PSYCHOLOGY QUICK FACTS

What is a Psychologist?

A psychologist studies how we think, feel and behave from a scientific viewpoint and applies this knowledge to help people understand, explain and change their behaviour.

Where Do Psychologists Work?

Some psychologists work primarily as researchers and faculty at universities and at governmental and non-governmental organizations. Others work primarily as practitioners in hospitals, schools, clinics, correctional facilities, employee assistance programs and private offices. Many psychologists are active in both research and practice.

What Do Psychologists Do?

Psychologists engage in research, practice and teaching across a wide range of topics having to do with how people think, feel and behave. Their work can involve individuals, groups, families and as well as larger organizations in government and industry. Some psychologists focus their research on animals rather than people. Here are some of the kinds of topics towards which psychologists focus their research and practice:

mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, phobias, etc.;
neurological, genetic, psychological and social determinants of behaviour;
brain injury, degenerative brain diseases;
the perception and management of pain;
psychological factors and problems associated with physical conditions and disease (e.g. diabetes, heart disease, stroke);
psychological factors and management of terminal illnesses such as cancer;
cognitive functions such as learning, memory, problem solving, intellectual ability and performance;
developmental and behavioural abilities and problems across the lifespan;
criminal behaviour, crime prevention, services for victims and perpetrators of criminal activity;
addictions and substance use and abuse (e.g. smoking, alcohol, drugs);
stress, anger and other aspects of lifestyle management;
court consultations addressing the impact and role of psychological and cognitive factors in accidents and injury, parental capacity, and competence to manage one’s personal affairs;
the application of psychological factors and issues to work such as motivation, leadership, productivity, marketing, healthy workplaces, ergonomics;
marital and family relationships and problems;
psychological factors necessary to maintaining wellness and preventing disease;
social and cultural behaviour and attitudes, the relationship between the individual and the many groups of which he or she is part (e.g. work, family, society); and
the role and impact of psychological factors on performance at work, recreation and sport.

For more information on psychology and specific diseases and conditions see Your Health: 'Psychology Works' Fact Sheets; for more information on how to choose a psychologist and psychological treatment see Deciding to See a Psychologist: How to Choose One and What to Expect.

The Study of Psychology

Psychology courses and majors are among the most popular undergraduate courses and are available at all Canadian universities. If you want some career direction or advice about what in psychology to study at the graduate or undergraduate level, you should contact the psychology department at the university where you are currently studying or where you are considering studying. Not all university psychology departments offer the same courses or engage in the same kinds of research – both are factors that might influence your choices of where to study. Psychology departments usually have a faculty member or other staff person who acts as a counsellor or advisor to help students with course and programme selection.

At the graduate level, there are several specialities and subspecialities of psychology. Common ones are Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Experimental Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Counselling Psychology, Neuropsychology, Forensic or Correctional Psychology, Developmental or Child Psychology.

The CPA maintains a Graduate Guide which lists and describes graduate programmes in psychology in Canada.

It typically takes 4 years to complete an honours bachelor’s degree in psychology, 2 years to complete a master’s degree and up to another 4 years to complete a doctoral degree. Doctoral degrees in any of the professional areas of psychology (e.g. clinical psychology, counselling psychology clinical neuropsychology) have practicum and internship requirements in addition to coursework and research requirements.

Competition for admission to graduate programmes in psychology can be stiff. Doctoral programmes in professional areas of psychology (e.g. clinical psychology, counselling psychology, school psychology) accept approximately 10% of applicants.

What are the Training and Credentials Psychologists Need to Practice Psychology?

To practice psychology in Canada, one must be licensed. Alternate terms for licensure are registered and chartered. When considering the services of any professional, it is always wise to seek the services of someone who is licensed. Licensure helps to protect the public by ensuring that the professional has met, and is accountable to, rigorous standards of practice.

In Canada, psychologists, like other health care professionals, are licensed to practice by regulatory bodies in each Canadian jurisdiction. A listing of all the Canadian regulatory bodies of psychology can be accessed from the CPA Web site.

The requirements for licensure vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. In some jurisdictions, the doctorate degree is required for registration and in others it is the master’s degree. Psychologists with a doctoral degree can use the title ‘Dr. ’. A listing of all the provincial and territorial regulatory requirements can be found on the CPA Web site.

For psychologists already registered in one Canadian jurisdiction wanting to practice in another jurisdiction, their mobility might be facilitated by the Mutual Recognition Agreement.

For those trained in psychology outside of Canada, and who want to move to a Canadian jurisdiction to practice psychology, they should contact the regulatory body in the jurisdiction in which they want to practice to determine if they have the necessary qualifications for registration.

For those wanting to study psychology outside of Canada, and then return to work as a psychologist in Canada, they should also contact the regulatory body in the jurisdiction to which they are likely to return, to ensure that the foreign studies they are planning to undertake would give them the necessary credentials for registration to practice psychology in Canada.

Accreditation

Whereas individual practitioners of psychology are licensed, programmes in psychology can be accredited.

It is the doctoral or internship programme (not its students) that must voluntarily apply for and undergo accreditation. A student can claim to have graduated from an accredited programme, if the programme was accredited at the time of the student’s graduation.

Accreditation is a voluntary process but allows doctoral and internship programmes to demonstrate that they have met a community standard of training.

Although, graduation from an accredited doctoral programme is not a requirement for registration as a psychologist and not always a requirement of employers, it can be an advantage. Applicants for registration or licensure who have graduated from accredited programmes often receive ‘fast-track’ credential reviews by regulatory bodies. Further, accredited programmes are encouraged to hire faculty and staff who themselves have graduated from accredited programmes.

The CPA accredits doctoral programmes and internships in professional areas of psychology. A listing of all CPA-accredited programmes can be found on our Web site.

The CPA’s Accreditation Standards and Procedures for Doctoral and Internship Programmes in Psychology is available in pdf format from the CPA Web site.

Bound copies of the Standards and Procedures are also available from the Accreditation Office.

Organizations and Associations of Psychology - Who's Who and What's What?

The Canadian Psychological Association is a national professional association whose mandate is to meet the needs of Canadian psychologists and to advocate for the science and practice of psychology in Canada.

Each province and territory also has a psychological association with similar mandates within their own jurisdictions. In addition, the provincial and territorial associations often maintain referral services and can help members of the public access psychological services.

The Canadian Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology maintains a listing of psychologists who have voluntarily submitted their credentials for evaluation as a health service provider.

Last revised: February 2010