Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1180-02-.04 - EXAMINATIONS

(1) Written examination. The method of administration for the written examination shall be "pencil and paper" or "computer delivered."

(a) The written examination is the EPPP provided by the Professional Examination Service (PES). This is a test covering basic psychological science, professional application, ethics and related considerations in psychology.

1. PES shall provide applications for examination to applicants.

2. Following written Board approval to take the written examination, the applicant shall submit the written examination application along with the required fee to PES.

3. The applicant may receive additional information concerning this test by writing to Professional Examination Service, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, New York 10115.

4. PES will send written authorization to test, or eligibility letter, to the applicant with instructions to contact the chosen testing provider.

5. The applicant will contact the testing provider to schedule the examination at the applicant's choice of testing provider locations.

(i) Applicants must take the examination within sixty (60) days of the date on the eligibility letter provided by PES. If the applicant does not take the examination within this time period, he/she will be removed from the eligibility listings of the testing provider and will be required to begin the examination application process again.

(ii) Applicants may reschedule the examination up to two (2) working days prior to the scheduled test date by calling the toll-free number provided to them in their eligibility letter without penalty. Applicants who fail to give such notice to the testing provider, and who fail to sit for the examination as scheduled, will forfeit the examination fees paid and will be required to begin the examination application process again.

(b) The passing score at the psychologist level for the "pencil and paper" version shall be a score which is equal to or greater than a score which is seventy percent (70%) correct, as reported in the EPPP statistical data provided by the Professional Examination Service for each administration of the examination or shall be a score which is that set as the passing score for Psychologists by the ASPPB for the EPPP.

(c) The passing score at the psychologist level for the "computer delivered" version shall be a scaled score which is equal to or greater than five hundred (500), as reported in the EPPP statistical data provided by the Professional Examination Service for each administration of the examination or shall be a score which is that set as the passing score for Psychologists by the ASPPB for the EPPP.

(2) Ethics and jurisprudence examination. All applicants for licensure must successfully complete the Board's ethics and jurisprudence examination as a prerequisite to licensure.

(a) The Board shall mail a registration form to applicants for licensure who have paid all applicable fees required by Rule 1180-1-.03, and who have successfully completed all requirements for licensure except for successful completion of the ethics and jurisprudence examination.

(b) Upon receiving the registration form, the applicant shall contact the Board's administrative office and schedule a time to take the ethics and jurisprudence examination.

1. The examination test site is the Board's administrative office.

2. The applicant shall bring the registration form and photo identification to the examination.

3. The examination shall be completed in two (2) hours or less.

(c) The scope and content of the examination shall be determined by the Board but limited to

1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33, Chapter 3, Parts 1 and 2 and Chapter 6, Part 4; and

2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 1, Part 4, Section 403; and

3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapters 2 and 11; and

4. Official Compilation, Rules and Regulations of the State of Tennessee, Chapters 1180-1, 1180-2, 1180-3, and 1180-4; and

5. The version of the "Ethical Standards" which are part of the "Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct" published by the American Psychological Association (A.P.A.), and approved by the A.P.A.'s Council of Representatives on August 21, 2002 to become effective on June 1, 2003.

(d) The Board shall provide copies of the applicable statutes, regulations, and the "Ethical Standards" for use during the examination. No other copies may be used during the examination. Information on how to acquire copies of the applicable statutes, regulations, and the "Ethical Standards" for study purposes is available upon request from the Board's administrative office.

(e) The format of the examination shall be "open-book."

(f) Correctly answering ninety percent (90%) of the examination questions shall constitute successful completion of the ethics and jurisprudence exam.

(3) The Board may delay a decision on eligibility to take the written examination(s) and/or the ethics and jurisprudence examination for any candidate for whom the Board has requested additional information.

(4) The Board shall schedule a meeting within ninety (90) days following the completion of all examinations at which time the Board will consider completed applications and examination results for the purpose of licensure.

(5) Failure of examinations.

(a) If the Board determines that the applicant has not passed the written examination, the applicant may request to take another written examination which will be scheduled no sooner than sixty (60) days after the previous written examination.

1. An applicant may take the examination no more than four (4) times in a twelve (12) month period.

2. Upon payment of appropriate reexamination fees, the applicant may take the written examination again.

(b) If the Board determines that the applicant has failed to successfully complete the ethics and jurisprudence examination, the applicant will be mailed another registration form.

1. Upon receiving the registration form to retake the examination, the applicant shall contact the Board's administrative office and schedule a time and location to retake the ethics and jurisprudence examination.

2. The applicant shall mail the registration form and the Ethics and Jurisprudence Re-Examination Fee, as provided in Rule 1180-1-.03, to the Board's administrative office.

3. The examination test site is the Board's administrative office.

4. The applicant shall bring photo identification to the examination.

5. The examination shall be completed in two (2) hours or less.

6. The applicant must continue to retake the examination until it has been successfully completed before the licensure application will be deemed complete and presented to the Board for consideration.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1180-02-.04

Original rule filed June 6, 1978; effective July 6, 1978. Repeal and new rule filed January 20, 1994; effective April 5, 1994. Repeal and new rule filed August 29, 2000; effective November 12, 2000. Amendment filed December 11, 2000; effective February 24, 2001. Amendment filed June 18, 2002; effective September 1, 2002. Amendment filed November 9, 2005; effective January 23, 2006. However, Stay of Effective Date filed by the Board of Examiners in Psychology on January 20, 2006; new effective date March 23, 2006. Amendment filed March 23, 2007; effective June 6, 2007.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 4-5-204, 63-11-104, 63-11-208, 63-11-209, 63-11-210, and 63-11-211.