Over the years I have received many requests from students looking for internship placement for Psychometry or Registered Counsellor. This is a tricky issue as most universities no longer offer the B Psych Equivalent program. And in many cases, psychology students entering a BA Honours in Psychology are not aware that after the year their options are limited. So here I would like to address this matter to provide some clarity for those seeking to further their careers in Psychology but not necessarily through an MA Psychology degree.
First and foremost I need to clarify that once one has completed the BA Hons degree, one cannot automatically offer any psychological services. Most students have an eye on doing an MA in Clinical or Counselling Psychology. However, this is not always as easy as applying and being accepted. The application for Masters is arduous and taxing. Most universities receive in the vicinity of 300 - 500 applications for the Masters program from which they only invite approximately 30 - 50 students for interviews. After a week of intensive individual, group, and panel interviews, as well as practical activities, only about 6 - 8 applicants are offered a place in the course. Naturally, this is a disheartening process, especially after 4 years of academic study. Many students are left feeling 'lost'.
Many BA Psych Hons students are unaware of the option of becoming a Psychometrist or Registered Counsellor with the HPCSA. While I cannot state for a fact why this is, I can only assume that this is because very few universities actually offer this training. It is only after they have completed their degree they find out that they are still not qualified in the field and that their options are greatly limited. For those who are or become aware of these two fields, there are many questions about how to go about registering in these sub-professions in the Psychology field.
Essentially, as a BA Psych Hons graduate, one cannot just enter an internship and write the HPCSA Board Exam. The HPCSA requires one to obtain a B Psych Equivalent course which, in some cases is an additional 6 months course with coursework and a practicum (internship). In other cases it means having to spend another year doing modules that were not taught in the BA Psych Hons program, and only upon successful completion of the additional modules can one be placed at an accredited internship site for another 6 months. After the practicum one then has to register to write the HPCSA Board Examination for which one needs to obtain a minimum of 70% to pass. Previously, these examinations were paper and pencil based at a physical venue. However, since the COVID-19 Pandemic, the exams have moved to a live online platform where each student is individually questioned by a panel of examiners.
So, to assist prospective Psychometrists and Registered Counsellors I am including links to the HPCSA website and a document that offer information on which tertiary intuitions are accredited by the HPCSA to offer the B Psych Equivalent program.
Feel free to get in touch with me directly if you would like any additional information regarding this blog post. You can mail me directly at cn.vanzijl@gmail.com
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