Becoming a Psychological Associate

What is a Psychological Associate?

Psychological associates have completed training at the Master’s level and at least four full years of additional supervised professional practise as a provider of psychological services.  Once their training is complete, psychological associates practise autonomously and are not required to have the professional supervision of a psychologist (although they may do so in larger psychology departments).

What is a Psychometrist?

The term Psychometrist refers to someone who administers psychological tests.  Unlike the terms psychologist and psychological associate, the term psychometrist is not a legally protected title and professionals who hold this title do not legally require any special training.  However, psychometrists often possess a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related discipline, and usually work under the professional supervision of a psychologist or a psychological associate.

Overview of Requirements

In order to be registered to practise autonomously as a psychological associate, an applicant must:

-          have submitted a completed application form, three, references, and transcripts;

-          have a masters degree in psychology acceptable to the college;

-          have a least four years of acceptable experience after completion of the masters degree;

-          pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP);

-          pass the College’s Jurisprudence and Ethics Examination;

-          pass the College’s Oral Examination;

-          have completed any further training which may be required by the College.

What courses should I take as an undergraduate?

At either the graduate or the undergraduate level, applicants must have completed the following foundational coursework.

A minimum of one full course in psychology (of approximately 72 hours duration) or two half courses in psychology (of approximately 36 hours duration) in at least TWO of the following foundational knowledge areas, and a minimum of a half course in psychology (of approximately 36 hours duration) in each two remaining foundational knowledge areas:

i.                    Biological Bases of Behaviour (e.g., physiological psychology, comparative psychology, neuropsychology, sensation and perception, psychopharmacology)

ii.                  Cognitive-affective Bases of Behaviour  (e.g., learning, thinking, cognition, motivation, emotion)

iii.                Social Bases of Behaviour (e.g., social psychology, group processes, organizations and systems, community psychology, environmental psychology, cultural issues)

iv.                Psychology of the Individual (e.g., personality theory, human development, abnormal psychology, psychopathology, individual differences)

In order to be accepted as a foundational knowledge course, the course must have substantial coverage of that foundational area.  Introductory psychology courses will not be accepted.

Applicants must have completed a four-year undergraduate degree in psychology.  Graduate-level courses may be used to fulfill this requirement only if they were not required as part of the graduate degree program.

What kind of graduate program must I attend?

The applicant must have obtained a master’s degree from a program of study with content that is primarily psychological in nature as required in the guidelines published by the College.

1)      The degree must be at the master’s level.

2)      The degree must be from a recognized degree-granting institution in Canada or a recognized university in a foreign country.

3)      A majority of the faculty and supervisors responsible for delivering the program must be registered or licensed to practice the profession of psychology.

4)      Applicants must have completed a minimum of one academic year of full-time resident graduate study and training, or equivalent part-time resident graduate study and training.

5)      Applicants must have completed the following courses and training at the graduate level (i.e., as part of the master’s program which forms the basis for registration):

a)      Psychology courses in each of:

a.       Psychological assessment

b.      Psychological intervention

c.       Professional ethics and standards

d.      Research design/methodology/statistics

b)   Training through:

Supervised practicum or internship appropriate to the practice of psychology.  Supervisors of this training must be registered or licensed to practice the profession of psychology.

For more information:

Visit the website of the College of Psychologists of Ontario: 

http://www.cpo.on.ca/WorkArea/showcontent.aspx?id=1436