Bill 3749

                    Current Status

Bill Number:               3749
Ratification Number:       617
Act Number                 499
Introducing Body:          House
Subject:                   Application to be licensed
                           psychologists

(A499, R617, H3749)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 40-55-80, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE APPLICATION AND QUALIFICATIONS OF LICENSED PSYCHOLOGISTS, SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT STUDENTS GRADUATED PRIOR TO DECEMBER 31, 1978, IN A RECOGNIZED DOCTORAL PROGRAM SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED FOR LICENSURE BY THE BOARD OF EXAMINERS IN PSYCHOLOGY PRIOR TO JUNE 1, 1978.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Application to be licensed psychologists

Section 1. Section 40-55-80 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:

"Section 40-55-80. Any person wishing to be licensed as a psychologist shall make application to the Board of Examiners in Psychology upon such form and in such manner as shall be prescribed by the Board. A candidate for such license shall furnish the Board with satisfactory evidence that he: (a) is of good moral character; (b) has had four years of combined academic training in psychology and qualifying experience including a doctor's degree in psychology from an educational institution accredited by the recognized regional accrediting agency of colleges and universities or, in lieu of such degree, a doctor's degree in a closely allied field; provided, that the Board finds that the training obtained therein was substantially equivalent to that obtained in programs leading to the doctor's degree in psychology; provided, further, that candidates who have earned a doctor's degree in a closely allied field by December 31, 1978, and who have completed sixty graduate hours of psychology or psychology related courses by that date in a college in the State shall be eligible as candidates for licensure under the same terms as candidates accepted prior to June 1, 1978, upon making application and satisfactorily passing the examination prior to July 1, 1981; (c) is competent in psychology as shown by passing such examination, written or oral, as the Board deems necessary; (d) is not considered by the Board to be engaged in unethical practice; and (e) has not within the preceding six months failed an examination given by the Board; provided, further, that the Board may in its discretion, without an assembled examination, accept adequate evidence of qualifying degrees and experience and award a license to practice psychology."

Time effective

Section 2. This act shall take effect upon approval by the Governor.