Oklahoma Psychology Licensure Requirements

Psychologists are regulated in all 50 states, and Oklahoma is no exception. To become a clinical psychologist in the state, you must meet certain educational requirements, gain supervised experience in the field, and pass the required examinations. The Oklahoma State Board of Examiners of Psychologists (the Board) regulates all psychology licensing. To help guide you through the psychology licensure process in Oklahoma, we have put together this guide to give you step-by-step instructions that will help you along the way.

Table of Contents

How to Become a Psychologist in Oklahoma

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

A bachelor’s degree in psychology will give you the broad base of knowledge you’ll need to become a licensed psychologist in Oklahoma. Applicants with a bachelor’s degree outside psychology or a closely related field may need to complete prerequisites before entering a graduate program.

Between the undergraduate and doctoral degrees, many students pursue a master’s degree in psychology or a related field. Master’s degrees in psychology typically take around two years of full-time study to complete and require around 30 to 40 credit hours. Some doctoral programs offer master’s degrees as part of the curriculum, so you may choose to skip a stand-alone master’s program.

2. Earn a doctoral degree in psychology.

All prospective Oklahoma psychologists must have either a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology from a program accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). The Board allows limited exceptions, such as new programs with pending APA accreditation. You can read more about the differences between a PsyD and PhD in Psychology on our home page. Most doctoral psychology programs take between four and seven years to complete.

Oklahoma applicants must have at least three years of doctoral-level study, two of which must be full-time, on-campus study, not including internships. According to the Board, your doctoral degree must also include at least 42 hours of graduate-level courses focused on psychology. You must have at least three graduate semester hours (21 total) in each of the following content areas:

  • Biological bases of behavior
  • Cognitive-affective bases of behavior
  • Individual behavior
  • Research design and methodology
  • Scientific and professional ethics and standards
  • Social bases of behavior
  • Statistics and psychometrics

For more information on doctoral programs offered in Oklahoma, see our guide to psychology schools in Oklahoma.

3. Submit your application to the Board.

The first step to apply for psychology licensure in the state of Oklahoma is to submit an application to the Board, which must include:

Once the Board provisionally approves your application, the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) will email you a link to start the online Psychology Licensure Universal System (PLUS) application. The ASPPB charges a separate $200 processing fee. All fees paid to the Board are nonrefundable.

4. Gain two years of supervised experience in your area of training.

Before you can become licensed in Oklahoma, you must gain at least two years of supervised experience. A predoctoral internship of up to 2,000 hours can count toward this requirement if it matches your doctoral specialty. At least one year must be postdoctoral.

Internships must run full time for one year or half time for two years, totaling 2,000 hours (1,500 or more in academic settings). Interns must spend at least 25% of their time in direct contact with patients or clients. Supervision must come from at least three licensed psychologists and total 200 hours, with at least 100 of those hours in scheduled one-on-one, face-to-face sessions.

Postdoctoral experience also totals 2,000 hours (1,500 in academic settings) and must be completed within three years. Candidates must log at least 75 hours of individual, face-to-face supervision, with at least 90 minutes of supervision per week. No more than half of any required supervision may take place virtually.

Before beginning your postdoctoral experience, you and your supervisor must submit an application for Institutional or Private Practice Under Supervision with a $200 fee. Postdoctoral positions in exempt settings, such as state agencies, the US Department of Veterans Affairs, and some universities, use a separate form with fees waived.

Once you’ve completed your postdoctoral experience, you’ll submit confirmation of the supervised experience online with your application and submit the Application for Health Service Psychologist Certification to the Board.

5. Submit your application to the Board.

During the online application process, you’ll be asked to submit three letters of reference from licensed psychologists who are familiar with your character, your professional ethics, and the quality of services you provide. You’ll also be asked to submit documentation of your supervised professional experience. The application also requires a list of all graduate courses completed in your specialty area.

Official transcripts go directly to the ASPPB. Once your file is complete, the ASPPB will forward it to the Board’s Application Review Committee, which determines your eligibility to take the licensing exams.

6. Pass the Oklahoma psychology licensing exams.

You must pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) with a scaled score of 500 or better. Once the Board approves your application, the ASPPB will email you a link to register for the EPPP.

Candidates approved to take the EPPP can buy ASPPB’s EPPP sample exams online or at a testing center.

In addition to the EPPP, psychologist candidates must pass the Jurisprudence (JP) Examination to prove they’re versed in Oklahoma’s code of ethics and Board rules. This two-hour, multiple-choice exam is taken at the Board office. A passing score is 70%. There is no fee for the first attempt, but each retake costs $100. You can access JP exam study materials through the Board.

7. Receive your psychology license from the Board.

You’ll receive your license from the Board once the application has been approved and proof of fulfilling all requirements has been verified.

Oklahoma Licensure by Reciprocity

Oklahoma grants licensure by endorsement or reciprocity to diplomates of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) and to holders of ASPPB’s Certificate of Professional Qualification in Psychology (CPQ). Psychologists licensed in Texas who graduated from an APA- or Canadian Psychological Association-accredited doctoral program may also qualify under a reciprocity agreement between the two states.

Eligible applicants submit an application for licensure by endorsement or reciprocity to the Board along with the $400 application fee, two recent passport photographs, a notarized Citizens Affidavit, and an Application for Health Service Psychologist Certification.

The Board must also receive three letters of reference from the licensed psychologists listed on your application, an Out of State Licensure Verification form, and your CPQ or ABPP certification. Each item must come directly from the reference writer or issuing agency.

After committee approval, you can practice in Oklahoma on your out-of-state license for one year while finishing any remaining requirements. You must pass the JP exam during this period. The Board will issue your Oklahoma license once you meet all requirements.

License Renewal and Continuing Education

In Oklahoma, a minimum of 20 continuing education (CE) credits must be completed each year to renew your psychology license. Three of those credits must be in ethics, and all credits must be approved by the Board. The CE calendar year runs from January 1 through December 31 and all CE requirements are due by the end of the year.

Psychologists licensed after January 1 need 1.5 CE credits per full month of licensure for their first renewal. You may carry over up to 12 hours to the next renewal year. An annual renewal fee of $400 will also be due before the next calendar year. Workshops and seminars that fulfill CE requirements are listed on the Board’s website.

School Psychologist

School psychologists in Oklahoma are regulated by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE). To be certified, you must have a master’s degree with a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies (CAGS), a specialist degree, or a doctoral degree in school psychology, with a minimum of 60 credit hours for all of these options. You must also complete a year-long supervised internship of 1,200 hours, and pass the Praxis exam in School Psychology or an acceptable equivalent. To apply, you’ll need to submit an application supported by transcripts from all schools attended and a background check.

Oklahoma Psychologist Jobs and Salary Information

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of May 2021, clinical, counseling, school, and all other psychologists in the state earned an average of $75,127 per year, and postsecondary psychology teachers earned an average salary of $60,930.1 Overall, Projections Central predicts that the number of psychologists (not including teachers) in Oklahoma is projected to increase by an average of 11% by the year 2028.2 The most growth is expected for clinical, counseling, and school psychologists, who are projected to grow by over 14% during the 10-year period between 2018 to 2028 in the state.1

OccupationNumber Employed1Average Annual Salary1
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists340$66,350
Industrial-Organizational PsychologistsN.Av.N.Av.
Psychologists, All Other110$92,210
Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary290$60,930
School Psychologists440$66,820

Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

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

The length of time it will take to become licensed as a psychologist in Oklahoma depends partially on how quickly you complete your education. A typical bachelor’s degree will take four years of full-time study and a typical doctoral program including a master’s degree will take four to seven years of study. In addition to these years of schooling, you will need to complete two years of supervised experience to become licensed in Oklahoma (one of which may be completed during your doctoral program). In general, you should expect the entire process to take around 10 years, though it could take more or less time depending on your choices.

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

The Oklahoma State Board of Examiners of Psychologists requires candidates to have a doctoral degree in psychology–either a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) or a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in psychology to be licensed.

How much do psychologists in Oklahoma make?

The BLS reports that clinical and counseling psychologists in the state earned an average salary of $66,350 as of May 2021, school psychologists earned $66,820, and all other psychologists earn $92,210.1 Postsecondary psychology teachers in the state earn an average of $60,930.1

References:
1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Oklahoma: https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/4000000
2. Projections Central, Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm/