The endorsed specialisations recognised by AHPRA and the Psychology Board
The Psychology Board of Australia recognises nine endorsed areas of practice. Endorsement in an area requires additional supervised practice and examination beyond general registration. This hub explains each area — what practitioners do, the population they work with, the typical settings, and what additional training or endorsement is required.
What clinical psychology endorsement means in Australia, which programs qualify you, how the supervised practice pathway works, and whether clinical is the right specialisation for you.
What clinical neuropsychology endorsement requires in Australia, how the two-stage training pipeline works, which programs qualify you, and what neuropsychologists actually do in practice.
What forensic psychology endorsement involves in Australia, which programs qualify you, what forensic psychologists actually do (not the TV version), and whether this specialisation is the right path.
What counselling psychology endorsement means in Australia, how it differs from counselling, which programs qualify you, where practitioners work, and whether this specialisation fits your goals.
What educational and developmental psychology endorsement covers in Australia, which programs qualify you, where practitioners work, and whether this specialisation fits your goals.
What health psychology endorsement involves in Australia, which programs qualify you, where health psychologists work, and whether this specialisation fits your clinical interests.
What organisational psychology endorsement means in Australia, which programs qualify you, how the supervised practice pathway works, and whether org psych is the right specialisation for you.
What sport and exercise psychology endorsement covers in Australia, which programs qualify you, how the profession actually operates, and whether this specialisation matches your goals.
Choosing a specialisation is one of the most significant career decisions a psychologist makes. Each area of practice has a different scope, different client populations, different work settings, and different routes to endorsement. Clinical psychology is the largest area, but forensic, neuropsychology, health, and organisational psychology each offer distinct and rewarding career paths. The articles in this hub give a comprehensive overview of each area based on current AHPRA and Psychology Board of Australia guidance — covering the competencies required, typical roles, supervision requirements for endorsement, and what the work actually looks like day to day.
The Psychology Board of Australia recognises nine endorsed areas of practice: clinical psychology, clinical neuropsychology, counselling psychology, educational and developmental psychology, forensic psychology, health psychology, neuropsychology, organisational psychology, and sport and exercise psychology.
No. Any registered psychologist with general registration can work in most settings, including many roles that involve clinical, forensic, or organisational work. Endorsement signals advanced specialist training and is required for some roles (e.g. Medicare-funded clinical psychology services under the Better Access scheme require clinical psychology endorsement).
Both involve therapeutic work with individuals experiencing mental health difficulties. Clinical psychology has a stronger emphasis on assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of serious mental health conditions, with more rigorous training requirements. Counselling psychology focuses on therapeutic relationships, wellbeing, and personal development, often with less emphasis on formal diagnosis.
