Provisional Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology

Aim of Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology

The Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology builds on the European Certificate in Psychology (Basic EuroPsy). The proposal aims to complement the Basic EuroPsy Certificate with a Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology that can serve as a means to develop the profession and to promote expertise and competence vis-à-vis clients and employers.
A psychologist who wants to claim to be a Provisional EuroPsy Specialist in Sport Psychology has to meet the requirements of the Basic Certificate and, in addition to that, has to show further level of knowledge and competences adequate to the specialist level. As spelled out in article 39 of the EuroPsy Regulations, the EuroPsy Specialist Certficate will only be awarded to appropriately experienced psychologists who hold the EuroPsy Basic Certificate (or who are awarded the EuroPsy Basic at the same time). By implication, it is only possible to be awarded a Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology in countries where both the NAC and the Provisional Specialist National Awarding Committee in Sport Psychology - Provisional S-NAC in Sport Psychology have been recognized.
Psychologists who meet the Basic Certificate can qualify for the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology if they are informed about the developments in theories and methods of the discipline and are able to apply them competently in practice.

I. Application requirements for the pilot phase (Regular route - after having fulfilled the criteria for the Basics EuroPsy certificate)

Regular route application form

Pathways to the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology Regular Route

The Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology specifies requirements for independent practice in a particular setting at a point which clearly lies beyond entry into the profession, for example to designate consultant or specialist status. Consequently the volume of learning activities and education that is required after the academic degree amounts to 90 ECTS. At least three years of postgraduate practice are necessary. Moreover, a minimum of 500 hours should be devoted to supervised practice (face to face practice), and a minimum of 150 hours should be devoted to supervision.

Table 1. Scheme of post-graduate learning activities required to apply for the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology

Postgraduate programme and other training courses

90 ECTS of which 400 hours should be devoted to theory.

• post-graduate programme (e.g. master`s degree or doctorate in sport psychology from a university or an accredited or recognised training programme in sport psychology organised by a professional body or private recognised organisation).The applicants have to be trained in sport (or exercise) psychology. The following topics are examples of curricula and may differ by country, degree and specific modules. The content varies with the institution´s curriculum and/or the psychologist’s learning trajectory, here is a list of indicative content for each of the areas of complementary knowledge and specialisation:

Examples for sport and exercise psychology areas:

• Introduction to sport psychology
• Skill acquisition/skill training
• Attention and emotional regulation
• Motivation and behaviour change
• Social Influences including team dynamics, leadership & social support
• Personality and individual differences including, self-concept, stress/anxiety and coping
• Assessment – diagnosis, formulation, monitoring and evaluation
• Counselling, interventions, communication and coaching skills
• Physical and mental health, wellbeing, career development, termination, crises and emergencies
• Working in multi-disciplinary teams and organisations, systemic change
• Professional practice and ethics,
• Sport sciences (motor learning, training methodology, biomechanics, sport medicine etc.)

In the case that the applicant has a masters degree in Sport Psychology and is using this to provide evidence of eligibility for the basic EuroPsy certificate, it is possible to use a maximum of 30 ECTS from this programme as evidence of eligibility for the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology. This means that an additional 60 ECTS are needed for the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology after the basic study requirements for the basic EuroPsy have been met.

 Postgraduate supervised practice (at least three years)

Practice of which a minimum of 500 hours is supervised face to face practice with clients (e.g. athletes, coaches, referees, parents, sport managers, exercisers) or groups (e.g. sport teams, multi-disciplinary teams, companies and organisations).

Supervision, peer consulting and mentorship

At least 150 hours of supervision, peer consulting and mentorship. Supervision must have the aim of ensuring that practitioners carry out their work with competence and integrity. Where supervision is not normally based on direct observation, further evidence of competence and integrity must be demonstrated by measures such as monitoring of outcome, discussion of case material with a panel, interviewing selected clients or recording of specified sessions. Categories of supervision and competences of supervisors are those defined in EuroPsy (EuroPsy regulations, Appendix III).

Evidence to be demonstrated

Applicants need to:

• submit an application form, which includes theory, supervised practice and supervision.
• submit a structured curriculum vitae
• submit a logbook (or Portfolio) that provides evidence of competence in the specialism

Evaluation of evidence

• The evaluation of the evidence is carried out by the Provisional S-NAC in Sport Psychology on the basis of the credentials of the training curriculum, the trainers/supervisors, and the training institution (which should preferably collaborate with academic or research institutions).
• The evaluation of other aspects is carried out by the Provisional S-NAC in Sport Psychology on the basis of the applicant’s statement and the supervisor’s statement.

II. Application requirements for the pilot phase (Transitional arrangement - after having fulfilled the criteria for the Basics EuroPsy certificate)

Transitional arrangement application form

Pathways to the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology Transitional Route

Applicants who wish to obtain the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology under Article 38, EuroPst Regulations must meet the following criteria:

• having graduated at least 5 years before the application.
• being entitled to work as psychologists, following the national legal or professional regulations of the country where they apply,
• holding a Basic EuroPsy Certificate or possess the requisites that allow them to apply jointly to the Basic and the Specialist Certificate; they are first assessed for the Basic Certificate and once acknowledged, for the Specialist Certificate,
• showing evidence of independent practice as sport psychologist of at least five full time years within the last 15 years,
• documenting education and training in Sport Psychology by providing evidence of competences; the evidence is to be assessed by means of a structured CV and, if required by the Provisional S-NAC in Sport Psychology, by a Competence Assessment Interview.

Applicants need to provide evidence to support their claims about theoretical and professional training, independent and practice or employment.

Education and Training in Sport Psychology

Education and Training must have been done in sport and exercise psychology and for example, included motor and mental skills acquisition and training; attention and emotional regulation; motivation and behavior change; social Influences including team dynamics, leadership & social support; personality and individual differences including self-concept, stress/anxiety and coping; measurement and data analysis; assessment – diagnosis, formulation, monitoring and evaluation; counselling, interventions, communication and coaching skills; physical and mental health, wellbeing, career development, transition, termination, crises and emergencies; working in multi-disciplinary teams and organisations, system change; professional practice and ethics. including scientific and professional communications; research. There is a wide range of different types of professional education and training, and the list is not exhaustive. This experience may also include personal training or other arrangements to ensure that practitioners are aware of and can manage appropriately their personal involvement in, and contribution to, the processes of the sport psychology service they practice (e.g. self-awareness in different settings,). Criteria of education and training need to be defined in the context of sport and exercise psychology, eg.:

• Certified attendance and participation in accredited courses and/or workshops aimed at further professional development
• Development of specific new skills through practice at work
• Certified attendance in intervision (mutual supervision by peers) meetings
• Certified attendance at a professional or scientific conference
• (Co-)authoring and/or editing of publications on research and/or professional issues
• Presentations to professional audiences
• Working as a reviewer for sport (exercise) psychology journals
• Editorial work on journals and books in psychology
• Working as mentor or supervisor in sport psychology
• Professional political involvement in sport and exercise psychology

These requirements make evident that the Provisional EuroPsy Specialist Certificate in Sport Psychology is the result of activities (study and learning, work experiences, development of competencies) conducted after the graduation.

Independent practice as sport psychologist

Show evidence of independent practice as a sport psychologist of at least five full time years within the last 15 years. Please report and summarize research, education and counselling, intervention aimed at athletes, and team, sport services and organisations. The work experience can be documented through the following items:

• Years/months during which a particular work role has been fulfilled
• Name of description of the work role
• Organisation where the role has been carried out
• Responsibilities associated with the role
• Activities performed as part of the role
• Competencies developed as a result of performing (some of) the activities in that role