Psychology Schools and Colleges in Florida (FL)

In 2015, the State University System of Florida, which includes 12 publicly funded colleges and universities, was second in the nation for distance learning, with 42 percent of its students participating in some form of online higher education. Not surprisingly, psychology was one of the top ten majors that year for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree candidates. Over five thousand undergraduates earned degrees in psychology in the system during the 2014-2015 academic year, and 451 finished graduate degrees of some kind.

• In a national comparison of six-year graduation rates among the country’s ten largest states, Florida ranked first in the period between 2009 and 2015.

• Florida was also among the top ten states for research expenditures at public universities in 2015.

• The state is home to nearly 40 schools with psychology programs, with seven having the official approval of the National Association of School Psychologists, and approved by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists.

• The American Psychological Association, which accredits doctoral programs in psychology nationally, lists 14 schools in Florida with programs that meet its rigorous standards for Ph.D., PsyD, and EdD degrees training.

2019 Occupational Employment Statistics and 2018-28 Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS.gov.

Demand for psychologists nationally is fairly high. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 19 percent increase in employment for psychologists nationally through the year 2024, and as of May 2015, the BLS counted 2,700 psychologists in Florida, with an average annual salary of $71,810.

Florida psychology licensing requirements

As in other states, Florida has a licensing board that oversees the professional practice of psychology in the state. And a doctoral degree from an APA approved program in psychology is the base-level requirement for qualifying for licensure. Indeed, one of the benefits of studying toward a doctoral degree in Florida, aside from the weather, is that the programs are more likely to be geared toward eventual licensure in the state.

Here’s a breakdown of the specific steps toward licensure that are required in Florida:

• Earn a doctoral degree (Ph.D., PsyD, EdD) from an institution accredited by the APA,

• Complete 4,000 hours of supervised clinical experience, half of which cam be part of a doctoral degree internship.

• Take and pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP).

• Submit fingerprints for a criminal background check.

• Take a pass Florida’s Psychology Laws and Rules Examination.

The Florida Board of Psychology does allow those who have earned a doctoral degree in psychology, but who have not yet completed the 4000 required hours of supervised internship experience, to become provisionally licensed. The only allows for the supervised practice of psychology, but it is a step along the way toward full licensure.

Once licensed, psychologists in Florida must renew their license with the Board of Psychology every two years.

• This process can usually be completed online, and requires that the applicant for renewal demonstrate that he or she has completed 40 hours of continuing education in the two-year period prior to the application being filed.

• Two of the 40 hours must pertain to the prevention of medical hours; three of the 40 must pertain to professional ethics and Florida law regarding the practice of psychology.

• Every third renewal for applicants, there must be two hours of continuing education related to domestic violence assessment and prevention.

Featured psychology schools in Florida

The State University System of Florida dominates the realm of higher education in the state, so most of the best psychology programs in Florida are part of that system. Here are the top five psychology schools in Florida, based on the most recent U.S. News & World Report rankings.