Tennessee Psychology Licensure Requirements

In Tennessee, psychology licenses are issued by the Board of Examiners of Psychology (the Board). To become a psychologist in Tennessee, you will need to complete a doctoral degree in psychology, supervised professional experience, and pass national and state exams. This process can be complicated and time-consuming, so we’ve prepared this step-by-step guide to help you get through it. On this page, you will find detailed information about each step of the process of becoming a licensed psychologist in Tennessee.

Table of Contents

• How to Become a Licensed Psychologist
• Licensure by Endorsement
• License Renewal and Continuing Education
• Related Licenses
• Jobs and Salary Information
• Additional Resources
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Become a Psychologist in Tennessee

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

The first step to becoming a licensed psychologist in Tennessee is to complete a bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree will take approximately four years of full-time study (about 120 credit hours). To become a psychologist, you aren’t required to major in psychology at the undergraduate level. However, if your undergraduate degree is in psychology or a closely related field, you may be able to enter a graduate program without having to complete any additional prerequisites.

After finishing a bachelor’s degree, some prospective psychologists choose to complete a stand-alone master’s degree in psychology. Most students who attend doctoral programs in psychology earn a master’s degree during their studies. However, a stand-alone master’s can be helpful if you didn’t major in psychology for your bachelor’s degree or if you want to get more experience in psychology before committing to a doctoral program. Psychology master’s programs typically take about two years to complete (30 to 40 credit hours). Tennessee offers a certified psychological assistant license for master’s degree holders.

2. Earn a doctoral degree in psychology.

After you have completed a bachelor’s degree (and a master’s degree, if you choose), the next required step is to complete a doctoral degree in psychology, which usually takes four to seven years. There are two types of doctoral degrees in psychology: a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology and a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). If you would like to understand the differences between these degrees, visit our home page.

In Tennessee, an applicant for psychology licensure must have received their degree from a doctoral program that is American Psychological Association (APA)-approved, listed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB), or the equivalent.

For more information about doctoral programs that meet these requirements, visit our guide to Psychology Schools in Tennessee.

3. Submit an application for licensure to the Board.

After completing your doctoral program, you can submit the application for a psychologist license through Tennessee’s Licensure and Regulatory System. Be sure to indicate whether you are applying for Health Service Provider (HSP) designation.

You must include supplemental materials such as two signed passport-style photos, a criminal background check, supervisor affidavits, the Declaration of Citizenship Form, the Mandatory Practitioner Profile, and verification of pre-doctoral internship. The Board also requires your notarized or certified original birth certificate and three professional letters of recommendation, each supported by a Licensure Endorsement form. In addition, you must have official transcripts for all of your graduate work sent to the Board. When you submit your application for licensure, you will need to pay a total of $485 in license and exam fees.

If you will be completing your postdoctoral supervised professional experience (SPE) in Tennessee, you must apply for a provisional license ($125) along with your initial application. Your provisional license will be valid for one year, but you can contact the Board to request an extension if you don’t earn all of your supervised experience hours during this year.

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

To practice as a psychologist offering health services to the public in Tennessee, you are required to complete 3,800 hours of supervised experience, 1,900 of which must be earned during your doctoral program internship. The remaining 1,900 hours must be earned after you have completed your doctoral degree (postdoctoral hours) under a provisional license. You must receive at least one hour of supervision per week while you are earning your postdoctoral hours, and you must be supervised by a licensed psychologist.

You must notify the Board when you have completed all 3,800 hours of SPE. To document these hours, complete the Postdoctoral Supervised Experience documentation form.

5. Pass the Tennessee psychology licensing exams.

There are two exams to pass before earning your license. The first of these is the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP), a multiple-choice test that assesses general knowledge of psychology. You will be notified when you are approved to take the EPPP (this may be done while you are still completing your SPE). To pass the EPPP, you must earn a scaled score of 500 or higher.

After you have passed the EPPP, the Board will notify you that you are eligible to take Tennessee’s Ethics and Jurisprudence Exam. This is an open-book, two-hour exam on legal and ethical standards relevant to the practice of psychology in Tennessee. To pass this exam, you must earn a score of 90% or higher.

6. Wait for notification that your full license has been issued.

After you have completed and reported your postdoctoral hours and passed the exams, the Board will notify you when your full license has been issued.

Tennessee Licensure by Endorsement

If you are currently licensed in another state, you may be able to obtain a license in Tennessee through endorsement. You must complete an application and provide proof of a passing EPPP score, a qualifying internship, valid licensure in another state, and SPE. A total of $485 in fees is required when you submit your application. If the Board reviews your application and determines that you meet the criteria for licensure by reciprocity, you will also be asked to complete the Ethics and Jurisprudence exam to obtain your license in Tennessee.

License Renewal and Continuing Education

Tennessee psychologist licenses are renewed every two years. This can be done through the online portal. You will need to pay a fee of $225. To renew, you must complete 40 hours of continuing education (CE). These hours must be obtained between January 1 and December 31 in the two calendar years prior to your renewal year.

Tennessee has strict guidelines for CE. CE may be designated as Type I (from APA-approved organizations), Type II (other structured educational experiences), or Type III (less structured educational experiences). Of the 40 required CE hours, nine hours must come from Type I programs, another nine hours must come from Type I or II programs, and the remaining 22 hours can come from Type I, II, or III programs. Additionally, three hours of the required 40 must involve education in cultural diversity and another three hours must involve education in state and national ethical and legal standards. Hours may not be carried over between renewal periods.

Related Licenses

Certified Psychological Assistant

Another psychology-related designation offered in Tennessee is the Certified Psychological Assistant. Individuals with this certification can administer psychological assessments under the supervision of a licensed psychologist. To be eligible for this certification, you must have completed a master’s degree in psychology that includes training in administration and interpretation of psychological tests. To apply, you will need to complete the Application for Certification as a Psychological Assistant. You will also need to pay a total of $335 in fees with this application.

Certified Psychological Testing Technician

The Board also certifies psychological testing technicians. Certificate holders administer and score standardized psychological and neuropsychological tests, and observe and describe how a client behaves and responds during testing. All work must be performed under the supervision of a licensed psychologist or Senior Psychological Examiner, and you must be employed by or contracted with the same work setting as your supervisor. To qualify, you must hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and complete the educational training in test administration and scoring set by the Board. Apply using the Application for Certified Psychological Testing Technician. The application must include a recent signed passport-style photograph, proof of citizenship or work authorization, a transcript sent directly from your degree-granting institution, documentation of your training hours, a criminal background check, and three letters of recommendation. You must register your supervisor with the Board before providing services, and report any change of supervisor within 30 days.

Psychologist License without HSP Designation

If you have earned a doctoral degree from an approved program but do not plan to provide health services to the public, you can apply for psychology licensure without HSP designation. This license will allow you to work as a psychologist in non-clinical jobs such as teaching. To apply for a psychology license without HSP designation, you will need to complete the Psychologist Application and pay $485 in fees. You are not required to complete any supervised professional experience, but you will need to complete the EPPP as well as the Ethics and Jurisprudence exam.

School Psychologist

The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) regulates school services personnel practitioners, a category which includes school psychologists. To qualify as a licensed school services personnel practitioner in Tennessee, applicants must have completed a state-approved educator preparation program in school psychology at the Educational Specialist (Ed.S) level or above that includes a full-time embedded internship of one academic year, or a part-time embedded internship across two academic years. Candidates must also pass the Praxis School Psychologist exam. Qualifying candidates will be issued an initial (provisional) three-year license as a school psychologist. After completing at least three years of full-time school psychologist experience under the provisional license, including at least five months of continuous employment in the current assignment, candidates can upgrade to the professional license. All applications are available online through TNCompass.

Tennessee Psychologist Jobs and Salary Information

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average annual salary for psychologists in Tennessee, excluding teachers, was $88,035 per year as of May 2021.¹ Postsecondary psychology teachers earned an average yearly salary of $78,840.¹ Across all categories of psychologists except for industrial-organizational psychologists, the number of psychology jobs in Tennessee is expected to increase over 14% between 2020 and 2030². The highest percentage of growth is anticipated in the field of postsecondary psychology teachers, at 29.5% during this time period.²

Additional Resources

• Tennessee Psychological Association (TPA): Association for psychologists in the state of Tennessee; includes information on CE programs.
• Tennessee Association of School Psychologists (TASP): Organization promoting and advocating for the practice of school psychology in Tennessee.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

To become a licensed psychologist in Tennessee, most candidates will earn a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and a doctoral degree, and will also need to complete at least one year of supervised postdoctoral experience. This entire process generally takes around 10 years to complete, but can be longer depending on a variety of factors.

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

To become a licensed psychologist in Tennessee, you will need to earn either a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology or a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree. Certified psychological assistants qualify with a master’s degree in psychology.

How much do psychologists in Tennessee make?

The average psychologist salary in Tennessee (excluding educators) was $87,990 per year as of May 2021, while postsecondary psychology teachers earned an average of $78,840 per year.¹

References:
1. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Tennessee: https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/4700000
2. Long Term Occupational Projections: https://projectionscentral.org/Projections/LongTerm