Psychologist Licensure Requirements in Wyoming
Wyoming psychologists are licensed by the Wyoming Board of Psychology (http://plboards.state.wy.us/Psychology). A license is required to provide direct psychological services. A license is not required to practice industrial/ organizational psychology consultation or to conduct psychological research provided that services are provided only indirectly to third parties.
Licenses are granted to individuals on the basis of education, examination, and supervised practice. Individuals who have met all educational requirements may be granted provisional licenses which will authorize them to work at community or state mental health centers in rural parts of the state; graduates may complete their postdoctoral requirements in other settings, but will hold a lower status.
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Select a Wyoming Psychologist License topic below…
- Education Requirements
- Supervision Requirements
- Psychologist Exam
- Application & Related Materials (Link to Form)
- Licensure by Endorsement & Temporary Licensure
- Other Psychologist Licenses Offered by the Board
- Contact Information: Board and Professional Organizations
Education Requirements
Click Here to learn more about psychology education options based on your current educational attainment.
A prospective psychologist will need a doctoral degree from an appropriately accredited institution. If the institution is located in the United States, it must be accredited by one of the six regional accrediting agencies. If located in Canada, it must be a member of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. International programs are evaluated individually.
The program must include a formal internship.
If the program is not accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA), it must meet standards adopted by the Board.
The program must include at least three semester hours in each of the following:
- The history and systems of psychology
- The biological basis of behavior
- The cognitive-affective basis of behavior
- The social basis of behavior
- Diversity
- Psychopathology or dysfunctional behavior
- Diagnosis: theories and methods
- Psychological intervention and evaluation of efficacy
- Professional standards and ethics
- Consultation and supervision
- Statistics and psychometrics
- Research design and methodology
The student will need to do two years or 1,500 hours in residence.
Supervised Experience
Psychologists work under supervision for the equivalent of two full-time years. One year must be pre-doctoral internship.
Internships may be accredited by the American Psychological Association or registered with the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers.
The other 1,500 hours may be pre- or postdoctoral. The following requirements apply to pre-internship:
The practicum or clerkship must be overseen by the psychology program and must consist of experiences that the student has been academically prepared for. 60% of the experience is to consist of direct client assessment and intervention services. For every 20 hours of experience, two hours of face-to-face individual supervision is to be scheduled. A licensed psychologist must provide 75% of supervision. The other supervision may be provided by a psychologist, clinical social worker, mental health counselor, or marriage and family therapist (LMFT). An LMFT who acts as supervisor must have at least five years of experience; a psychiatrist, social worker, or counselor must have three.
There should be an additional two hours of training provided for every 20 experience hours. This could include group supervision, case conferences, and/or seminars.
The following requirements apply to postdoctoral experience:
The required experience hours may be completed in a period of one to two calendar years. If the experience is not earned in a training program that is a member of the Association of Psychology Post-doctoral and Internship Centers or accredited by the APA, it must meet standards adopted by the Board.
While completing postdoctoral practice, an individual may hold either of two statuses: resident or provisional licensee. A resident needs two hours a week of supervision. At least one hour must be provided by an experienced psychologist; the other hour may be provided by another licensed mental health professional.
A provisional license reduces the number of supervision hours to 52 per year. The license also grants the professional more autonomy in the work setting; the requirement that documents be signed by a supervisor is waived. A psychologist who holds provisional licensing may receive up to 20% of supervision over the telephone.
Licensure Examination
The licensing examination is the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology. It is taken while the resident or provisional licensee is in the process of completing postdoctoral practice hours. An application must first be submitted to the Board.
Once approved, the candidate will receive registration information. A testing fee (currently $600) will be due upon registration. The test is administered throughout the country.
Study resources are available on the site of the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, the organization that developed the exam (http://www.asppb.net). A scaled score of 500 is the minimum accepted for passing.
The candidate must pass the examination within two years of the time permission is granted. If a candidate does not do so but is still interested in pursuing licensure, he or she must wait two years before reapplying.
The Application Process
The necessary forms and supporting documents can be downloaded from the Board site (http://plboards.state.wy.us/Psychology/forms.asp). A candidate who applies for a provisional license will have the following documents submitted directly by the institution or individual:
- official transcripts
- three professional references
- internship verification forms (from training director and supervisor)
Evidence of citizenship or lawful presence is required.
A candidate who applies to the Board for the first time seeking a standard license must provide all of the above documents plus verification of postdoctoral practice and examination.
A candidate who has held state credentialing in any profession must provide license verification.
The license application must be notarized and sent to the Board office in Cheyenne with a $275 fee.
Out-of-State Candidates
Psychologists who have been licensed under equivalent standards in other states can be endorsed.
Any of the following credentials can simplify the licensing process:
- Certification of Professional Qualification
- National Register membership
- American Board of Professional Psychology membership
A person who is not currently licensed but who took the EPPP during the preceding five years may be excused from retaking it.
Temporary Licenses
A psychologist who is duly licensed in another jurisdiction on the basis of similar requirements may be issued a temporary license which will authorize up to 30 days of practice over the course of one year. A temporary licensee who works more than 20 days in a year must make a report to the Board.
Other Licenses Issued by the Board of Psychology
Master’s level candidates can be certified as Psychological Practitioners. They must also take the EPPP; however, the threshold for passing is lower (450).
The Board also issues the Specialist in School Psychology credential. While school psychologists who are acting within the roles authorized by the Wyoming Professional Teachers Standards Board are not required to hold this credential, it may increase scope of practice.
Additional Information
If you are still in High School, hold a High School Diploma/GED, hold a bachelor’s degree, or hold a master’s degree check out suggested steps to take along the path to become a Licensed Psychologist in Wyoming.
Psychologists should be aware that rules and regulations change periodically; the latest version was published in 2012. State code can be accessed online (http://plboards.state.wy.us/Psychology/RulesRegs.asp). The annual newsletter is also available for online reading (http://plboards.state.wy.us/Psychology/Newsletters.asp).
The Board may be reached by telephone at 307-777-5403. Wyoming Board of Psychology (http://plboards.state.wy.us/Psychology)
The Wyoming Psychological Association is an additional resource (http://www.wypsych.org).