Alaska Psychology Master’s and Graduate Degree Programs
Alaska colleges that offer both terminal and non-terminal master’s in psychology programs are arranged according to affordability within the tables below. The Licensing and Resources section at the bottom of the page indexes helpful websites with local information. There are no neighboring states to that offer postgraduate psychology degree programs. According to the Alaska Division of Public Health, there is a shortage of psychologists, counselors, marriage and family therapists, social workers and other mental health professionals, particularly in rural areas. As of November 2020, there are 87 psychiatrists; 187 clinical psychologists; 704 licensed professional counselors; 56 marriage and family therapists; 606 social workers (bachelor’s and master’s level); and 31 psychological associates with current active licenses.
Alaska Master’s in Psychology Programs
The two colleges offering terminal master’s degrees are in clinical and counseling psychology and both are located in Anchorage, Alaska. The APU program is accredited by the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities.
| School | Cost | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska Pacific University (NWCCU) The APU Master of Science in Counseling Psychology (MSCP) is a wellness and skills-based degree program grounded in a strength-based approach. At APU, we emphasize positivity, applied learning, and take a wellness and strengths-based approach to counseling and the helping fields. Students will benefit from rigorous coursework and training in a wide variety of counseling modalities while exploring and developing your unique interests. Life-friendly scheduling with fewer pre-requisites make this an ideal choise for busy, working adults. | $ | #TD #502 #091 |
| University of Alaska Anchorage The UAA Master of Science in Clinical Psychology is designed to be responsive to the needs of a variety of mental health service settings and to meet prerequisites for licensing requirements at the master’s level for the State. The MS program has two tracks: a Clinical track and a Behavior Analysis track. The goal of the program is to provide students with well-rounded education in evidence-based practices applicable to community behavioral health settings. The curriculum addresses local behavioral health needs in a context that is culturally-responsive and community-focused. Graduates can pursue either the licensed psychological associate (LPA) license, the licensed professional counselor (LPC) license, or licensed behavior analyst (LBA). | $$ | #TD #502 #085 #081 |
Alaska Doctorate in Psychology Programs
The following colleges in Alaska offer both PhD and PsyD doctorate degrees in psychology. The PsyD in Counseling is accredited by the Northwest Commission of Colleges and Universities and the PhD in Clinical-Community is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).
| School | Cost | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| Alaska Pacific University (NWCCU) The APU PsyD in Counseling Psychology is designed to meet the needs of master’s-level working professionals seeking the degree requirements to work as a licensed psychologist in the state. Our program prepares culturally competent, doctoral-level psychologists who, through their practice, will help to alleviate suffering and empower individuals, groups, and communities towards health and well-being in a state with diverse populations and geographical challenges. It is a strengths-based program that emphasizes training in, and application of, practical skills and working within a developmental perspective across the full range of psychological functioning. | $ | #NTD #502 #091 |
| University of Alaska Anchorage (APA) The UAA PhD in Clinical-Community Psychology is a scientist-practitioner program that seeks to educate scholars and clinicians, who have strong commitments to research, evaluation, clinical practice, and community-based action. The program integrates clinical, community, and cultural psychology with a focus on rural, indigenous issues and an applied emphasis on the integration of research and practice. The program is on the forefront of creative and enriching knowledge dissemination that is relevant to rural communities; focuses on public service, the uniqueness of rural environments; and the celebration of diversity. | $$ | #NTD #502 #085 #088 |
Alaska Psychology Licensing and Resources
Even though the state is vast with a relatively small population, its residents still require access to quality mental health services. To ensure that these services meet the highest standards, the state requires psychologists to be licensed by the State Board of Psychologist and Psychological Associate Examiners. The Board consists of three psychologists, one psychological associate, and one public member. In addition to licensing resources, a variety of mental health resources and support networks for psychologists are available.
| Resource | Tags |
|---|---|
| Alaska Mental Health Board The AMHB advocates, evaluates, educates, advises, plans, coordinates, and provides recommendations related to mental health and substance use disorders. This includes working with various organizations and advising the Mental Health Trust Authority on the Comprehensive Integrated Mental Health Plan and the use of settlement income account funds. | #502 |
| Alaska Division of Behavioral Health The DBH has a commitment to improving the quality of life through the right service to the right person at the right time. The central purpose of the division is to provide a continuum of statewide behavioral health services (mental health and substance use) ranging from prevention and screening to brief intervention through acute psychiatric care. | #502 #081 |
| Alaska Board of Behavior Analysts The behavior analyst licensing program is administered by the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing. The Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development adopts regulations to carry out laws governing behavior analysts in the State. | #502 #081 |
| Alaska Board of Marital & Family Therapy The board consists of three marital and family therapists and two public members. The board adopts regulations to carry out laws governing the practice of marital and family therapy in the State. The board meets at least once a year and offers a public comment period at each meeting. Meeting agendas are available from the licensing examiner. | #502 #127 |
| Alaska Board of Psychologist and Psychological Associate Examiners The Board adopts regulations to carry out laws governing the practice of psychology. It makes final licensing decisions and takes disciplinary actions against people who violate licensing laws. The professions regulated by the board are Psychological Associate and Psychologist. The Board consists of three psychologists, one psychological associate, and one public member. Board members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Legislature. | #502 |
| Alaska Board of Professional Counselors The board consists of four professional counselors and one public member. The Board adopts regulations to carry out laws governing the practice of professional counseling in the State. It makes final licensing decisions and takes disciplinary actions against people who violate licensing laws. The board offers a public comment period at each meeting. Meeting agendas are available from the licensing examiner. | #502 #156 |
| Alaska Board of Social Work Examiners The board consists of two licensed social workers, one licensed master social worker, one licensed baccalaureate social worker and one public member. Board members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Legislature. The Board adopts regulations to carry out laws governing the practice of social work in the State. It makes final licensing decisions and takes disciplinary actions against people who violate licensing laws. | #502 #128 |
| Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium The THC is a non-profit Tribal health organization designed to meet the unique health needs of Native and American Indian people. ANTHC provides world-class health services, which include comprehensive medical services, wellness programs, disease research and prevention, rural provider training and more. The Consortium is the largest, most comprehensive Tribal health organization in the United States. | #502 |
| Alaska Psychologist License Lookup Search for Professional Psychologists and Behavior Analysts Licenses by license number, license type, name or city. | #502 #081 |
| Alaska Psychiatric Institute The API is the only public psychiatric hospital providing inpatient mental health services for individuals experiencing severe and persistent mental illnesses, often with complex trauma histories and substance abuse issues. API serves as a safety net and crisis-stabilization facility for adults with developmental disabilities and seniors with dementia, providing intensive evaluation and innovative behavioral interventions. API is also a teaching hospital, offering clinical rotations and practica for graduate psychology students in other medical programs, and is the only location that provides competency restoration treatment for individuals found to be Incompetent to Stand Trial. | #502 |
| Alaska Psychological Association The association promotes the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge and to improve lives in the . The purpose of the association is to work with state, community, civic, educational, and religious groups in promoting human health and welfare and foster and maintain high standards of practice in the field of psychology. | #502 |
| Alaska Mental Health Trust The AMHT operates much like a private foundation, using its resources to ensure the state has a comprehensive integrated mental health program. Focus areas include mental health and addiction intervention, behavioral health crisis response (Crisis Now), and more. | #502 |
| Alaska Psychiatric Association The Association is a district branch of the American Psychiatric Association, a medical specialty society representing more than 38,000 physician leaders in mental health. The objectives of the association are to continuously improve the ability of its members to provide quality psychiatric services to individuals and families in need. We represent psychiatric physicians across the state, and work collectively on their behalf and on behalf of the patients they serve. The Association also strives to promote the welfare of all those with mental illness and to foster the medically-based principles of psychiatry. | #502 |
| Artic Mental Health Working Group The AMHWG is composed of individuals with expertise in the fields of mental and behavioral health including researchers, clinicians, program managers and administrators with the mission of strengthening systems of care to prevent suicide and improve mental health in the circumpolar north. Our aim is to work collaboratively with tribes, healthcare providers and other stakeholders to promote research on, and raise awareness of, the significant mental and behavioral health disparities that exist between Arctic and non-Arctic populations. | #502 |
| Alaska Psychology Internship Consortium The AK-PIC represents the collaborative effort of four in-state agencies, of which three are active sites and one is pending for the 2023-2024 internship year, to share resources and faculty for the purpose of providing a diversified educational program for doctoral psychology interns. The consortium was designed to prepare interns to meet the unique challenges of practicing psychology in rural and remote settings and to ensure clinical competency in working with the State's various cultural groups. | #502 |
| Find Licensed members of the Alaska Psychological Association Search for licensed members of the Association who have expressed an interest in making their information available to the public and to each other. It is our hope that this service will help make finding psychological professionals by location, types of services offered, and specialties easy and efficient. Search by location, work setting or license type including Psychologist (PhD, PsyD, EdD), Social Worker (LSW, LCSW), Psychological Associate (LPA), Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), psychology student, and more. | #502 |
| National Alliance on Mental Illness Alaska Provides education, support, advocacy, and public awareness for affiliates, individuals, their families, friends, and community members whose lives are affected by a mental health condition. The local NAMI affiliates in the state are Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, and the North Slope. We advocate at the local, state and national levels for non-discriminatory access to quality healthcare, housing, education and employment for people with mental illness. | #502 |
| Alaska School Psychologists Association The ASPA is a resource for the states school psychologists. We seek to educate and empower our members by providing them with state and federal education headlines, annual conference opportunities to learn and socialize, and myriad other links, print-outs, and memoirs that help our members best do their jobs so that they can best serve our communities. The mission is to serve Alaskan children and adolescents by promoting psychological wellbeing, academic excellence, and diversity through best practices within school psychology. In addition, ASPA promotes the interest and advancement of the profession of school psychology. | #502 #119 |
| Alaska Association for Behavior Analysis The AABA was created with the mission to promote the science and theory of behavior analysis through the support of research, education and practice in the state. The Association serves as a scientific and professional reference and networking group for its members, disseminates information to promote its mission to a wider audience, and organizes an annual business meeting to provide a forum for discussion of the affairs of the chapter. | #502 #081 |