Academic Credentials Evaluations - Introduction & Overview

This webpage offers an introduction and overview of academic credentials evaluations at the College of Alberta Psychologists (CAP), including doctoral credential evaluations and CAP approved programs. Below you will also see an outline of further resources provided to help navigate this important gatekeeping stage of psychologist registration in Alberta.

***ANNOUNCEMENTS ABOUT COURSE INSTRUCTORS***

Beginning January 1, 2023 - Requirement for Core Areas of Psychological Assessment & Evaluation and Psychological Intervention & Consultation: Course instructor must be a registered/licensed psychologist (as per 3.3.1 of the Criteria) for courses taken at any time.

Beginning January 1, 2026 - Requirement for Core Area of Ethics & Standards: Course instructor must be a registered/licensed psychologist (as per 3.3.1 of the Criteria) for courses taken at any time. The registration status of instructors of Ethics and Standards courses will be verified.

Evaluating Academic Credentials - Introduction & Overview

As per the Psychologists Profession Regulation, applicants must meet the academic requirements of CAP. The first step is to apply to have the Credentials Evaluation Sub-Commitee (CESC) evaluate your academic credentials (i.e., courses and degrees) based on CAP's Criteria for Evaluating Academic Credentials (the Criteria) and, when applicable, the Criteria for Evaluating Doctoral Credentials (outlined in a section below). 

CAP does not assist applicants in choosing a psychology training program or provide course recommendations. Please see the Criteria for an explanation of the evaluation pathways and for academic credential requirements.

What kinds of academic credentials does CAP require for registration as a psychologist?

Note: All credits listed refer to semester credits. Please note that the Criteria contains more information that you should review to ensure a fulsome understanding of academic requirements. You must be exceedingly familiar with the Criteria to ensure you have met CAP's requirements, but a general overview follows:

Degree & Institution Criteria  

Core Applied Courses

 Criteria   “Substantive” /Foundational Courses Criteria  

Total Semester Credits
  Please see section(s):     Please see section(s):     Please see section(s):    

Graduate degree in psychology (“Psychology” or “Psychological” must appear in title)*

 1.1  

Ethics & Standards in Psychology**(3 credits minimum; Must be taught by instructor with a graduate degree in psychology)

 8.1.1  

Biological Bases of Behaviour** (3 credits minimum; Must be taught by instructor with a graduate degree in psychology)

 8.2.1  

Thesis-based graduate program: 60 or more total semester credits in psychology (see Criteria sections 4.1 & 4.2)

Non-thesis/Capstone- based graduate program: 72 or more total semester credits in psychology (see Criteria section 6)
*If it is not a graduate degree in psychology, applicants must have a degree that is substantially equivalent to a degree in psychology

1.2

2.2

7.1

7.2

 

Research Design & Methods** (3 credits minimum)

 8.1.2  

Cognitive / Affective Bases of Behaviour** (3 credits minimum; Must be taught by instructor with a graduate degree in psychology)

 8.2.2    

INSTITUTIONS – Degree-granting Institutions must be Government-authorized or accredited*

 2.0  

Psychological Assessment & Evaluation** (3 credits minimum; Must be taught by a registered psychologist with a graduate degree in psychology)

 8.1.3  

Social Bases of Behaviour**  (3 credits minimum; Must be taught by instructor with a graduate degree in psychology)

 8.2.3    
International institutions must be authorized by local jurisdictional authorities 2.7  

Psychological Intervention & Consultation**  (3 credits minimum; Must be taught by a registered psychologist Must be taught by instructor with a graduate degree in psychology)

 8.1.4  

Psychology of the Individual** (3 credits minimum; Must be taught by instructor with a graduate degree in psychology)

 8.2.4    
Must be psychology-based or equivalent 1.1, 1.2, 2.0, 2.2, 2.7, 7.1, & 7.2   

Must have at least 12 (total / combined) credits in these four areas **Each course must be comprised of a minimum of 36 instructional hours 

 8.1.1 – 8.1.4; 3.4, 3.5  

Must have at least 12 (total / combined) credits in these four areas  **Each course must be comprised of a minimum of 36 instructional hours 

 8.2.1 – 8.2.4; 3.4, 3.5  

When calculating credits please note: 3 quarter credits are equivalent to 2 semester credits. (see Criteria section 5)

Download a copy of this table.

To understand how to apply to have your academic credentials evaluated and for instructor requirements information, please visit the Application Steps & Requirements webpage.

For frequently asked questions, visit our FAQ webpage.

NOTE: Evaluation of academic credentials by the CESC is the first step in the registration process for applicants who will be applying for registration as a registered provisional psychologist through either the regular stream or Internationally Trained Psychologist stream. The CESC only considers courses and degrees. There are alternative (but rarer) pathways to registration that can consider things such as psychologist registration outside Alberta, other mental health professional registration, and experience in the field in conjunction with prior/alternative registration. Use the Registration Self-Evaluation Tool on the main registration page to help you determine the appropriate pathway for you.

Criteria for Evaluating Academic Credentials

Download and read the criteria used for evaluating academic credentials.

Evaluating Doctoral Credentials

Only a regulated member who has earned a doctoral degree in a program of psychology approved through a credentialing process by CAP are authorized use the title “Doctor” or the abbreviations “Dr.”, ”Ph.D.”, “Ed.D.” or “Psy.D.” in connection with the practice of psychology. This ensures that the title protection requirements of the Health Professions Act (Schedule 22, Section 5) are met. 

Individuals with a doctoral degree who are initially applying to have their academic credentials evaluated are not required to complete a separate application for evaluation of doctoral credentials. These applicants will have their general academic and doctoral credentials evaluated together. This is also true for substantial equivalency applicants. If applicable, an Application for Evaluation of Doctoral Credentials must be submitted with the Application for Registration Based on the Canadian Free Trade Agreement.

Current CAP members (i.e., psychologists) who complete a doctorate after they have become registered with CAP must have their doctoral degree evaluated in order to use the title in connection with their practice. This involves submitting an Application for Evaluation of Doctoral Credentials (not currently available through the MyCAP Login). Instructions are within the application.

Established Criteria for Evaluating Doctoral Credentials

CAP uses the following criteria to evaluate the doctoral credentials of new applicants or current members of CAP:

  1. The applicant must have obtained a doctoral degree in a program of psychology from an accredited institution (as set out here).
  2. The applicant’s doctoral degree is specifically identified in its title as a degree in psychology, or it is stated in the transcript, or other documentation acceptable to the CESC, that the doctorate is from a psychology program. 

Application for Evaluation of Doctoral Credentials

Download the application for a review of doctoral credentials.

CAP APPROVED PROGRAMS

Universities with CAP approved programs will provide CAP with the names of graduates who are eligible to apply through the CAP approved programs pathway. Please note that applicants who completed a program before it became CAP approved may not meet all requirements to apply through the CAP approved programs pathway. Graduates from these programs whose names cannot be provided to CAP will need to submit an application for course-by-course evaluation of academic credentials (by selecting “Other” as their pathway in the Application for Evaluation of Academic Credentials). 

Please note that applicants entering the profession via the CAP approved pathway and the regular pathway are required to meet identical academic credentials requirements. For regular pathway applicants, compliance with the Criteria is ensured by the CESC via a full course-by-course review of their application. For CAP approved pathway applicants, this compliance is ensured by their programs before an application is submitted to CAP. However, CAP may still check to ensure that the requirements have been met by these applicants.

The following programs have been approved by the University Program Approval Committee. Applicants who completed these degrees after the specified approval dates may qualify to seek an evaluation of their academic credentials through Pathway 4.

Athabasca University – Master of Counselling in Counselling Psychology (February 27, 2021)

University of Alberta – Master of Education in Counselling Psychology (February 27, 2021)

University of Alberta – Doctor of Philosophy in School and Clinical Child Psychology * (September 17, 2021)

University of Calgary – Master of Science in Clinical Psychology (February 27, 2021)

University of Calgary – Master of Science in School and Applied Child Psychology (July 24, 2021)

University of Lethbridge – Master of Education in Counselling Psychology (February 27, 2021)

University of Lethbridge – Master of Counselling in Applied Psychology (February 27, 2021)

University of Calgary – Master of Education in School and Applied Child Psychology (December 2, 2022)

University of Calgary – Master of Science in Counselling Psychology (December 2, 2022)

* Applicants enrolled in the University of Alberta’s Ph.D. in School and Clinical Child Psychology program may be eligible to apply through Pathway 4 following completion of doctoral coursework but prior to dissertation defense. Please contact the Director of Training for your program to confirm.

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