License Renewal & Continuing Education for Massachusetts Psychologists

License Renewal & Continuing Education for Massachusetts PsychologistsMassachusetts-licensed psychologists have a biennial license renewal deadline of June 30, even years. 20 hours of board-approved continuing education are required to renew. The board recognizes The American Psychological Association as a provider of continuing education courses for Massachusetts psychologists.

The purpose of continuing education is to assure high standards for the practice of psychology by requiring licensees to participate in on-going educational activities. Through these experiences, licensees may increase their competence and enhance the knowledge obtained during prior education and training.

Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for all programs and content. Massachusetts psychologists may earn all 20 of their required hours through online coursework offered @ http://www.pdresources.org/Courses/Psychology/Online/CourseID/1/

Continuing Education Requirements

All licensees are required, as a condition of license renewal, to complete a minimum of 20 hours of continuing education activities per licensure/renewal period (every two years).

All 20 hours may be earned in formal learning programs with specific learning objectives sponsored by Board-recognized entities.

Continuing education activities in the form of publication of books, chapters of books, and/or articles in refereed journals, relevant to the science or practice of psychology may be substituted for not more than ten of the total 20 hours of continuing education activities required per licensure/renewal period.

Evaluation and Verification of Continuing Education Hours and Programs

At the time of renewal, each licensee will be required to submit a signed, notarized statement, on a form provided by the Board, attesting to completion of the continuing education requirements.

All continuing education activities required for licensure renewal must be clearly psychological in content and/or directly relevant to the science or practice of psychology.

For each continuing education hour earned by participation in formal learning programs, the licensee must be able to document the following information:

  • the title of the program
  • the number of hours spent in the program
  • the name of the Board-recognized entity which sponsored the program
  • the date the program was given

For each continuing education activity hour earned by publication of books, chapters of books, and/or articles in refereed journals, the licensee must be able to document the following information:

  • the title of the book, chapter or article and, in the case of a chapter or article, the title of the book or name of the journal in which it appears
  • the date of publication
  • the names of any co-authors

The Board may require the licensee to provide a copy of the book, chapter or article that he/she is relying on as a continuing education activity.

Failure to comply with the continuing education requirements will result in the non-renewal of the license.

The Board of Registration of Psychologists: http://www.mass.gov/ocabr/licensee/dpl-boards/py/