Bill 2465

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               2465
Ratification Number:       130
Act Number                 87
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Qualifications of applicants for licenses
                           to practice psychology

(A87, R130, H2465)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 40-55-80, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO QUALIFICATIONS OF APPLICANTS FOR LICENSES TO PRACTICE PSYCHOLOGY, SO AS TO REQUIRE THAT A DOCTOR'S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY BE FROM AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION WHOSE PROGRAMS ARE ACCREDITED BY CERTAIN NATIONAL AGENCIES OR BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE PSYCHOLOGY BOARDS, AND SO AS TO EXTEND THE TIME FOR APPLICANTS TO PASS CERTAIN EXAMINATIONS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Qualifications

SECTION 1. Section 40-55-80 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 499 of 1980, is further amended to read:

"Section 40-55-80. Any person wishing to be licensed as a psychologist shall make application to the Board of Examiners in Psychology upon such form and in such manner as shall be prescribed by the Board. A candidate for such license shall furnish the Board with satisfactory evidence that he:

(a) is of good moral character;

(b) has had four years of combined academic training in psychology and qualifying experience including a doctor's degree in psychology from an educational institution which is accredited by a recognized regional accrediting agency of colleges and universities and whose program is accredited by a recognized national accrediting agency or meets criteria established by the American Association of State Psychology Boards (AASPB) or, in lieu of such degree, a doctor's degree in a closely allied field; provided, that the Board finds that the training obtained therein was substantially equivalent to that obtained in programs leading to the doctor's degree in psychology; provided, further, that candidates who have earned a doctor's degree in a closely allied field by December 31, 1978, and who have completed sixty graduate hours of psychology or psychology-related courses by that date, shall be eligible as candidates for licensure under the same term as candidates accepted prior to June 1, 1978, upon making application and satisfactorily passing the examination prior to December 31, 1981;

(c) is competent in psychology as shown by passing such examination, written or oral, as the Board deems necessary;

(d) is not considered by the Board to be engaged in unethical practice; and

(e) has not within the preceding six months failed an examination given by the Board; provided, further, that the Board may in its discretion, without an assembled examination, accept adequate evidence of qualifying degrees and experience and award a license to practice psychology."

Time effective

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.