What Courses are APA Required?

[PsychPhDMama]

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Anyone know where I can find documentation listing the APA required courses? Or are they competency based? In brief, I want to advocate to get out of a couple courses, but first need to divine if they’re required. I already have WAY more credits than I need to graduate and do not want to take unnecessary courses for obvious reasons. Thanks in advance!

 

[Justanothergrad]

there are no required courses. everything is based on competency. courses are just an easy way to demonstrate competency.

pretty much all programs are going to be more than required for a doctoral degree. that's not a reason to get out of courses since program design supercedes university requirements as they will be more specific.

 

[VirginiaIsForLovers]

Not APA specific, but when applying for licensure most states will ask if you graduated from an APA accredited program. If no, you usually have to list out your coursework. Look up your programs state licensure, Virginia has the “Area of Graduate Study” form.

 

[WisNeuro]

there are no required courses. everything is based on competency. courses are just an easy way to demonstrate competency.

pretty much all programs are going to be more than required for a doctoral degree. that's not a reason to get out of courses since program design supercedes university requirements as they will be more specific.

Slightly different question, but some states have course requirements. Like CA having a bunch of PITA stuff that usually requires extra coursework.

To the OP, what level of coursework are you talking about? Undergrad or grad?

 

[psych.meout]

Why not just take the classes?

 

[futureapppsy2]

Why not just take the classes?

+1 on this. Because of some scheduling nonsense, I took our intro to research methods course at the end of my PhD program, having already taken several advanced stats classes and having 30+ pubs. Didn't learn much but did make a close friend, so it was totally worth it, IMO.

 

[PsyDr]

You should consider licensure and board certification implications for opting out of courses.

 

[WisNeuro]

You should consider licensure and board certification implications for opting out of courses.

Good point. Credential review for board cert does look at your graduate coursework.

 

[PsyDr]

Good point. Credential review for board cert does look at your graduate coursework.

Some states have requirements for coursework. Some other countries, too.

 

[WisNeuro]

Some states have requirements for coursework. Some other countries, too.

Yup, pointed that out above. I do not believe that my current state does beyond graduating from an APA accredited program. But, one of my previously lived, non-CA states, did have some course requirements.

 

[Justanothergrad]

Some states have requirements for coursework. Some other countries, too.

Yup. I repeated coursework from MA to PhD for this reason exactly.

 

[psych.meout]

OP, between this and your thread about using your practicum hours towards licensure and feeling that advanced practica hours are "irrelevant" if you already hit the gross minimum necessary to apply to internship, it seems like you're trying to speed run your training instead of getting the highest quality possible.