Qualifying Continuing Education Guide
This guide provides a general guideline for the qualifying forms of continuing education recognized for psychology licensees, as outlined in Utah Administrative Code R156-61-403. Only the continuing education categories that appear in the Psychology Rule are included below. Categories recognized for other mental health therapy professions under Rule R156-60e are not listed here because they are not recognized under R156-61. For the full renewal and professional development requirements, please review Title 58, Chapter 61, Psychologist Licensing Act, and Rule R156-61. You do not need to submit documentation for continuing education unless you are audited by the Division.
REQUIRED HOURS PER RENEWAL CYCLE
During each two-year renewal cycle commencing on October 1 of each even-numbered year, the following hours are required:
- Psychologist, including a certified prescribing psychologist or a certified provisional prescribing psychologist: at least 48 hours.
- Certified psychology resident: at least 24 hours.
- Licensed school psychological practitioner: at least 48 hours.
If you first become licensed during the two-year renewal cycle, your required number of hours is increased or decreased proportionately according to your date of licensure. The Division may defer or waive continuing education requirements as provided in Section R156-1-308d.
GENERAL STANDARDS FOR ALL CONTINUING EDUCATION
Regardless of category, all continuing education claimed under R156-61-403 must meet each of the following standards:
- Have an identifiable clear statement of purpose and defined objective for the educational program that is directly related to the practice of a psychologist.
- Be relevant to the licensee's professional practice.
- Be presented in a competent, well-organized, and sequential manner consistent with the stated purpose and objective of the program.
- Be prepared and presented by individuals who are qualified by education, training, and experience.
- Have records of registration and completion available for review.
CLASSROOM COURSES, SEMINARS, AND CONFERENCES (NO HOUR LIMITATION)
Unlimited hours are recognized for continuing education completed in blocks of time of not less than one hour in formally established classroom courses, seminars, or conferences. This is the most common source of professional development counting toward the requirement. Any block of time shorter than one hour does not qualify under this category.
Required Documentation: Records of registration and completion must be available for review. A certificate of completion listing the participant’s name, course provider, instructor, date, title, course objectives, and number of awarded hours is the clearest way to document attendance.
ETHICS AND LAW (AT LEAST 6 HOURS REQUIRED)
At least six hours of the total requirement must be in ethics and law. This is a minimum that must be met, not a maximum limit on the hours you may claim. Ethics and law hours may be earned through any qualifying category in this guide, provided the content is directly related to the ethics and law of psychology practice.
Required Documentation: Documentation appropriate to the category in which the hours were earned, showing that the course content addressed ethics and law.
TEACHING AND SUPERVISION (UP TO 10 HOURS)
Ten hours are recognized, in total, for any combination of the following three activities:
- Teaching in a college or university.
- Teaching continuing education courses in the field of psychology.
- Supervising an individual completing the experience requirement for licensure as a psychologist.
This is a single combined allowance. The three activities share the same 10 hours and are not counted separately.
Required Documentation: For college or university teaching: verifiable documentation issued by the college or university indicating the instructor’s name, name of the course, date, content, and number of semester or quarter hours. For teaching continuing education courses: a verifiable document from the sponsoring organization or agency showing the presenter’s name, date, title, and the presenter’s professional credentials. For supervision: documentation of the supervisory relationship and the supervision meetings, including the dates of supervision and hours accrued, signed by the supervisor and the supervised individual.
CLINICAL READINGS (UP TO 6 HOURS)
A maximum of six hours is recognized for clinical readings directly related to practice as a psychologist. Readings include journals, textbooks, continuing education articles, and professionally relevant literature. Readings should represent high quality and rely on professional knowledge and skills relevant to the practice of psychology.
Required Documentation: Documentation of the title of the clinical reading, the author, and the time spent reading the material.
INTERNET OR DISTANCE LEARNING COURSES (UP TO 18 HOURS)
A maximum of 18 hours is recognized for internet or distance learning courses. To qualify, the course must meet all three of the following conditions:
- Include an examination.
- Include a completion certificate.
- Be recognized by the APA or a state or province psychological association.
A distance learning course that does not include an examination, or that is not recognized by the APA or a state or province psychological association, does not qualify under this category.
Required Documentation: The completion certificate issued by the course provider, together with evidence that the course is recognized by the APA or a state or province psychological association and that an examination was included.
PEER CONSULTATION, REVIEW, OR MEETINGS (UP TO 6 HOURS)
A maximum of six hours is recognized for regular peer consultation, review, or meetings, provided the licensee has properly documented that the consultation, review, or meetings meet the general standards listed above. Consultation constitutes a voluntary relationship between professionals of relatively equal expertise in which the consultant offers professional opinions regarding an individual case or problem for the consultee as appropriate in their professional judgment.
Required Documentation: Documentation prepared by the consultant specifying the date or date range, total number of hours, subject area, and the name of the program or consultee for whom the service was provided, along with documentation showing the consultation met the general standards. The attestation should be signed by both the consultant and the consultee.
RECORD RETENTION
A licensee shall maintain documentation sufficient to prove compliance with R156-61-403 for a period of two years after the end of the renewal cycle for which the continuing education is due.
CATEGORIES NOT RECOGNIZED UNDER THE PSYCHOLOGY RULE
The following categories are recognized for other mental health therapy professions but do not appear in R156-61-403 and therefore may not be claimed by psychology licensees:
- Volunteer service.
- Volunteer service on a professional board, committee, or in a leadership role.
- Direct observation of a supervised individual live or recorded direct client care.
- Presenting at a professional conference, except to the extent the presentation is teaching a continuing education course in the field of psychology, which falls within the 10-hour teaching and supervision allowance.
- Direct clinical supervision generally, except supervision of an individual completing the experience requirement for licensure as a psychologist, which falls within the 10-hour teaching and supervision allowance.
