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FORMAL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS - SWEDEN
The title. Access to the title "Licensed psychologist" is
the qualification required to practice as a fully recognized
professional psychologist in Sweden. The title is granted by
the Board of Health and Welfare to any person who fulfills law
regulated requirements, which prescribe (i) the university
degree "Master of Science in Psychology " and (ii) a one year
supervised internship.
A licensed psychologist is free to practice within any area
of professional psychology.
(References: * Law on authorization to practice a profession
within health and medical services. (SFS 1984:542) with
amendment 1997
* Directions and general advice on licensure of
psychologists issued by the Swedish Board of Health and Welfare
(SOSFS 1986:43)
The law. Any person presenting him/herself as a
"psychologist" (or a derivative thereof) within the medical and
health area (wide definition) without holding a psychologist
license will commit a punishable offense. The title "licensed
psychologist" is legally protected in all areas of
practice.
Further specialist education and specialist titles. The
"Master of Science in Psychology" is based on a generic
professional programme and so is the title "Licensed
psychologist". Specialisation exists however as a system within
the Swedish Psychological Association. This is based on a grid
containing five specialist areas: Psychology of Working Life,
Clinical Psychology, Neuropsychology, Educational Psychology
and Handicap Psychology. Each of these areas is divided into
the five functional sub-areas of: Assessment-Diagnostics,
Intervention-Treatment-Counselling, Consultation-Supervision,
Organisational Work and Methodological
Development-Evaluation.The Diploma of Specialisation is awarded
upon application by a Specialist Board in the SPA which reviews
qualifications. Hitherto the majority of diplomas has been
granted under "grand-father-clauses" but the system rests on a
formal training system. For this entry requirements are:
- licensed psychologist
- five years of professional work after licensure, out of
which a minimum of three has to be within the specialist
area
- at least two of these three years have to be
continuous
- work experience must be salaried
- work experience must to at least 50% be full-time and
only periods exceeding six months qualify
- the applicant must hold a position where the new
competencies during specialist training can be applied
- applicant must be a member of the SPA
The specialist training lasts for three years and consists
of the following five elements:
- the trainee should join a "seniors group" headed by an
experienced
- specialist for continuous mentoring over three years
- pass "the professions course" which is common for all
areas and
- sub-areas
- pass the "functional course" within the chosen functional
sub-area.
This course is common to all specialist areas.
- pass six chosen specialist courses within the specialist
area.
- ECTS credit for each course is approx. 1.5
- the trainee shall produce a scientific report within the
specialist area which either has been accepted for
publication or is judged acceptable for publication by the
Specialist Board.
It should be noted that one official post-graduate
university degree of 120 ECTS, the Psychotherapist degree
("Psykoterapeutexamen"), is automatically accepted as
qualifying for the Specialist Diploma in Clinical
Psychology/Intervention-Treatment-Counselling.
Research. Licentiate and Doctor´s degrees in
psychology are scientific degrees based on the single-course
track Master´s degree (See below). Switch overs from the
professional programmes to the research track are possible, but
rare. Other common research degrees among professional
psychologists are Doctor in applied psychology and Doctor in
medical science.
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