What's in a name, Psychological Assessment?

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Different schools have different names for the courses or subjects they offer compared with other schools or with CHED's Course specification for that matter. A particular case is the subject Psychological Assessment that will be given in the upcoming 2014 Psychometrician Licensure Exam. The title Psychological Assessment is different with that of Psychological Testing which is a subject and course offered by most universities or schools.

We have received a lot of questions about applicants' concern whether they need to secure Certificate of Equivalency from CHED about this matter. A sample question we received recently:

Kailangan pa bang humingi ng Certificate of Equivalency sa CHED that certifies na equivalent ang Psych Testing sa Psych Assessment? According kasi sa iba, matagal yun iprocess at sa CHED main office pa mismo hihingi eh mga taga-Bicol kami. May nagtanong na po ba sa inyo na may similar case sakin/samin? Hoping for your fast response regarding this matter.

Our reply - most applicants like us have submitted our requirements and the subject course title is Psychological Testing, we have received our NOA upon PRC Application Division's review of those requirements (TOR included). So we did not apply from CHED any Certificate of  Equivalency. We hope that the PRC Board of Psychology has also clarified about this matter of Psychological Testing/Measurement  is synonymous, equal or equivalent to Psychological Assessment  to the PRC and the rest of PRC's regional offices.

An advise, go to PRC and submit your application NOW to find out more of what they will say about your application. File your application now and do not rush at the last minute given that PRC sometimes require additional requirements such as the CAV for those whose TOR does not contain Special Order (SO) Number including the additional documentary stamps to each of the three notarized certificates of good moral character. Do not wait for the deadline if you are ready and desire to take the licensure exam - FILE NOW! Well, otherwise, there's next year and the coming years to take the board exam.

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Let us take a look below of the course title and description  taken from the syllabus of different schools in the Philippines offering courses in Psychology (sources are from websites accessed as of  21 August 2014):


UP
BA/BS Psychology Curriculum (1992-93)
http://kssp.upd.edu.ph/psych/psychdept_programs_undergrad.html

Psychology 162: PSYCHOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT
Orientation into the rudiments of psychological testing and evaluation with emphasis on reliability and validity, and test development.
6 hours a week (3 lect; 3 lab); 4 units credit
Prerequisite: Psychology 115

Psychology 110: PSYCHOLOGICAL STATISTICS
Statistical techniques in the design, analysis and interpretation of psychological studies.
7 hours a week (4 lect; 3 lab); 5 units credit
Prerequisites: Psychology 101 & Math 11 or 17

Psychology 115: EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
A method course to familiarize students with the methods of science in the treatment and invetigation of human problems; principles of experimental inference; experimental design in behavior research and the ethics involved in laboratory research.
9 hours a week (3 lect; 6 lab); 5 units credit
Prerequisite: Psychology 110


DLSU
http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/academics/programs/undergraduate/cla/bs-psyc.asp
Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology

Psychological Measurement 1 (PSYCME1/LBYPSY1)
3 units
Prerequisite     : Theories of Personality
Prerequisite to : Psychological Measurement 2

This course includes 2 units of lecture and 1 unit of laboratory work. This course aims to introduce the students on the history of psychological measurement; psychophysical and scaling methods; basic concepts and principles in testing such as reliability, validity and norming; selection, administration, scoring and interpretation of selected psychological test; as well as issues and ethical considerations in psychological testing in the Philippine context and applied in the clinical setting. The students will be trained on writing up of profile reports based on psychological test battery results.

Psychological Measurement 2 (PSYCME2/LBYPSY2)
3 units
Prerequisite     : Psychological Measurement 1, Experimental Psychology

This course will introduce the students to the procedures and instruments used in clinical assessment. The students will be introduced to the peculiarities of the assessment process in special population as preschool children, brain-damaged populations, psychotic patients, mentally and/or physically disabled cases, violent and/or emotionally disturbed cases, and the mentally retarded. Students will be familiarized with different strategies in clinical assessment, namely: assessment interview; cognitive assessment; personality assessment; perceptual, sensory, and sensorimotor assessment; behavioral assessment which includes naturalistic observation, self-monitoring and controlled/systematic observation; and clinical judgment which includes quantitative and subjective approaches.

Opportunities for supervised administration and interpretation procedures and tests to actual cases will be provided and will be conducted in Psychology Laboratory. At the end of the course, the student is expected to have acquired the skill of establishing report with a client and preparing a case report.


Ateneo de Manila University 
http://ls.ateneo.edu/global/UserFiles/File/20121018091051123_PSYCHOLOGY%20Generic%20Course%20Syllabi%20II%20Sem%2012-13.pdf
Loyola Schools
Generic Course Syllabus for 2nd Semester, School Year 2012-2013
Department Psychology School Social Sciences

Course No. PSY 109.1 (Lec) and 109.2 (Lab)
Course Title Psychological Testing (Lecture and Laboratory)
No. of Units 3 and 2

Course Description:
This course is an orientation to the rudiments of psychological testing. The basic
principles, methods, current trends, issues, and ethics of psychological testing are
tackled. The course involves a review of the basic psychometric principles that apply to
all types of psychological tests, including item analysis, reliability and validity. Students
will also gain actual exposure in administering, scoring, interpreting and evaluating
various cognitive and personality tests that are typically used in assessment batteries
across the different applied fields of psychology in the Philippine setting


Silliman University
Bachelor of Science (Psychology)
http://su.edu.ph/resources/college-of-arts-and-sciences/154-165-dept-psychology-1327385201.pdf

Psychology 30. Psychological Testing 5 units
The principles, methods, and uses of psychological testing are tackled with
emphasis on issues of item analysis, reliability, and validity in test construction
(with computer use). The administration, scoring, and interpretation of objective
cognitive and affective tests used in various settings are covered. Ethical
considerations as well as current trends and issues in psychological testing in the
Philippine setting are discussed.


Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Major in Psychology
http://www.letran.edu/collegiate/clased/clas_abpsych.php

PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING 1 - PSYCH 106 (3 units)
This course presents the basic orientation and the introduction on the major structured and non-structured psychological instruments, its rationale and uses. It deals with the basic concepts concerning the construction, purpose and choice of psychological tests. It surveys the psychological tests used to assess constructs such as intelligence and personality, and those used in clinical, educational, and business settings. Emphasis is placed on building skills in informed selection and use of psychological tests, and on familiarity with the basic procedures used to establish their norms, reliability, and validity, which are addressed in the laboratory component of the course. Social and ethical issues surrounding psychological testing are also addressed.


University of the East
https://www.ue.edu.ph/manila/main.html?page=colleges&link=curriculum&c=APSY2011

APY 221 Psychological Testing I (Psychometric Tests) 3 Units
APY 313 Psychological Testing II (Application to Psychological Tests) 3 Units

PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING 2 - PSYCH 30 (3 units)
The course provides the basic orientation and discussion on the major non-structured psychological instruments, their rationale and  uses. It provides a venue for students to be exposed to and to undertake actual administration, scoring and interpretation of these tests. It deals with the actual administration, scoring and interpretation of selected objective cognitive and effective tests used in various applied fields of psychology.