Registration Requirements
 

All Psychologists in Nova Scotia must be registered with the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology. Professional practice in psychology is limited to those who are so registered.

Degrees in Psychology Acceptable to the Board

Applicants for registration as psychologists are required to show they have obtained a master’s, doctoral or equivalent degree in psychology from an educational institution acceptable to the Board. The applicant’s training must include adequate background in the foundational areas of psychological theory and supervised practicum, internship, field or laboratory training appropriate to psychology.

Procedure:

(1) The degree in psychology obtained by the applicant must meet the following criteria:

i) The program must be an integrated, organized sequence of study, standing as a recognizable, coherent organizational entity within the institution. Wherever it may be administratively housed, the institution’s officers must identify it as a psychology program, and the majority of its faculty as psychologists.

ii) The program must have required an undergraduate degree in psychology (or equivalent courses in psychology) as part of the entrance requirement.

iii) The faculty of the program must have clear authority and primary responsibility for the core and specialty areas whether or not the program cuts across administrative lines.

iv) The program should have a body of resident students who are enrolled in that program. Programs that are primarily based on-line are not acceptable to the Board.

v) Curriculum requirements of the program must include adequate theoretical content in psychology and supervised practicum, internship, field or laboratory training appropriate to psychology. In order to meet these requirements, the master’s level degree must be at least two years in duration.

vi) In addition to the foregoing, the applicant must demonstrate sufficient foundational knowledge in four general areas: Knowledge of the biological bases of behaviour; Knowledge of the cognitive-affective bases of behaviour; Knowledge of the social bases of behaviour; and Knowledge of the psychology of the individual. This must be demonstrated with at least one full course or two half courses, in each of the four areas. Introductory level courses are not acceptable for meeting this requirement.

vii) In addition to the foregoing, applicants are assessed with respect to competency in five core areas: Assessment and Evaluation; Intervention; Research; Ethics and Standards; and Interpersonal Relationships. Course work and experience in these areas must be listed.

(2) The Board will consider whether the educational institution has recognized standing or accreditation.

(3) Degrees in education, counseling, guidance, family studies, mental health studies, child studies, rehabilitation and other such designations, are not normally considered degrees in psychology.

Course/University Information:

To be registered as a psychologist in NS you must have a graduate degree  in psychology from a program that meets the above requirements. Currently on-line graduate programs are not acceptable for registration.

The MASP (School Psychology) program at the Mount meets the requirements noted above; the Education Psychology (M.Ed) does not.

At Acadia, the counseling M.Ed is not accepted, but the clinical/counseling psychology (M.Sc) is an acceptable program for registration as a Psychologist. The educational programs at either of these universities may lead to qualifications as a guidance counselor or school counselor but do not lead to psychology registration or prepare you to take the prerequisite examination for Professional Practice in Psychology.

NSBEP does not evaluate individual programs until an application for registration is completed.

If accepted on the Candidate Register the applicant has a period of time which to fulfill any conditions set out by the Board, to acquire a specified amount of supervised experience and to pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and the Oral Examination required for acceptance on the Register of Psychologists. The EPPP must be successfully completed, on or before, the end of the candidates second year of candidacy.

The EPPP must be passed by the end of the Candidate's second year of Candidate Registration.

All Candidates must receive supervision for at least 2 hours per month.  Candidates with a master's degree in psychology acceptable to the Board must complete 4 years of supervised practice.  Candidate's with a doctoral degree in psychology acceptable to the Board must complete 2 years of supervised practice.  However, one of the required two years of supervised practice required by the doctoral program may be applied to the 2 year requirement, provided the internship and supervised experience have been adequately and responsibly supervised in a manner satisfactory to the Board. (An internship program approved by the CPA or APA would meet the requirements.)  In the case of a doctoral level Candidate Registrant, this will reduce the minimum required period of supervised practice to 1 year on the Candidate Register.

A requirement under the Psychologists Act is that all registrants must carry adequate professional liability insurance.  Once registered, proof of liability insurance must be provided to the Board within 30 days.

Persons who possess the qualifications for registration may apply to be registered in Nova Scotia. To acquire the application forms and for more information about the application process, please visit the Application section of the website.

Courtesy Register

POLICY STATEMENT: NSBEP extends temporary registration to colleagues from other jurisdictions as a courtesy. Psychologists registered and in good standing in other jurisdictions may apply for temporary registration in Nova Scotia. Temporary registration is available to psychologists: (a) once per calendar year (b) for a maximum of 40 working days or 300 practice hours. All placements on the Courtesy Registrar must be approved by the Registrar.

PROCEDURE:

1.      For placement on the Courtesy Register, a Psychologist from another jurisdiction must provide:

(1)   proof of registration/licensure and good standing in another jurisdiction

(2)   proof there are no outstanding complaints against them

(3)   proof there are no conditions on their registration / licensure

(4)  a list of the dates they will be working in Nova Scotia and the nature of their work. Psychologists requesting courtesy registration for 40 days or 300 practice hours, who are unable to provide a list of all dates in advance, are issued a certificate stating an expiry date of 40 working days from the date of issue.

2.      Psychologists wishing to practice for a period greater than 21 days must pay a $200.00 registration fee.   Psychologists approved for 21 days or less may request additional days up to a total of 40 days in one calendar year, provided they pay the $200.00 registration fee.   

3.   Calculation of the number of practice days involved  shall be based on direct client contact as well as all hours related to the direct client contact such as the analysis/interpretation of the data, written and spoken communications regarding the case, and report preparation time.

4.      The Registrar on reviewing the information provided may:

(1)   approve the placement 

(2)   request additional information or

(3)   refuse the placement.

5.    The Registrar or Assistant to the Registrar informs the psychologist of the decision.

6.    Psychologists approved for a period of greater than 21 days are issued an official letter containing the Board seal which confirms their Courtesy Registration Status.

7.   Psychologists approved for a period of 21 days may also request an official letter confirming their Courtesy Registration status. This will be provided following payment of a $15.00 processing fee.

 

 
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