Navigating the Path: A Comprehensive Guide to Sports Psychology Internships and Career Requirements

The field of sports psychology is gaining increasing recognition as essential to athletic success at all levels. This article provides a step-by-step guide on how to become a sports psychologist, covering everything from earning your bachelor’s degree to completing your doctorate, passing the EPPP, and fulfilling the requirements necessary to launch a successful sports psychology career. It will cover the education requirements, licensing process, state-specific regulations, and typical career timelines.

Understanding the Role of a Sports Psychologist

Sports psychologists apply psychological principles to help athletes improve their performance, enhance their motivation, and cope with the mental demands of competition and training. They provide counseling and support to athletes at all levels, from amateur to professional, as well as to coaches, teams, and organizations.

Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Sports Psychologist

To become a licensed sports psychologist, you’ll need to earn a doctoral degree in sports psychology or a related field. You’ll also need to pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and complete any state licensure requirements. Here's a detailed breakdown of the steps involved:

Step 1: Complete an Accredited Bachelor’s Degree Program

The first step is to complete a bachelor’s degree from an accredited program. While a major in psychology can provide a solid foundation, it is not always mandatory. Accredited programs meet academic standards and give credibility to your degree.

Step 2: Complete an Accredited Master’s Degree Program

Next, you’ll need to complete your master’s degree in sports psychology or psychology. Sports psychology degree programs range from 1-2 years. You’ll take coursework covering mental health in sports settings and athletic injury and recovery. If you don’t want to pursue state licensure, you can begin applying to jobs in the sports psychology field.

Step 3: Complete an Accredited Doctoral Degree Program

After earning your master’s degree, you can pursue a doctoral degree in sports psychology. While this step is optional, it is required if you want to obtain state licensure and practice as a psychologist.

Sports psychology programs vary in length, but most span 60-75 semester credits. You’ll need roughly four years to complete all required coursework, internships, and dissertation if attending full-time. You’ll study coursework about professional ethics, motivation in sports, and injury and rehabilitation.

Step 4: Gain Supervised Experience

Next, you must complete the required postdoctoral clinical experience. While the number of hours required varies by state, you’ll need to complete 1,500-4,000 hours of postdoctoral clinical experience.

APA-accredited licensure track programs will include supervised clinical training components as part of the curriculum.

Step 5: Pass the EPPP Examination

Before applying for licensure, you’ll need to pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) exam. Part one of the exam assesses knowledge, while part two assesses skills. All states require a passing score on part one, but only some require you to pass part two. The exam fee is $600 for part one and $450 for part two, plus a test site appointment fee.

Step 6: Apply for State Licensure

After passing the exam, you’ll be able to apply for a psychologist license. Licensure requirements vary by state, but all states require you to have achieved a passing score on part one of the EPPP exam. You’ll also need to complete the required supervised experience through internships and postdoctoral experience. States may have different requirements based on specializations. Some require background checks and proof of citizenship or immigration status. They may also have additional requirements for those who want to provide telehealth services but are out of state.

Step 7: Apply for Jobs and Maintain Credentials

If you’re beginning your career after completing a master’s program, job opportunities may be available within athletic teams and organizations. You must also maintain your credentials. You need to renew your license depending on your state’s requirements. Most states require you to renew your license annually or every two years. You may also be required to complete continuing education courses.

Sports Psychology Internships: Gaining Practical Experience

Internships are a crucial component of sports psychology training. They provide aspiring sports psychologists with the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in real-world settings, gain valuable experience, and develop professional relationships.

Types of Internships

Sports psychology internships can be found in a variety of settings, including:

University athletic departments: Working with student-athletes to improve their performance and well-being.
Professional sports teams: Assisting athletes with mental skills training, performance enhancement, and injury rehabilitation.
Sports medicine clinics: Providing psychological support to athletes recovering from injuries.
Military settings: Working with soldiers to enhance their resilience and performance.
Private practice: Assisting licensed sports psychologists in providing services to athletes and other clients.

Finding Internship Opportunities

University resources: Career services departments and psychology faculty can provide information about internship opportunities.
Professional organizations: The Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) and other professional organizations often list internships on their websites.
Networking: Attending conferences and workshops, and connecting with professionals in the field can lead to internship opportunities.
Online job boards: Websites such as Indeed and LinkedIn may list sports psychology internships.

What to Expect During an Internship

During a sports psychology internship, you can expect to:

Read also: Your Guide to Sports Communication

Observe and assist licensed sports psychologists in their work.
Conduct individual and group counseling sessions with athletes.
Develop and implement mental skills training programs.
Conduct research and data analysis.
Attend team meetings and practices.
Write reports and presentations.

Salary and Job Outlook for Sports Psychologists

Salary potential varies by state and position. Compensation can vary dramatically depending on whether you work in a clinical, sports, or academic setting. Working as a sports psychologist for a professional football team, for example, will likely be more lucrative than working in a high school setting.

The average annual salary is around $80,000.

Common Work Settings

Sports psychologists work in a variety of different settings. Some settings and institutions that need sports psychologists include:

Schools
Universities
Rehabilitation centers
Sports teams
Military and Veteran Affairs

Given that sports teams may travel, some sports psychologists might periodically support athletes through telehealth.

In a clinical setting, you might find work advancing our understanding of the psychological impact of concussions on athletes.

Expert Insights

Learning in psychology (and life) is both top-down (driven by cognition and logic) and bottom-up (driven by emotion and experience). Consider both when deciding what to do in psychology: what are you drawn to and passionate about? Also, what are the practical considerations of working in that field? Finding a mentor in your chosen field who can give you an unvarnished and authentic preview of the profession is a great place to start, as is volunteering in the field in which you think you’d like to work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Becoming a sports psychologist can take ten years, including earning a doctorate and obtaining licensure. If you decide not to pursue licensure, you can stop at a master’s in sports psychology and directly enter the workforce. But licensure will broaden career opportunities and allow you to practice as a psychologist.

A career as a sports psychologist can be rewarding and lucrative. This position may be ideal for someone with a passion for the impact of sports and physical activity on a person’s well-being. Keep in mind that if you are working for athletic teams or in competition settings, you will likely have irregular work hours.

You do not need a license for some sports psychology positions. However, obtaining licensure can increase earning potential and open up opportunities that require licensure. Plus, obtaining a doctoral degree, which is required for licensure, can also qualify you to work in academia and in clinical settings.

The Growing Demand for Sports Psychologists

Our passion for sports, however, means that the athletes we cheer for face increasing pressures to achieve consistent peak performance. "Everyone is trying to figure out how to maximize talent," says Scott Goldman, PhD, director of clinical and sport psychology at the University of Arizona.

That means finding an edge that goes beyond being in top physical form. Experts in the field no longer think of peak performance as a natural by-product of practice and physical conditioning, says Brown. Now they take a broader view. Instead of focusing on playing-field victories, they recognize that athletes need the same sharp mental skills used to compete successfully in business, the arts and in the operating room.

"We believe the field really is performance psychology," says Mark Aoyagi, PhD, director of sport and performance psychology at the University of Denver. "This isn't specific to sports, even though it developed from sports."

That means opportunities for sport psychologists aren't limited to Olympians and elite athletes. Career options are opening up on stages and in boardrooms. If a pro quarterback can visualize a precise pass to his receiver in the end zone, a dancer can envision making a perfect pirouette, says Brown. The same mental preparation that helps NBA players sink half-court shots can help an advertising executive land the big account. It's all about achieving top form and a positive outlook despite setbacks, losses or distractions.

Expanding Career Paths

With the right training - and luck - you could land a job helping the long-suffering Chicago Cubs try to win the World Series or guiding the Cleveland Cavaliers to a shot at an NBA championship in the post-LeBron James era. But most sport psychologists work in lower-profile jobs, such as at university athletic departments, says Gloria Balague, PhD, a psychology professor at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

"It's not just for performance, but to make sure that student athletes are well-rounded," she says.

Student athletes face a lot of distractions. Bad weather causes travel delays to away games. The sting of missing a buzzer-beater won't go away. In these circumstances, sport psychologists can help student athletes maintain good "mental hygiene" to stay competitive in the classroom as well as on the field, says Goldman.

At least 20 NCAA Division I universities have a sport psychologist on staff and another 70 to 100 contract with outside specialists, Goldman adds. "The field is strong," he says.

Job prospects are good in the military, too. Army the country's largest employer of sport and performance psychologists, says Aoyagi. In military settings, sport psychologists (called Performance Enhancement Specialists or PESs) work with soldiers, their families and civilians to build resilience in the face of adversity - whether it's leaving for a third deployment to Afghanistan or coping with a loved one's death during combat.

Sport psychologists also work in private practice, helping a wide range of athletes. For example, parents of promising high school athletes often hire sport psychologists to give their children an edge, as do amateur athletes looking to improve their performance. Triathletes, golfers, tennis players and equestrians are all potential clients, whether amateur or pro. In his consulting business, called Get Your Head in the Gameopens in new window, Brown divides his time among Olympic athletes, the North Carolina Dance Theater and executives and other professionals with high-pressure jobs. "The possibilities are limited only by your imagination," he says.

Earning Expectations

Depending on location, Goldman says, estimates indicate that sport psychologists in university athletic departments can earn $60,000 to $80,000 a year; the highest salaries can exceed $100,000 annually.

In private practice, the salary range is quite wide, he says. Sport psychology is a "boutique service" that caters to niche clients who pay for services themselves, Aoyagi notes. "There is no ceiling to how much you can make, but there is no floor, either," he says.

Navigating the Training Path

It's not enough to be a licensed psychologist who plays sports, says Balague. And knowing how to get the proper training can be confusing, she adds. "The training path is still something [many] students have to put together themselves," she says.

Often, future sport psychologists enroll in a clinical or counseling doctoral program, and then take additional classes in kinesiology, physiology, sports medicine, business and marketing, Goldman says. Sport psychology education still is evolving, so mentors can help guide your training, too. Your advisor could be a mentor, or Balague suggests getting to know the sport psychologists consulting with your university's athletic department. The Association for Applied Sport Psychologyopens in new window also has a program to match students with mentors.

It is recommended that students who want sport psychology careers pursue specific training in sport psychology (typically this occurs at the master's level) and a doctoral degree, says Aoyagi. A handful of schools have tried to take the guesswork out of doctorate-level training by developing concentration areas in sport psychology.

For example, students at the University of North Texas can choose a specialization in sport psychology within the PhD program in counseling psychology. Requirements include three courses - exercise and sport psychology, social psychology of sport and applied sport psychology - as well as a sport psychology practicum, one research project in sport psychology and a one-year internship.

At Florida State University, the doctoral program in educational psychology has a sport psychology major. Students and their advisors select a four-member supervisory committee that approves a course of study in the major.

APA's Div. 47 (Exercise and Sport) recognizes sport psychology as a postgraduate area of expertise and has developed proficiency recommendations. "There's also less burnout when you work from this very positive perspective."

Aoyagi, too, finds an engaged, high-achieving population fun to work with. But the downside, he adds, is that some clients want to run at cheetah-like speeds or bend at severe angles before they're ready. "They sometimes want to do too much, too soon," he says.

Traveling with a sports team and gaining the players' trust can be rewarding, says Brown. But it can have ethical pitfalls - maintaining confidentiality, for example. "If the performance venue is the only place I can counsel an athlete, what if ABC is taping while we have that conversation?" he says. Sport psychologists also walk the ethical line in deciding how much information to share with coaches and team physicians.

Being on the road with a team also means little time to relax and unwind. "You're always 'on,' " Brown says. That's why it's important for sport psychologists to care for their own emotional health while they care for the players.

Sometimes a sport psychologist has the difficult job of counseling a student athlete who wants to quit the team despite the coach's opposition, says Goldman. It can be a delicate balance.

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