ABSTRACT

The day that the American Psychological Association adopted as basic policy the promotion of licensure of the title and practice of psychology, the course toward separate graduate training programs for professional practice was set. Historically, the scientist-practitioner model of graduate education has stood us in good stead in the development of psychology as a science and a profession. The time has come, however, to recognize that the demands of providing psychological services and the growth of scientific knowledge require a more differentiated view of doctoral education. Different philosophies of education guide the training of basic and applied scientists than guide the specification of educational prerequisites for professional licensure. The advancement of science, on the other hand, requires flexibility in the specification of appropriate knowledge bases, an evolutionary approach to program development, and acceptance–in some instances—of specialization and highly individualized educational experiences. The functional differences between knowledge acquisition and knowledge application require very different educational orientations.