What happens if my program becomes unaccredited?

[DazedAndConfuse]

I am currently in my second year of an accredited doctoral program in clinical psych. Last year and this year our match rates for internships have been depressingly low, and our attrition rate is rising. We were re-accredited I believe two years ago for another seven years by APA.

I am wondering - can the APA put us on probation even though we're not up to be re-accredited? I read on the APA web site that, if we are put on probation, we get more than one year and less than two years to fix things or it will be revoked, which means that, if our accreditation is revoked, I will still be a student when it happens.

My second question - IF we loose accreditation (god forbid), what are my options? I read that it doesn't matter if the program was accredited when you start - all that matters for licensing, jobs, etc, is accreditation status when you graduate. Can I transfer anything? Do I really have to re-take qualifying exams at another program?

I must admit I'm panicking a bit over this. Two years and all those loans going to waste is just unimaginable.

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[MCParent]

I am currently in my second year of an accredited doctoral program in clinical psych. Last year and this year our match rates for internships have been depressingly low, and our attrition rate is rising. We were re-accredited I believe two years ago for another seven years by APA.

Heh. And colleagues wonder why I scream about this stuff constantly.

I don't think anything can happen to your program between reviews. You can read the accreditation guidelines on the CoA web site to be sure.

I read that it doesn't matter if the program was accredited when you start - all that matters for licensing, jobs, etc, is accreditation status when you graduate.

Correct.

Can I transfer anything? Do I really have to re-take qualifying exams at another program?

If you were to transfer programs, yes. But if the accreditation review is not for 5 years, and you're now in your second year, stay on track and get out in a normal time frame to avoid any problems.

 

[DazedAndConfuse]

Thank you! I have been looking over the CoA guidelines, and I can't find anything about putting a program on probation when it's not a site visit year. I'm going to try to not worry about it unless something actually happens.

 

[psychgeek]

Thank you! I have been looking over the CoA guidelines, and I can't find anything about putting a program on probation when it's not a site visit year. I'm going to try to not worry about it unless something actually happens.

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about this. I believe the APA can put programs on probation between reveiws, but I don't think it ever actually happens. I suspect your program would have to do something really terrible to even have such a thing considered. Merely failing to place people in internship wouldn't be good enough.

Also, the unstated custom is that you get knocked down an accreditation level or two before you get put on probation. Again, that doesn't have to happen, but it usually does. If APA arrives after 7 years for a reaccreditation visit and they don't like your internship numbers, they'd most likely bump the program down to 3 years and reevaluate after then. If things were not better by the end of those 3 years, then probation might be more likely.