FAQs on Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology and on the Pilot- project
What is the EuroPsy?
- The EuroPsy provides a common minimum standard in education, training standards and CPD. For individuals, the EuroPsy provides a certification and registration on the on-line Register as:
- EuroPsy Certificate (basic level, with possibility to define max 2 fields of practice)
- EuroPsy Specialist certificate (basic level plus specialization; Psychotherapy and W&O)
EFPA provides oversight of the EuroPsy process through the European Awarding Committee (EAC) and the Specialized European Awarding committees (S-EACs). The EFPA Member Association implements the EuroPsy within each country through National Awarding committees (NACs) and Specialized National Awarding committees (S-NACs)
What are the differences between field of practice and specialist certificate?
There are three fields of practice associated with the EuroPsy certificate: clinical and health, educational, and work and organisational psychology. The Basic EuroPsy certificate is issued to applicants who meet the EFPA standards for initial qualification to practice psychology. This standard is: five years of university education with an approved curriculum in psychology (that involves education up to masters level), one year of supervised practice, and a commitment to the ethics code. Those psychologists who apply for the basic EuroPsy certificate and their area of practice does not fit into these three fields of practice (e.g. traffic psychology) are able to use the designation 'Other - Traffic Psychology' on their certificate. This might also apply to psychologists whose fields of practice are in community psychology, sports psychology, forensic psychology, counselling psychology. The field of practice is the area in which the psychologist first trained.
The Specialist certificate is available for those psychologists who have already qualified for the basic EuroPsy certificate and have undertaken further education, training and specialisation in their field of practice. This is an advanced qualification that builds on the basic education and training for a psychologist. At present, we have two such specialisms: Psychotherapy and Work and Organisational Psychology, while a pilot project is currently underway in sports psychology. The standard for a specialist certificate is: advanced study or training equivalent to at least 90 ECTs and at least 3 years of supervised practice in the specialism (400 hours per year) with at least 150 hours supervision (at least 50 per year).
Why a Specialist Certificate?
The EuroPsy Specialist Certificate represents a second and optional step after the fulfillment of the EuroPsy Basic (the European standard of education and professional training in psychology set by EFPA and related to the entry level of the profession of psychologist tout court). The Specialist Certificate indicates that the psychologist, that has done additional education and professional training, has to be considered a specialist in the field.
What is the pilot project “Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology: August 2021 – March 2022”?
The pilot project represents the opportunity for a first implementation and check of the criteria developed for the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology. The pilot aims to 1) check if the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology is feasible in terms of practical and administrative procedures, 2) trial how well it matches different local circumstances, and 3) increase knowledge about what remains to be done to prepare for the wider implementation of the EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology.
Which countries are involved in the pilot?
The pilot phase involves several countries
What is the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology?
The Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate (SC) in Sport Psychology is a label of quality and an European standard of education and professional training in Sport Psychology, within the frame of the EuroPsy system. EFPA in collaboration with FEPSAC, the European Federation of Sport Psychology.
What is the aim of the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology?
Sport psychologists increasingly work in cross-national settings. Growing mobility of clients as well as psychologists, makes it necessary to develop tools and standards to safeguard clients’ interests at a European rather than a national level. The Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate (SC) in Sport Psychology does neither substitute nor replace national laws and rules for professional practice. It is a way to raise and add standards of quality through pro-active self- regulation of sport psychologists.
What is required to get the Provisional Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology?
In the Pilot project, Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate (SC) in Sport Psychology can be awarded to psychologists who:
- fulfill the requirements and have been awarded the EuroPsy Basic (or apply and receive it at the same time of the SC),
- fulfill the educational and professional training requirements set by the standards,
- show evidence of possessing professional competences at an higher level,
- are entitled to work as psychologists, following the national rules of the country where they apply.
What are the requirements to apply?
Requirements differ according to postgraduate education in sport psychology and the seniority of the applicant. During this phase of the process, two paths are available: the regular route and the transitional arrangement route path.
Which are the requirements for the Regular path?
The Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology specifies requirements for independent practice in a particular setting at a point which clearly lies beyond entry into the profession, for example to designate consultant or specialist status. Consequently the volume of learning activities and education that is required after the academic degree amounts to 90 ECTS. At least three years of postgraduate practice are necessary. Moreover, a minimum of 500 hours should be devoted to supervised practice (face to face practice), and a minimum of 150 hours should be devoted to supervision.
Which are the requirements for the transitional arrangement route?
Applicants who wish to obtain the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology under article 38 must meet the following criteria:
- having graduated at least 5 years before the application.
- being entitled to work as psychologists, following the national legal or professional regulations of the country where they apply,
- holding a Basic EuroPsy Certificate or possess the requisites that allow them to apply jointly to the Basic and the Specialist Certificate; they are first assessed for the Basic Certificate and once acknowledged, for the Specialist Certificate,
- showing evidence of independent practice as sport psychologist of at least five full time years within the last 15 years,
- documenting education and training in Sport Psychology by providing evidence of competences; the evidence is to be assessed by means of a structured CV and, if required by the Provisional Specialist National Awarding Committee in Sport Psychology, by a Competence Assessment Interview.
Applicants need to provide evidence to support their claims about theoretical and professional training, independent and practice or employment
Who awards the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology?
Provisional Specialist National Awarding Committees in Sport Psychology will be installed in each participating country. The Provisional Specialist National Awarding Committees in Sport Psychology will evaluate applications and determine the outcomes of applications for the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology. The Provisional Specialist European Awarding Committee for Sport Psychology (P-SEAC-SP), established by EFPA, oversights the Provisional Specialist National Awarding Committees in Sport Psychology and the process for the award.
What is required to apply?
The Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology is an add-on to EuroPsy Certificate in Psychology (EuroPsy “Basic”). Therefore the EuroPsy Specialist Certificate will only be awarded to psychologists holding the EuroPsy Basic (or that apply and receive it at the same time of the SC).
The specific requirements combine post-graduate education activities that psychologists should have received after the graduation and during the practice as well as to the competences that should be acquired through professional practice conducted under supervision
Who can apply?
The pilot test involves two kinds of professionals according to the education and seniority of the applicant: a) individuals that satisfy the requirements for the regular route and b) the transitional arrangement route
Where send the application?
Applications should be submitted to the National Provisional Specialist National Awarding Committees (S-NAC) for Sport Psychology
Is there a deadline?
The deadline to apply for the pilot phase is (may be slightly different in the different countries) January 2022.
What I will get at the end of the pilot?
Psychologists who took part in the pilot and who satisfied the requirements to receive the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology can receive a provisional “testimonium” of specialist expertise. The participants in the pilot phase are not officially applying for the EuroPsy. Therefore, the participants in the pilot do not have to pay any fees during the pilot phase. When the pilot and the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist certificate proposal will be approved by EFPA and the regular bodies (Specialist Awarding Committees) will be in place, the provisional testimonium can be exchanged for a Specialist EuroPsy Certificate in Sport Psychology. For the official Europsy Basic and the Specialist EuroPsy Certificate in Sport Psychology the applicants will have to pay a fee to the National Awarding Committee. This fee varies from country to country.
Where can I get more info in this?
Information on Specialized Certificate in Sport Psychology, on the pilot and on EuroPsy Basic can be found via the website of EFPA (https://www.europsy.eu/National EuroPsy websites (which are also linked to the central EuroPsy website)