NAC641.061. Educational requirements for psychologists: Submission of proof that unaccredited program is equivalent to accredited program.

     1. An applicant for licensure as a psychologist who has completed a training program not accredited by the American Psychological Association must establish to the satisfaction of the Board that the program is equivalent to a program accredited by the Association.

     2. The applicant must present to the Board:

     (a) Transcripts, a description of the training program, letters from the directors of the departments of the institution where the program is conducted or other suitable documents showing that the program substantially complies with the accreditation standards of the American Psychological Association.

     (b) Proof of doctoral training at an institution which is considered by the Board to be an accredited educational institution pursuant to subsection 3 of NAC 641.050.

     (c) Proof that the primary purpose of the training program is the professional training of psychologists. Catalogs and brochures advertising the program must indicate that the program is intended to educate and train professional psychologists.

     (d) Proof that the program:

          (1) Is a recognizable, coherent organizational entity within the institution where the program is conducted.

          (2) Is an integrated, organized sequence of study.

          (3) Has an identifiable faculty composed primarily of psychologists and a psychologist who is responsible for the program.

          (4) Has an identifiable body of students who are matriculated in the program for a degree.

          (5) Includes supervised practical, internship, field or laboratory training appropriate to the practice of psychology.

     (e) Proof that the curriculum encompasses at least 3 academic years of full-time graduate study, not including any internships. The Board will count only 12 semester hours or 18 quarter hours of preparation of a dissertation toward the 3 academic years of full-time graduate study.

     (f) Proof that the program requires at least 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours of credit in courses in substantive psychology. Dissertation hours may be counted toward the minimum hours required.

     (g) Proof that the applicant, while in the program, completed the equivalent of courses consisting of 3 semester hours in the following areas:

          (1) Scientific and professional ethics and standards.

          (2) Research design and methodology.

          (3) Statistics.

          (4) Psychometrics.

          (5) Biological bases of behavior, which may be satisfied by at least one of the following courses:

               (I) Physiological psychology;

               (II) Comparative psychology;

               (III) Neuropsychology;

               (IV) Psychopharmacology; or

               (V) Human sexuality.

          (6) Cognitive-affective bases of behavior, which may be satisfied by at least one of the following courses:

               (I) Learning;

               (II) Memory;

               (III) Perception;

               (IV) Cognition;

               (V) Thinking;

               (VI) Motivation; or

               (VII) Emotion.

          (7) Social bases of behavior, which may be satisfied by at least one of the following courses:

               (I) Social psychology;

               (II) Cultural, ethnic and group processes;

               (III) Sex roles; or

               (IV) Organizational and systems theory.

          (8) Individual differences, which may be satisfied by at least one of the following courses:

               (I) Personality theory;

               (II) Human development;

               (III) Abnormal psychology; or

               (IV) Psychology of persons with disabilities.

     (h) A description of each course completed pursuant to paragraph (g), accompanied by a statement which attests that the course is equivalent in content, focus and all other relevant standards to a similar course offered by a program accredited by the American Psychological Association. The statement must be submitted by the instructor of a substantially similar course or the chair of the department or program accredited by the American Psychological Association. If there is a program accredited by the American Psychological Association at the institution where the applicant’s course is taken, the statements must come from appropriate members of the faculty of that institution. If there is no such program, the applicant must establish for the Board the basis upon which the attesting member of the faculty has knowledge upon which to judge the equivalency of the programs.

     (Added to NAC by Bd. of Psychological Exam’rs, eff. 8-3-88; A 8-24-90; 1-24-94; R117-08, 12-17-2008; R209-09, 10-15-2010)