Registration Guidelines
UPDATED: August 2020
Section 5.(1) 6. and Section 16.(1) 7. of Regulation 193/23 indicate as a non-exemptible registration requirement that the supervised member must have completed all further professional training or experience that, in the opinion of a panel of the Registration Committee, is required to ensure competence for autonomous practice as a Psychologist or Psychological Associate in the supervised member’s intended area of practice.
Supervised members (or eligible candidates) who are missing required components in the area for which they have declared competence to practise, can expect their application to be referred to the Registration Committee for a review of their education and training in relation to their proposed area of practice.
In their review, the Registration Committee will identify any knowledge gaps where further education is required, by comparing the psychology coursework already completed with the knowledge requirements outlined in the College’s Registration Guidelines: Supervised Practice. The Registration Committee will determine the extent to which the supervised member must augment their knowledge and skills and will require them to submit a proposal for a training plan.
In developing a proposal for a training plan, the supervised member must ensure that they undertake such study, training and supervision needed to yield the requisite knowledge and skills for the intended practice. Definitions of the various practice areas outlining the knowledge and skills required for practice can be found in the Appendix section of the Registration Guidelines: Supervised Practice.
The supervised member’s proposal for the training plan is reviewed by the Registration Committee and approval is given, or revisions suggested.
The Registration Committee will require documentation to verify the satisfactory completion of the approved training plan before approval to attend an Oral Examination will be given.
Components of a Training Plan
A training plan entails coursework and supervised practice designed to provide the required knowledge and skills:
Knowledge
Graduate courses offered in CPA/APA accredited programs and Ontario universities are preferred. Supervised members who are required to complete undergraduate/foundational knowledge training must propose to complete a university course.
Supervised members who propose to complete a course must provide documentation of the course to be undertaken in order to demonstrate how it addresses the identified knowledge gap. Documentation should include: the course outline, the course reading list, the name and credentials of the course instructor, and the evaluation method.
Distance education courses in psychology may be acceptable to the College if offered by a university recognized by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, or in the case of the United States, by an institution of higher education accredited by a nationally recognized regional accrediting body. Evaluation of the suitability of a distance education course will be on a case-by-case basis.
It is expected, and preferable, that the supervised member enrol in a formal university course. In exceptional cases where this is not possible, the Registration Committee will consider the supervised member’s proposal to complete a course equivalent of supervised readings.
In such cases, the supervised members’ proposal for a course equivalent of supervised readings must include a list of readings that makes clear how the readings address the identified knowledge gap. In developing the proposal, the supervised member should consult with a program director or course instructor of a university graduate course in that subject. The proposed readings must: include a balance of current theory, empirical research, and practice; provide exposure to a range of perspectives and techniques; and incorporate contemporary, primary source material as well as textbooks and edited volumes. The proposed readings must also be supervised and evaluated by an autonomous practice member of the College (who may be the Primary or Alternate Supervisor) with expertise in the area. The supervisor must assist the supervised member in developing the proposal and must meet regularly with the supervised member for the purposes of discussion and guidance. Acceptable evaluation procedures include a review paper prepared by the supervised member, or an oral examination conducted by the supervisor and one other member. The supervisor(s) must submit a formal evaluation report to the Registration Committee following the supervised member’s completion of the training plan.
Skills
It is expected that the supervisor(s) will provide guidance as the knowledge acquired through either coursework or supervised readings is being integrated into the supervised member’s supervised practice. There is a section in the Supervisor’s Work Appraisal Form for supervisor(s) to record this progress.
Length of Time to Complete Training Plan
Supervised members who are undertaking a training plan frequently take longer than the minimum 12-month period. Fifteen hundred (1500) hours of authorized supervised practice is the minimum requirement for members already trained in the practice area. Completion of a training plan often requires longer and more intensive supervision than this. However, certificates authorizing supervised practice are not issued for a period of greater than two years. No exceptions can be granted for this, even when a training plan is required. For this reason, if the supervised member is notified by the Registration Committee that a training plan is required, it is important to have this training plan proposal submitted promptly so that it can receive Registration Committee approval early in the registration process.