However, many students are unaware of all the tasks and requirements that follow graduate training. Many programs do not prepare students for the psychologist licensing process that follows internship and graduation. Even after finishing internship, many students are still unsure what licensure entails or how to learn more about it.
Some states require an additional written or oral competency and jurisprudence exam.
It is important to understand both the general requirements for licensure and the specific requirements of the state in which you would like to practice. The burden of gathering this knowledge falls largely on you. Even if your program has a strong advising and mentoring component, you may find that your program's information is out of date, incomplete, or does not pertain to your circumstances. For example, your program may be in a state that allows you to apply for and begin accruing postdoctoral hours as soon as you have met all your requirements. Yet you may be seeking licensure in a state that does not permit the postdoc clock to begin until you have graduated.