Criteria for Membership (For text of Criteria with Clarifications, please click HERE.)

Adopted by CAPIC 10/28/05

Internships that are accredited by the American Psychological Association or the Canadian Psychological Association, or are members of and comply with the membership criteria and policies of APPIC are recognized as meeting CAPIC predoctoral membership criteria. All others must meet all of the following criteria and are reviewed every three years for adherence to the criteria.

1. A psychology internship is an organized training program which, in contrast to supervised experience or on-the-job training, is designed to provide the intern with a planned, programmed sequence of training experiences. The primary focus and purpose is assuring breadth and quality of training.


2. The internship agency has a clearly designated doctoral-level staff psychologist who is responsible for the integrity and quality of the training program.

[Full-Time] This person is actively licensed by the California Board of Psychology and is present at the training facility for a minimum of 20 hours a week.

[Half-Time] This person is actively licensed by the California Board of Psychology and is present at the training facility for a minimum of 10 hours a week.

A licensed mental health professional should be in the same work setting whenever clients are present. When this is not possible, a licensed supervisor should be available to respond promptly by telephone, pager or other appropriate technology.

3. [Full-Time] The internship agency staff includes at least two full-time-equivalent licensed psychologists who can serve as primary supervisors.

[Half-Time] The internship agency includes at least two mental health professionals on the agency staff, one of whom is a licensed psychologist and serves as the primary supervisor.

The primary supervisor is licensed as a psychologist by the California Board of Psychology and can certify training in supervision as required by the Board of Psychology. The primary supervisor must be employed by the same agency as the intern and is available to the intern 100% of the time the intern is accruing supervised professional experience. This availability may be in person or by telephone, pager or other appropriate technology. All delegated individual and group supervisors must be licensed mental health professionals (MFT, LCSW or Board-Certified Psychiatrist) who can certify training in supervision as required by the Board of Psychology.

4. The internship will provide supervision at a minimum rate of 10% of the total time worked each week.

[Full-Time] Intern supervision is provided by staff members of the internship agency or by qualified affiliates of that agency who carry clinical responsibility for the cases being supervised. At least two hours per week of regularly scheduled individual face-to-face supervision are provided by one or more licensed doctoral-level psychologists regardless of whether the internship is completed in one year or two. Supervision is provided with the specific intent of overseeing the psychological services rendered directly by the intern.

[Half-Time] Intern supervision is provided by staff members of the internship agency or by qualified affiliates of that agency who carry clinical responsibility for the cases being supervised. At least one hour per week of regularly scheduled individual face-to-face supervision is provided by a licensed doctoral-level staff psychologist. Supervision is provided with the specific intent of overseeing the psychological services rendered directly by the intern.

5. The internship provides training in a range of psychological assessment and intervention activities conducted directly with recipients of psychological services.


6. At least 25% of the intern’s time is in face-to-face psychological services with patients/clients.


7. [Full-Time] The internship must provide at least four hours a week in didactic activities such as case conferences, seminars, in-service training, or grand rounds in addition to individual and group supervision.

[Half-Time] The internship must provide at least two hours a week in didactic activities such as case conferences, seminars, in-service training, or grand rounds in addition to individual and group supervision.

8. Internship training is at post-clerkship, post-practicum, and post-externship level, and precedes the granting of the doctoral degree.


9. The internship agency has a minimum of two on-site half-time and/or full-time predoctoral psychology interns at the internship level of training during any period of training.


10. The internship-level psychology trainees have a title such as “Psychology Intern” or other equivalent designation of trainee status.


11. The internship agency has a written statement or brochure which provides a clear description of the nature of the training program, including the goals and content of the internship and clear expectations for quantity and quality of the interns’ work, and is made available to prospective interns.


12. Internship programs have documented due process procedures that described separately how programs deal with (1) concerns about intern performance , and (2) interns’ concerns about training. These procedures include the steps of notice, hearing, and appeal for interns and are given to the interns at the beginning of the training period.


13. The internship experience (minimum 1500 hours) must be completed in no less than 9 months, accruing no more than 44 hours per week.


14. CAPIC member programs are required to issue a certificate of internship completion that includes the word “Psychology” to all interns who have successfully completed the program.


15. The internship agency must demonstrate evidence of cross-cultural knowledge, training and sensitivity consistent with the populations they serve.


16. At least twice a year the internship program conducts formal written evaluations of each intern’s performance.

The California Psychology Internship Council (CAPIC) has adapted membership criteria and clarifications from those of the Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC).