goal of becoming a licensed psychologist in Canada, look for programs accredited by the Canadian Psychological Association.

The CPA accredits doctoral programs in Canada in professional psychology, including clinical psychology, clinical neuropsychology, counseling psychology, and school psychology. The CPA also accredits doctoral internship programs in clinical psychology, clinical neuropsychology, and counseling psychology. The APA and CPA both offer national accreditation for psychology doctorate programs, but regional accreditation also plays an important role in a slightly different way.

Regional accreditation applies to an institution as a whole rather than a specific program. Doctoral programs that are accredited by the APA are already required to be within a university that has regional accreditation, so if you are looking for an APA-accredited program, it should also have regional accreditation.

There is no regional accreditation system in Canada, however. In the U. Middle States Commission on Higher Education. New England Commission of Higher Education.