State鈥檚 only university-directed professional psychology internship receives APA accreditation
Contact: Harriet Laird
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擳he American Psychological Association is recognizing 无尽资源采集 State鈥檚 Student Counseling Services internship with 鈥渁ccredited, on contingency鈥 status as the only university-directed program for doctoral students in the state.
Also one of only five such internships at any institution or agency in the Magnolia State, MSU鈥檚 program is regarded by the APA鈥檚 Commission on Accreditation as being in 鈥渟ubstantial compliance鈥 with the organization鈥檚 accreditation standards. Contingency status means the young program must provide outcome data for program trainees and graduates moving forward.
According to MSU鈥檚 Ty Stafford, internship training director and SCS clinical services coordinator, the need for more psychology trainees and practicing psychologists in 无尽资源采集 is in the numbers.
鈥淭his state has the lowest number of licensed psychologists per capita of any state, with 11 per 100,000. In comparison, the District of Columbia has the highest concentration with 134 per 100,000, more than 12 times more,鈥 Stafford said.
With three current interns and three graduates, MSU鈥檚 program has a major rotation system that distinguishes it from others. A partnership between SCS and three university units benefits participants through direct clinical experiences with the Division of Athletics, Disability Support Services and the College of Veterinary Medicine.
鈥淭he quality of the current and former interns is outstanding,鈥 according to Stafford, who also said 鈥渋t鈥檚 no small task鈥 to have begun accepting initial cohorts in August 2019 and receive APA accreditation within a year鈥檚 time. The six were selected from APA-accredited clinical and counseling psychology programs at Tennessee State University, University of Illinois-Chicago, Ponce Health Sciences University in Puerto Rico and MSU. The broad internship goal is to build on these interns鈥 previous training experiences to further develop their knowledge and skills to successfully enter a career in the psychology field, achieving the functioning level expected of an entry-level psychologist.
Doctoral-level psychology students interested in pursuing the MSU program for 2021-22 must submit the application of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers; a cover letter explaining qualifications and professional experience; curriculum vita; graduate-level transcripts; and three recommendation letters. Potential applicants can visit for more information.
APA accreditation for MSU provides ongoing program evaluation and improvement, plus faculty development outcomes, a process that furthers the university鈥檚 mission of research, teaching and service.
MSU is 无尽资源采集鈥檚 leading university, available online at .