Canada Programs

[reluctantPhd01]

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I had a quick question about programs in Canada.

Is it basically a rule of thumb that at this point, people who want to eventually be licensed in the States should avoid such programs? There are several good programs up there I like, but am I right in saying that I won't be able to get an APA internship if I go to a school in Canada?

That being said, what would be the motivation for EVER applying to a program in Canada if one ultimate goal is US licensure?

 

[thewesternsky]

Many Canadian programs were (and some still are) APA-accredited; however, the APA has recently decided to stop accrediting Canadian programs by the end of 2015. Therefore, someone applying now will not be able to graduate from an APA-accredited program in Canada.

Canada has its own accrediting body, the CPA, whose standards are similar but not precisely the same as APA's. Some Canadian psychologists hope that CPA accreditation is/will be viewed as APA equivalent, especially now that the APA is no longer accrediting Canadian schools.

Re: getting an APA-approved internship: Some internship sites in the States accept students from APA or CPA-accredited programs equivalently. Some accept CPA but prefer APA, There are probably some that do not accept CPA at all. You can find whether an internship prefers APA over CPA or considers them equivalent in the 'Applicants Accepted from Graduate Program Types' data here:

http://www.appic.org/directory/search_dol_internships.asp

You should be able to get licensed in many states after graduating from a CPA-accredited program, especially if you get a CPA or APA internship. However, it would be useful to check into the licensing requirements of the state in which you wish to be registered.

 

[dist0rti0n]

I applied to a couple programs in Canada. From what I learned on interviews, licensure and internships won't be too much of a hassle despite the APA/CPA split. However, you might be somewhat limited in terms of what funding you are able to receive, as some graduate fellowships are funded through the Canadian or provincial governments and don't apply to American students. If you do apply to Canadian programs--which you shouldn't be afraid to--just make sure that you ask a lot of questions about logistics for American students and get them answered. By and large, everyone I talked to was really helpful. Good luck!