• Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology • Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology •
• Clinical Health Psychology • Clinical Neuropsychology • Clinical Psychology •
• Counseling Psychology • Couple and Family Psychology • Forensic Psychology •
• Geropsychology • Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy •
• Police and Public Safety Psychology • Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Psychology and Psychoanalysis •
Rehabilitation Psychology • School Psychology • Serious Mental Illness Psychology •
SPECIALTY TAXONOMIES
CoS-Approved Taxonomies for Recognized Specialties
Purpose: To share the taxonomies that have been approved by the Council of Specialties for each recognized specialty in health service psychology
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On this webpage, you will find the Council of Specialties in Professional Psychology’s (CoS) approved taxonomies for each of the health service specialties that are recognized by the American Psychological Association (APA) vis-à-vis the APA Commission for the Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP; https://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/specialize/crsspp).
These CoS-approved taxonomies are the product of an interorganizational collaboration of the CoS 2021 Taxonomy Initiative (https://www.cospp.org/2021-cos-taxonomy-initiative), CRSSPP, and a Workgroup from the Interorganizational Summit 4.0 on Specialty, Specialization, and Board Certification (https://www.cospp.org/summit-archives).
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The purpose of establishing taxonomies for recognized specialties is to facilitate clear and consistent communication in the use of terminology for training programs, students, professional organizations, and members of the public. Thus, these CoS-approved taxonomies provide clarification about the type and intensity of specialized training opportunities offered by individual education and training programs at the doctoral, doctoral internship, postdoctoral, and post-licensure stages for each recognized specialty.
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The content of each approved taxonomy was determined by a representative group of members of that specialty as identified and coordinated by each respective Specialty Council. Individual programs are not required to use the taxonomy structure, or the recommended content proposed by the respective specialty; however, their implementation is strongly encouraged for clarity and consistency.
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The taxonomies posted here comport with the APA Guidelines: A Taxonomy for Education and Training in Professional Psychology Health Service Specialties and Subspecialties (the Taxonomy; https://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/specialize/taxonomy.pdf), approved as APA policy by the APA Council of Representatives (2012, 2020). It should be noted that APA guidelines are intended to be aspirational in nature.
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Process used for review and approval
Each specialty used the CoS Taxonomy Template Grid (https://www.cospp.org/2021-cos-taxonomy-initiative), which provides structure and consistent terminology derived from the APA Guidelines to describe the recommended type and intensity of opportunities within each stage of the education and training sequence within their specialty. The CoS Executive Council (EC) reviewed the CoS Taxonomy Template Grid submitted by each specialty and requested revisions as necessary to assure the respective taxonomies used consistent language and formatting to describe levels of opportunity at each stage of training. After the EC completed its review, the taxonomy was then presented for a vote of approval by the CoS Board of Directors. CoS did not evaluate the education and training content, as that is the sole responsibility of each specialty to recommend to the field what they believe is appropriate for each stage.
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The following are the taxonomies as presented by each recognized specialty in Health Service Psychology accompanied by information about the date of approval and date when resubmission of an updated taxonomy is expected before a petition to CRSSPP for renewal of specialty recognition is submitted:
Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology
Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 11- 06-2021. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at end of 2024.
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Taxonomy for Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology
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Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 10- 29-2021. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at end of 2025.
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Taxonomy for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
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Clinical Health Psychology
Clinical Health Psychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 10- 29-2021. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Clinical Health Psychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at end of 2023.
Taxonomy for Clinical Health Psychology
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Clinical Neuropsychology
Clinical Neuropsychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 11- 05-2021. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Clinical Neuropsychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at end of 2024.
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Taxonomy for Clinical Neuropsychology
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Clinical Psychology
The Clinical Psychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 5- 02-2022. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Clinical Psychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at date to be determined after 2022 petition for renewal of recognition is completed.
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Taxonomy for Clinical Psychology
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Counseling Psychology
Counseling Psychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 12- 21 -2021. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Counseling Psychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at the end of 2026.
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Taxonomy for Counseling Psychology
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Couple and Family Psychology
Couple and Family Psychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 8-19-2023. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Couple and Family Psychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at date to be determined after their next petition for renewal of recognition is completed.
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Taxonomy for Couple and Family Psychology
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Forensic Psychology
Forensic Psychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 11- 05-2022. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Forensic Psychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at end of 2028.
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Geropsychology
Geropsychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 10- 24-2021. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Geropsychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at end of 2022.
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Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy
Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 11- 05-2022. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at end of 2023.
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Taxonomy for Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy
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Police & Public Safety Psychology
Police and Public Safety Psychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 11- 05-2022. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Police and Public Safety Psychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at end of 2025.
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Taxonomy for Police and Public Safety Psychology
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Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Psychology and Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Psychology and Psychoanalysis E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 11- 05-2021. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Psychology and Psychoanalysis next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at end of 2027.
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Taxonomy for Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Psychology
Rehabilitation Psychology
Rehabilitation Psychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 11- 06-2021. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Rehabilitation Psychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at date to be determined after 2022 petition for renewal of recognition is completed.
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Taxonomy for Rehabilitation Psychology
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School Psychology
School Psychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 8-19-2023. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to School Psychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at date to be determined after their next petition for renewal of recognition is completed.
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Taxonomy for School Psychology
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Serious Mental Illness Psychology
Serious Mental Illness Psychology E & T Taxonomy was approved by CoS Board of Directors on 12- 24-2022. CoS will request an updated Taxonomy for CoS review and approval one year prior to Serious Mental Illness Psychology’s next petition for renewal of specialty recognition by the Commission for Recognition of Specialties and Subspecialties in Professional Psychology (CRSSPP). The updated Taxonomy will be due at end of 2025.
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Taxonomy for Serious Mental Illness Psychology
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