Qualifications policy
Pearson is committed to maintaining professional standards in testing. A central principle of professional test use is that individuals should use only those tests for which they have the appropriate training and expertise. Pearson supports this principle by stating qualifications for the use of particular tests and selling tests to individuals who provide credentials that meet those qualifications. The policies that Pearson uses to comply with professional testing practices are described below.
The "Qualified User" is the individual who assumes responsibility for all aspects of appropriate test use, including administration, scoring, interpretation, and application of results. Some tests may be administered or scored by individuals with less training, as long as they are under the supervision of a Qualified User. To assist the qualified user, each test manual will provide additional detail on administration, scoring and/or interpretation requirements and options for the particular test.
User Level A
There are no special qualifications to purchase these products.
User Level B
Tests may be purchased by individuals with:
A master's degree in special education or social work, or a bachelor’s degree in psychology, speech language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychiatry, or paediatrics. Fields of study must be closely related to the intended use of the assessment, and must include formal training in the ethical administration, scoring, and interpretation of clinical assessments.
OR
- Certification by, full active membership of, or full registration with a professional organisation, such as AHPRA or SPA, that requires training and experience in the relevant area of assessment.
OR
- Successful completion of Pearson’s User Level B Accreditation Course
User Level C
Tests with a User Level C require a high-level of expertise in test interpretation, and can be purchased by fully registered psychologists or provisional psychologists under direct supervision of a registered psychologist.