The professional schools place greater emphasis on training students for professional practice, whereas traditional programs place a greater emphasis on developing the psychologist as both a researcher and a practitioner. D. programs tend to feature more structured course sequences as well as extensive practical work. Usually students complete the program in three years and do the internship during the fourth. All graduate programs differ greatly in admission requirements, and nothing takes the place of writing to individual programs for information. An institution with authority to grant a doctoral degree is not necessarily providing high quality training.
Accreditation is one indicator of quality.
Institutional accreditation, which certifies that an educational institution has met minimum standards of quality appropriate for post secondary education, is granted by seven regional accrediting organizations. Specialized accreditation pertains to professional and technical programs of post secondary education and training on a national basis. In the field of psychology, specialized accreditation is granted by the American Psychological Association. Accreditation is a voluntary process. Graduation from a non-accredited program does not prevent licensing or employment in most states.