The APA accredits doctoral programs in counselling, clinical and school psychology. Accreditation is also available for internships and post-doctoral residencies. In each case, the APA has a set of criteria to ensure that its member institutions provide a consistent and high-quality education to those entering the field.
The accreditation process begins with the school conducting a self-study. This initial stage is essentially a reality check, allowing the candidate school to assess its curriculum, policies, faculty and procedures. Another important part of the self-study is an assessment of how well students are acquiring the competencies they'll need to progress in the field. The self-study is then evaluated at the APA, and if warranted, a peer-review group will visit the school to assess its compliance with the Guidelines and Principles for Accreditation of Programs in Professional Psychology (G&P). If the peer report is favorable, the Commission on Accreditation will make a final decision.
Accredited schools are found across the country. A full list is published each December in American Psychologist magazine, and the APA's website is regularly updated with accreditation information. For most students, factors in deciding which accredited school to attend will include geographic location, tuition costs, availability of scholarships, and specific programs offered. If you're unsure which field of psychology is for you, most schools are happy to offer guidance.
Many students, especially those pursuing continuing education, prefer to seek out extension or online courses, but they'll be challenged to find programs that are APA accredited. As of January 2011, the APA has only accredited one online program, the Ph.D. in clinical psychology offered by Fielding Graduate University. Although the majority of the course is delivered online, students are still required to meet twice annually for residency requirements and seminars.