In order to practice as a clinical psychologist in the state of Georgia, you need to first obtain a license from the Georgia State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (the Board). The Board requires applicants to have a doctoral degree including an internship, and complete 1,500 hours of postdoctoral supervised work experience (PDSWE). The Board further requires candidates to pass three examinations: the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), the state Jurisprudence Examination, and an oral examination before the Board. Though the process of obtaining a license to practice psychology in Georgia can seem complicated, this step-by-step guide should make it more straightforward.

Table of Contents

How to Become a Psychologist in Georgia

1. Earn a bachelor’s degree and (optionally) a master’s degree in psychology

A bachelor’s degree is the first step toward becoming a licensed psychologist in Georgia. A bachelor’s degree typically takes around four years of full-time study to complete and comprises about 120 semester hours. Prospective clinical psychologists may choose to major in fields other than psychology. However, some graduate programs require applicants who didn’t major in psychology to take prerequisite courses to be considered for admission.

Some people pursue a master’s in psychology or a related field after earning their bachelor’s degree. Psychology master’s degrees may be offered as stand-alone programs or as part of a doctoral program. Stand-alone master’s degrees typically take around two years of full-time study to complete and require 30 to 40 semester hours.

2. Earn a doctoral degree in psychology.

For licensure as a psychologist in Georgia, you must hold either a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology. Most doctorate in psychology programs take between four and seven years to complete. Read our guide to the differences between the two degrees. In Georgia, the qualifying doctorate must be earned at a professional training program in applied psychology recognized by the American Psychological Association (APA).

To meet licensure requirements, the PsyD or PhD must have included three full-time years of academic study and one year (2,000 hours) of supervised predoctoral internship. This can count toward the supervised work experience required for licensure. Georgia also has an academic residency requirement, meaning that degrees earned from online programs will not be accepted by the Board.

Check out our Georgia psychology schools page to find programs that meet your needs.

3. Complete the required postdoctoral supervised work experience.

As part of earning their doctorate, a licensure candidate will have completed a 2,000-hour supervised internship. Following completion of the doctoral program, postdoctoral supervised work experience (PDSWE) is required. The PDSWE should consist of 1,500 hours and must include at least 500 hours of client contact. The PDSWE must be individually supervised by a current Board-licensed psychologist. If the supervisor’s license is not in Georgia, it must be in a state whose licensure standards meet or exceed those of Georgia. Note that different internship requirements apply to specialty areas such as industrial/organizational psychology, school psychology, and others. For detailed requirements, refer to the Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia.

4. Initiate an application with the Board.

When you have completed your SWE or reach the point where you will have completed the experience within one calendar year, you may initiate a license application with the Board using the online licensing system. The fee is $100. The application includes an Affidavit Regarding Citizenship that you will need to fill out and have notarized.

After you have submitted your initial application, you’ll receive instructions from the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) for completing the Psychology Licensure Universal System (PLUS) online application. There is an additional fee of $200 for this application. After the ASPPB has approved your application, the Board will notify you that you may sit for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) exam.

5. Pass the Georgia psychology licensing exams.

The first examination is the national EPPP, administered by the ASPPB. Georgia requires both Part 1: Knowledge and Part 2: Skills of the EPPP. Part 1 is multiple choice while Part 2 uses a variety of response formats. Candidates must pass Part 1 before being permitted to schedule and take Part 2. EPPP practice exams are available. The fee for Part 1 is $600, and the fee for Part 2 is $450. There is also an appointment fee of $92 for each exam.

The next required exam is the Georgia Psychology Jurisprudence (Laws & Rules) Examination, administered by PSI Services LLC. After passing the EPPP, you will receive instructions for registering for the Jurisprudence exam. This exam takes one hour and covers matters such as professional relationships, state laws and regulations, privacy, and records requirements. The fee to take this exam is $85.

The final exam is the Oral Examination before the Board. Once you have achieved passing scores on the EPPP and Jurisprudence exams, you will schedule your Oral Examination with the Board. This exam is approximately 30 minutes long and is held over Zoom. It covers diagnostic and intervention skills, professional ethics and practices, and Georgia law. It will also include discussion of a work sample that you will provide.

6. Receive your license from the Board.

When you have passed the required examinations and the Board has received all of your supporting documentation, you will receive your license.

Georgia Licensure by Endorsement

The Board recognizes licensure by endorsement, which allows currently licensed psychologists from jurisdictions with equivalent requirements to obtain licensure in Georgia. As is the case for application by examination, you begin by filling out an online application and submitting it to the Board together with proof of identity, an Affidavit Regarding Citizenship, and the $100 fee. After application review, the ASPPB will contact you with instructions for completing the PLUS online application. You will then submit an additional fee of $200 directly to the ASPPB.
As with licensure by examination, you will need to earn passing scores on the EPPP, Georgia jurisprudence exam, and the Oral Examination administered by the Board.

License Renewal and Continuing Education

In Georgia, the license renewal period is two years and runs from January 1 of odd-numbered years through December 31 of even-numbered years. A minimum of 40 credits of continuing professional education (CPE) must be completed during these two years. Six of the credits must be in professional ethics and earned at workshops that you attended in person. For details on the topics and types of activities that fulfill the remaining credit requirements, as well as a list of approved sponsors of continuing education, see the Georgia Rules and Regulations. The license renewal fee is $250, payable to the Board.

School Psychologist

To become a school psychologist in Georgia, you must hold a Professional Certificate from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC). You may qualify by completing a state-approved school psychology program at the specialist (EdS) level or higher; by completing a NASP-approved school psychology program; or by holding the National Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential. You must also pass the GACE content-knowledge assessment. Once these requirements have been met, you will submit an application using the online portal.

Volunteer Service Psychologist

Those who are retired from psychology or hold an inactive license in good standing may apply for volunteer service licensure. Psychologists practicing with this license may not be compensated for their services and may only volunteer through select types of not-for-profit institutions and agencies. Along with your application, you must provide proof of 20 hours of continuing education completed in the two calendar years immediately preceding your application and proof of previous licensure.

Georgia Psychologist Jobs and Salary Information

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that, as of May 2021, clinical and counseling psychologists in Georgia earned an average of $73,350, school psychologists earned an average salary of $80,350 per year, “all other” psychologists earned an average of $98,360, and postsecondary psychology teachers earned an average of $79,020.1 Projections Central predicts significant growth in employment in the field of psychology, especially in Georgia. The number of clinical, counseling, and school psychologists in Georgia is predicted to increase by an average of 20.4% by the year 2030 and the number of all other psychologists by 10.2% in the same interval, both higher than the national average for those job categories2. Postsecondary psychology teacher jobs are expected to grow by 10.6%.2

OccupationNumber Employed1Average Annual Salary1
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists830$73,350
Industrial-Organizational PsychologistsN.Av.N.Av.
Psychologists, All Other370$98,360
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary760$79,020
School Psychologists830$80,350

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to become a psychologist in Georgia?

You can expect it to take about a decade to become a licensed psychologist in Georgia. It depends partly on how quickly you complete the bachelor’s degree, which is typically four years of full-time study. The graduate degrees then typically take four to seven years to complete. In addition to these years of schooling, Georgia requires 1,500 hours of postdoctoral supervised work experience. This may be carried out over an interval of from 11 to 24 months and cannot commence until all requirements for the doctoral degree are completed.

What degree do I need to be a licensed psychologist in Georgia?

The Georgia State Board of Examiners of Psychologists requires that candidates have a doctoral degree in psychology in order to be licensed. This may be either a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology. Though a master’s degree is often earned along the way to earning a doctorate, a master’s in addition to the doctorate is not a requirement for licensure in Georgia.

Where can I find out more about APA and CPA accredited psychology doctoral programs in Georgia?

The APA provides a searchable database of accredited programs, along with helpful suggestions for how to choose a program and guidance on many other topics of import for psychology students and license-seekers. The CPA lists accredited programs on their website. You can also visit our Georgia Schools in Psychology page for more information.

How much do psychologists in Georgia make?

The BLS reported in May 2021 that Georgia clinical and counseling psychologists earned an average of $73,350, school psychologists earned an average of $80,350 per year, psychologists of other types earned $98,360, and postsecondary psychology teachers earned $79,020.1

In Georgia, does everyone working in the field of psychology require a license?

No. See the Georgia Code, section 43, chapter 39-7 for information on this. School psychologists and social workers, among others, may not need to obtain a license from the Georgia Board of Examiners of Psychologists.

References:
1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Georgia: https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/1300000
2. Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm