1.1 Two-Part 2026 EPPP and the January 2026 Handbook

Start with the current two-part frame

The first orientation task is to name the exam correctly. In 2026, the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology is a two-part exam administered through the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards. EPPP Part 1-Knowledge assesses general knowledge of psychology, intervention, assessment, and foundational knowledge from graduate training. EPPP Part 2-Skills assesses application of knowledge to decision-making in real-world independent practice situations.

That distinction changes how you study. Part 1 asks whether you can recognize and apply core psychology knowledge across biological, cognitive-affective, social-cultural, lifespan, assessment, intervention, research, and ethics domains. Part 2 asks whether you can use that knowledge in practice decisions: selecting, adapting, communicating, consulting, documenting, supervising, and self-monitoring when the facts are incomplete or the setting is complex.

The two-part frame also prevents common planning mistakes. A candidate who treats the EPPP as only a knowledge test may overinvest in definitions and underpractice applied judgment. A candidate who treats Part 2 as just another content outline may miss the clinical reasoning, ethics, consultation, supervision, and professional communication demands that appear in skill scenarios.

Part 1 and Part 2 should not be separated from your real licensure path. Licensing authorities control eligibility, whether and when they use each part, score requirements, supervised-practice rules, jurisprudence exams, remediation, and final licensure decisions. ASPPB provides the examination program and recommended passing scores, but your board or college decides how those pieces apply to your file.

For study planning, build two notebooks. The first is a knowledge notebook: domains, theories, disorders, assessments, interventions, research designs, statistics, and professional rules. The second is a decision notebook: case facts, risk cues, documentation choices, consultation triggers, referral thresholds, supervision responsibilities, and cultural adaptations. The same topic may appear in both notebooks from different angles.

A depression scenario illustrates the difference. Part 1 may ask about diagnostic features, differential diagnosis, treatment evidence, psychometric validity, or ethical obligations. Part 2 may ask what you should do next when the client adds suicide risk, cultural mistrust, a medication concern, a third-party request, a supervisee error, or a conflict between agency policy and professional duty.

Use the January 2026 handbook date as your fact anchor, then check your jurisdiction before making personal decisions. That habit keeps this guide factual while recognizing that licensure is not controlled by a study guide. The safest posture is simple: know what ASPPB says about the exam, know what your licensing authority requires of you, and keep those two sources separate in your notes.