Find the Best Hawaii Psychology Degrees Online

Consider a Featured Online Psychology Program That Is Accepting Applicants

There are 6 accredited universities in Hawaii that have a psychology degree at some level. Undergraduate and graduate degrees are available, and online psychology programs are also available.

For a campus based program, the most popular city in Hawaii is Honolulu. Hawaii’s island contains around 1.3 million residents. Of these residents, 770 of them are involved in a clinical psychology career. With the large number of residents involved in psychology, it is clear that Hawaii has the resources to sustain a large population of psychological workers.

Consider a Featured Online Psychology Program That Is Accepting Applicants

Hawaii Pacific University: Online Bachelor's in Psychology

The first steps toward becoming a psychologist in your state should include involvement in undergraduate degree programs in Psychology. Hawaii Pacific University is a current provider of reliable and online degree programs in this field.

The online Bachelor's in Psychology offered through this university can provide you with the introductory knowledge you need to move forward into graduate-level educational programs in the future. This 4-year program can include concepts related to general psychology, social psychology, and developmental psychology to help you gain insight into the diverse treatment areas present in this field.

Courses that you take throughout this bachelor's program can include those related to psychological research, statistics, and historical field development. As a learner at this level, you should spend some time learning more about these concepts, developing skills related to psychological research, and conceptualizing the involvement of multiple fields into your learning in Psychology.

If you are interested in pursuing a later career as a psychologist, this online degree option could be a great way to begin your journey. Online programs at the bachelor's and master's level can be utilized for later enrollment into doctoral programs in your field during your movement towards licensure.

University of Hawaii: Multiple Psychology Degree Tracks

Honolulu is home to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, which offers degrees in Clinical Studies, Social Psychology, and Behavioral Neuroscience, just to name a few. This university offers graduate students a Master of Arts degree or Ph.D. in Psychology.

The curriculum includes courses that both present useful classroom instruction and hands on training. The courses at the University of Hawaii are designed to teach students correct methods and research procedures that are used in a clinical setting. For individuals in this state that are interested in seeking a psychological career, this is one of the best schools to do so.

Steps to Become a Psychologist in Hawaii

1. If you are ready to begin your path to licensing in the state of Hawaii as a psychologist, you should begin your experience at the bachelor's level. Most learners choose to enroll in Bachelor's in Psychology programs as a great introductory experience in this field, while others students pursue degree programs in Mental Health or Counseling. Since the minimum degree requirement for psychologists is currently a doctorate degree, it may benefit you to pursue a Master's in Psychology along your path as well. Some doctoral programs accept learners holding a bachelor's while others require a minimum of a master's degree in the field.
2. The second step towards licensing is enrolling in and participating in an APA-accredited Ph.D. or Psy.D. program in Psychology. At this level you can choose a specialization like Counseling Psychology or Clinical Psychology that can dictate your learning experience throughout your program. Your accredited degree program should also include in-depth learning experiences in the field, which allow you to observe and practice within actual treatment settings. Since psychologists must hold a license in Hawaii, all of the field experience you gain during your degree program can count towards later licensing.
3. Most students gain about 1 year of experience during their degree program. In order to meet the standards of your licensing agency, you must also complete an additional year of clinical experience in a post-doctoral setting. This must be achieved alongside a licensed psychologist that is willing to maintain documentation of your clinical experience to later provide to your state Board. If you have chosen a specialization for your degree and practice, you should choose that type of setting to complete your supervision elements. At the end of your clinical experience you can prepare all supervision documents to send in with your application.
4. The completion of all required experience components should be followed by filing of a full application for licensing to your state Board. This should include all official transcripts from your program, including the internship and residency documentation. Your state may also require a background check and letters from licensed psychologists recommending you for licensing in their field. The state may also have their own independent forms such a citizenship verification forms included within the initial licensing packet for you to complete.
5. Submission of your application packet may be followed by a few weeks of waiting to hear back about their decision on moving forward with your licensing. If your application is approved, you may receive approval to submit to testing as a final step to licensing. The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) is the required national examination for incoming psychologists and is required prior to licensing in any state. Passing this examination is the last step towards pursuing all the required certifications and licenses for practice in this field.

Psychology Scholarships in Hawaii

Pursuing a Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctorate in Psychology can be a long, yet fulfilling process. As an incoming student within these degree programs, you should seek out financial aid through multiple providers in order to ensure that you maximize your financial support along the way.

Students considering careers in Psychology should search for scholarship options that meet their current standing within their program. There are options available to undergraduate Psychology learners, graduate learners, and even doctoral candidates that are working through internships and residencies.

The APF/Division 39 Grant is a grant opportunity for learners that specifically further research and knowledge in psychoanalysis. The total award for this option is $6,000, which is awarded to a candidate that provides evidence of furthering practice in this area of research.

Awards in specific treatment areas may also be obtained through membership in Psychological societies. The Distinguished Service Contributions Award is available to members, organizers, or chairs of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

You can seek out scholarship opportunities to help fund your program through specific searchers pertaining to your degree level, clinical experience settings, and club memberships along the way. Our team encourages you to seek out alternative financial methods for covering the costs of your education prior to enrolling into any program.

Psychology Degrees in Hawaii

Consider a featured online psychology degree or related program.

Hawaii Psychology Licensing

• Beginning during your enrollment in Doctorate programs in Psychology, you can gain the education and clinical experience needed to become licensed in your state. You should choose only APA-accredited programs for your degree, since these are currently the only options accepted for licensing in each state. As part of your degree requirements, you may also participate in around 1,900 hours of internships and supervised clinical opportunities that can count towards your total licensing requirement. Documentation of this experience should be kept and organized during this process for ease of transmission later in the licensing process.
• The state of Hawaii requires that you also complete post-doctoral experience before being approved for total licensing in the state. The total hours required is currently 3,900, with the first half of these being completed during your doctorate program. The latter half of your experience should be under the direct supervision of a qualifying licensed psychologist willing to assist you in gaining the remaining hours of your experience. Your supervisor will be required to keep documentation of your experience and all one-on-one meetings to provide to the Board at the time of your application. This post-doctoral experience component should take around 1 year at a full-time rate.
• Upon completing the supervised experience portion of your training, you can submit your total application for licensing to the Hawaii Board of Psychology. The initial application packet should include documentation pertaining to your clinical experience, citizenship, and educational history. Once you have completed all documentation requirements for the application, you can submit it along with a $50 fee to the Board for consideration. The processing time for applications may vary depending on the number of current applicants and the season in which you submit it.
• The Board of Psychology will then review your application and all included documents in order to verify that your educational program was correctly accredited and your experience was properly documented. If you are approved to move on in the licensing process, the Board will contact you to set up testing for the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). This test is a major component in licensing for psychologists all across the U.S. In order to hold a license you must submit passing scores to the Board after completion. If you do not pass the test on the first attempt you can sign up for a retake at the next available testing date.
• The testing portion of the licensing process is the final step towards receiving your license to practice from the state. Once the Board has received your scores, you may be notified of your approval as a licensed psychologist, which may then be followed by licensing documentation by mail. Your license can then permit you to begin working as a licensed professional throughout your state.
• The licensing process for the state of Hawaii is incredibly in-depth and requires a wealth of knowledge and experience to achieve. Once you are finally licensed, you must also follow all licensing regulations outlined by the state. Licenses are currently required to be renewed every even-numbered year within this state. During your renewal year, you must submit an application for renewal along with a $278 fee to be considered for continuing licensure. The state also requires that license holders complete at least 18 hours of CEUs during each recertification cycle. These CEUs should be accredited by the APA in order to count towards your total requirement.

Careers in Psychology for Hawaii

Hawaii, although smaller in population, provides a great source of opportunity for recent graduates. Whether individuals are seeking a career with a Bachelor’s degree or choosing to move forward in their degree program, there is something for everyone.

The average income for clinical specialist is $68,090 per year. Around the state, there are constantly new opportunities for employment arising. The most popular careers in psychology in Hawaii include clinical psychology and counseling. In order to be a psychologist, individuals must be licensed by the state of Hawaii after the completion of a graduate degree program.

Students that are interested in pursuing licensure to be a psychologist in Hawaii are urged to contact the state department directly for information about applying for testing. License renewal and maintenance is also easily done through the state of Hawaii website. Once licensure is complete, individuals are free to practice anywhere in the state. Licenses are also easily transferred to any state throughout the United States by following proper transfer procedures that are specific to each state.

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