How to Get Your Kansas Psychology License: Guide to State Requirements
Kansas’s licensed psychologists earn an average of $170,430 annually – 51% above the national average. The state has only 1,340 psychology professionals (0.045% of Kansas’s population). Major cities offer competitive salaries: Overland Park ($174,225), Kansas City ($169,757), and Wichita ($167,952).
A career as a licensed psychologist in Kansas requires specific qualifications. You need a doctoral degree, 3,600 hours of supervised practice, and must pass the required exam with a scaled score of at least 500. The process might seem complex, but this piece will guide you through each step – from education prerequisites to application procedures and Kansas’s board of psychology license verification.
Let us help you meet all state-specific requirements to join this selective but rewarding profession in Kansas.
Educational Pathways
Getting your Kansas psychology license starts with a solid education. Kansas sets high standards to make sure licensed psychologists are ready to help the public.
You need a doctoral degree in psychology from a program that focuses on psychology to qualify for a license in Kansas. The Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (KSBSRB) accepts two ways to meet these requirements:
APA-Accredited Programs: The easiest path is to graduate from a doctoral program with American Psychological Association (APA) accreditation. These programs meet all Kansas requirements as long as you complete 24 semester hours of assessment and interventions coursework at the university.
Non-APA Accredited Programs: Programs without APA accreditation must meet similar standards outlined in K.A.R. 102-1-12. These programs need to:
- Be part of a regionally accredited university
- Have training psychologists as a stated goal
- Keep a professional faculty of psychologists (one core faculty member per 15 students)
- Include 90 semester hours of graduate work (with at least 60 semester hours of academic coursework not counting dissertation, practicums, and internships)
Your education moves through several stages. You start with a bachelor’s degree, which takes about four years (120 credit hours) of full-time study. You don’t have to major in psychology, but students with other majors might need extra prerequisites before starting graduate school.
Some students get a master’s degree in psychology—either on its own or as part of their doctorate. This optional step usually takes one to two years with 30-40 credit hours. Kansas also offers a master’s level psychologist license that lets you practice as a clinical psychotherapist.
The doctoral program is the heart of your education. Most students take four to seven years to conclude their Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology or Doctor of Psychology (PsyD). Most specializations require a structured predoctoral internship of at least 1,800 hours.
Non-APA programs must include specific courses, with at least three semester hours in each of these areas:
- History and systems
- Biological behavioral aspects
- Social behavioral aspects
- Cognitive and affective aspects
- Research methodology and data analysis
- Psychological measurement
- Human development
- Individual differences
- Psychopathology
- Professional standards
You’ll also need nine semester hours in assessment and 15 semester hours in treatment interventions. Clinical, counseling, or school psychology programs should include two semesters of practicum work.
Kansas lets you take up to 10 semester hours of post-doctoral coursework to meet licensing requirements if needed. On top of that, it’s possible to substitute some pre-doctoral practice requirements with post-doctoral work if you change specializations.
Industrial/organizational psychology programs don’t need an internship. All other programs must include practical work with at least four hours of supervision (mainly from licensed psychologists) for every 40 hours of experience.
A good understanding of these educational paths will help you plan your way toward meeting Kansas psychology license requirements and becoming a recognized professional by the Kansas board of psychology.
Supervised Experience Requirements
Your Kansas psychology license journey starts with a well-laid-out supervised experience program that builds on your doctoral education. Kansas requires 3,600 hours (two years) of supervised experience in psychology. These hours split into two distinct phases with specific guidelines.
The first phase needs 1,800 hours (one year) of predoctoral internship experience. Your internship must include one hour of individual clinical supervision from a doctoral-level licensed psychologist for every 10 hours of direct patient contact. This supervision helps you develop proper clinical skills under qualified guidance while you put theoretical knowledge into practice.
The second phase calls for 1,800 hours (one year) of postdoctoral supervised experience. These hours must take at least 12 months to complete, though you can take more time if needed. The 1,800 postdoctoral hours break down as follows:
- Direct client contact providing clinical psychological services must make up at least 900 hours
- General or non-clinical psychological services must account for at least 180 hours
Postdoctoral supervision requires one hour of individual clinical supervision for every 20 hours of direct patient contact. Your supervisor should be a doctoral-level psychologist with at least two years of licensed practice.
Kansas psychology license requirements state that postdoctoral experience should happen in a setting that connects you with professionals from other disciplines. This setup lets you employ various theories and work with different populations. Such interprofessional exposure enhances your training and readies you for shared practice.
Supervision typically happens face-to-face, either in person or through secure televideo sessions. The Kansas board of psychology might approve phone supervision when face-to-face meetings become impractical due to special circumstances.
Your supervisor must be available when you make decisions about diagnosis and treatment. They should keep supervision separate from personal therapy or consultation and make sure clients know about your supervised status. After completing your postdoctoral experience, your supervisor will fill out an attestation form to verify your supervised hours.
These requirements play a vital role in planning your path to licensure. Each step builds on the previous one to create a detailed training experience that prepares you for independent practice.
Licensing Examinations
The next significant step to get your Kansas psychology license comes after you complete your education and supervised practice. You must pass required tests that show your professional competence.
Kansas requires you to pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) with a scaled score of 500 or higher. This score equals about 70% correct responses. The EPPP serves as the main assessment tool for licensing in Kansas.
The Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (KSBSRB) needs your complete licensure application before you can take the exam. Submit your application at least eight weeks before your planned exam date. The BSRB will send you registration instructions once they approve your application.
The EPPP tests core psychology areas through computer-based exams at Thomson Prometric Testing Centers across Kansas. These centers offer exams Monday through Friday. Professional Examination Services (PES) manages the testing process, not the Kansas board.
You have several options to schedule your exam:
- After getting your doctoral degree and finishing predoctoral supervised hours
- During your postdoctoral supervised experience
- After completing all supervised hours
The exam fee is approximately $600, paid to the third-party exam administrator. This covers both the test and administrative costs.
Kansas offers a great advantage – your EPPP results never expire for state licensing purposes. So you can complete other license requirements at your own pace after passing the exam.
Licensed psychologists from other states might face different exam requirements if they want to practice in Kansas. This applies if they’ve practiced continuously in the last 12 months, are in good standing, and have a clean disciplinary record.
Application & Licensure Process
Your educational and clinical preparation culminates in a formal application to the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board (KSBSRB). You should first choose the license type that matches your qualifications and career goals.
Doctoral-level psychologists need to submit the Application for Licensure for the Practice of Psychology with a $175 application fee. This starts several processes at once, including background checks and credential verification.
The Board must receive official transcripts directly from your graduate institutions. Students from non-APA-accredited programs need to provide additional documents such as course descriptions, syllabi, and doctoral program requirements.
A temporary license becomes available after your application gets preliminary approval. This two-year credential lets you practice under supervision while completing other requirements and costs $100. Master’s level practitioners pay different fees, usually around $150.
Your educational background determines the verification timeline:
- APA-accredited program graduates: About 30 days
- Non-APA-accredited program graduates: Four to six months
Your permanent credential requires a $50 licensing fee after approval.
Kansas provides multiple paths to licensure. Licensed Master’s Level Psychologists must be 21 or older, show good moral character, hold a psychology master’s degree, and score at least 60% on the EPPP.
Licensed Clinical Psychotherapists need LMLP licensure (or equivalent), 3,000 hours of supervised clinical experience under an approved plan, and a minimum EPPP score of 70%.
Licensed psychology professionals from other states can apply through reciprocity. Kansas accepts two paths:
- A license from a state with similar requirements
- A current license in good standing, continuous practice as a psychologist for at least 12 months, and a doctoral psychology degree
Kansas offers an Out-of-State Permit that allows 30 days of practice within a year for brief professional visits.
Continuing education isn’t required during temporary licensure. All the same, full licensure requires professional development under Kansas board of psychology license verification standards – typically 50 continuing education hours every two years.
Continuing Education
Your Kansas psychology license needs regular professional development through continuing education (CE). Kansas psychologists must complete 50 continuing education hours every two years to renew their license. This practice will give a solid foundation to stay current with new psychological practices, theories, and ethical standards.
The 50-hour requirement includes specific mandatory training. You need 3 hours in professional ethics and 6 hours related to diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. The diagnosis and treatment requirement will change to 3 hours starting July 1, 2025. You can get these specialized hours through workshops, seminars, presentations, or academic coursework.
Kansas offers flexibility in meeting your CE requirements. You can complete up to 40 of the 50 required hours through online self-study courses with examinations[172]. The board expects you to fulfill remaining hours through other approved activities. Your options include:
- Workshops and seminars from accredited educational institutions or professional associations
- First-time preparation and teaching of psychology courses (maximum 15 hours)
- Publication of scientific papers or book chapters (15 hours per publication, maximum 45 hours)
- Academic coursework (maximum 15 hours per semester credit)
- Providing or receiving supervision (maximum 15 hours each)
The board requires all CE activities to “be clearly related to the enhancement of psychology practice, values, skills, or knowledge”. Kansas doesn’t pre-approve specific continuing education programs. You must make sure your chosen activities meet the board’s requirements.
New licensees get special consideration. The board exempts professionals licensed within six months of the current expiration period from CE requirements for their first renewal. This exemption also applies during temporary licensure periods.
The Kansas board of psychology may grant you a six-month extension if you can’t meet CE requirements by your renewal date. You’ll need to submit your application form, fee, and explanation before your license expires.
Keep personal records of all your continuing education activities. The board has the right to check these records anytime to verify your compliance with licensing standards.
Special State Variations
Kansas has unique licensing pathways that separate it from other states. Unlike many states, Kansas does not maintain reciprocity agreements with any specific jurisdiction. Psychologists licensed in other states can still get a Kansas psychology license through alternative means.
Out-of-state practitioners have two ways to get licensed in Kansas. You can qualify by showing your current state’s licensure standards match Kansas’s requirements. Another option combines having a doctoral psychology degree, an active license in good standing, and continuous practice in the last 12 months. These options help experienced practitioners who want to move their practice.
Kansas’s Out-of-State Permit lets psychologists practice up to 30 days within a one-year period. This temporary permit helps visiting consultants or specialists who don’t need full licensure.
Kansas requires specific standards for keeping and storing records. Licensed psychologists need detailed records with identifying data, service dates and types, assessments, recommendations, treatment plans, and session notes. These records must be kept for at least five years after ending services with adult clients. Minor clients’ records need to be kept until either two years past the age of majority or five years after termination—whichever comes later.
The Kansas psychology job market shows some interesting trends. Only 1,340 people worked in psychology-related jobs statewide in 2022, which is just 0.045% of Kansas’s population. School psychology leads with 650 positions, while clinical/counseling psychology has 360 positions and postsecondary psychology teachers account for 210 positions.
The salary outlook is especially good when you have experience. Clinical psychologists in Kansas earn about $170,430 yearly—51% above the national average. The best-paying cities are Overland Park ($174,225), Kansas City ($169,757), and Wichita ($167,952).