What the Psychologist (RPsy) board exam covers, from PRC's Table of Specifications: 4 advanced subjects, their weights, topics, and the passing rule.
Mariano Luiz King
Published November 5, 2026 ยท Updated November 9, 2026
The Psychologist (RPsy) board exam, officially the Psychologists Licensure Examination (PSLE), has four advanced subjects: Advanced Theories of Personality (20%), Counseling and Psychotherapy (25%), Advanced Psychological Assessment (30%), and Advanced Abnormal Psychology (25%). It's a different exam from the Psychometrician board, with heavier, more applied subjects. This post breaks down every topic in PRC's Table of Specifications.
Where this coverage comes from: Everything here comes from PRC's own documents, not forum posts. The topics and item counts are from the Board of Psychology's Enhanced Table of Specifications (Resolution No. 02, s. 2023, Annex A, dated February 2023), which applies from the June 2023 exam onward. The schedule is from PRC's revised program for the September 2026 exam. The passing rule is from RA 10029. I checked all of it in November 2026.
A Table of Specifications (TOS) is the blueprint the Board writes questions from. It sets the topics and how many items each one gets.
Taking the Psychometrician exam instead? See the Psychometrician board exam coverage.
As of the September 1 and 2, 2026 exam:
| Detail | What PRC says |
|---|---|
| Format | Computer-based licensure examination |
| Subjects | 4, two per day |
| Items (from the TOS) | 100 in Theories of Personality, 130 in Counseling and Psychotherapy, 150 in Assessment, 130 in Abnormal Psychology |
| Time per subject | 3 hours |
| Difficulty mix | 30% easy, 40% moderate, 30% difficult (from the TOS) |
| To pass | 75% weighted average, with no subject below 60% (RA 10029) |
| Day | Time | Subject | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8:00 to 11:00 AM | Advanced Theories of Personality | 20% |
| 1 | 1:00 to 4:00 PM | Counseling and Psychotherapy | 25% |
| 2 | 8:00 to 11:00 AM | Advanced Psychological Assessment | 30% |
| 2 | 1:00 to 4:00 PM | Advanced Abnormal Psychology | 25% |
PRC moved the August 2026 Psychologist and Psychometrician exams to September 1 and 2 because of heavy rainfall warnings. Dates can shift, so always check PRC's latest advisory.
| Topic | Weight in subject |
|---|---|
| Commonly Used Cognitive Tests and Personality Tests | 30% |
| Psychometric Properties of Psychological Assessment | 20% |
| Test Development | 20% |
| Psychological Theories and Tools in Assessment | 15% |
| Psychological Tests and Test Batteries | 10% |
| Ethics in Psychological Assessment | 5% |
The biggest block is the tests themselves: cognitive tests, personality tests, and projective techniques. You'll need to know how they're selected, given, and interpreted, not just their names.
| Topic | Items |
|---|---|
| Techniques | 30 |
| Goals and Steps | 21 |
| Therapeutic Responses | 21 |
| Issues and Challenges | 21 |
| Standards and Philippine Laws | 21 |
| Supervision and Research | 16 |
The techniques topic spans psychoanalytic, psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, humanistic, existential, constructivist, and systemic approaches. The largest share of its items (13 of 30) ask you to apply the right technique to a problem, not just name it.
| Topic | Items |
|---|---|
| Clinical Manifestations of Psychopathology across the Lifespan | 45 |
| Causation and Etiology of Psychopathology | 26 |
| Mental Health Issues and Concerns in Various Contexts | 26 |
| Bio-Socio-Cultural Perspectives, Models and Approaches | 20 |
| Ethical and Legal Issues in Psychopathology | 13 |
| Topic | Items |
|---|---|
| Theories | 40 |
| Impact of Globalization | 25 |
| Strengths and Limitations of Theories | 15 |
| Sikolohiyang Filipino Concepts and Philippine Traditions and Values | 10 |
| Theories of Personality in Different Settings | 10 |
Two topics here are easy to underestimate. Globalization is 25 items, including its impact on Filipino values and behavior. Sikolohiyang Filipino (Filipino psychology) is another 10.
RA 10029 says you need a weighted average of at least 75%, with no subject below 60%.
Here's an example:
| Subject | Your score | Weight | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Theories of Personality | 72% | 20% | 14.4 |
| Counseling and Psychotherapy | 76% | 25% | 19.0 |
| Psychological Assessment | 78% | 30% | 23.4 |
| Abnormal Psychology | 74% | 25% | 18.5 |
| Weighted average | 75.3% |
That passes. There's also a retake rule. If your average is 75% or higher but one subject is below 60%, you can retake just that subject within the next two years. You pass once you get at least 75% in it.
If you don't pass, the retake rules are in what happens if you fail the board exam. Recent results are in board exam passing rates.
Assessment is the heaviest subject (30%) and has the most items (150). I'd start with its biggest topic, the commonly used cognitive and personality tests. Then Counseling and Psychotherapy, where techniques alone are 30 items and the biggest share are application questions.
Advanced Theories of Personality (20%), Counseling and Psychotherapy (25%), Advanced Psychological Assessment (30%), and Advanced Abnormal Psychology (25%).
A weighted average of at least 75%, with no subject below 60%, under RA 10029.
Yes. PRC gave the September 2026 Psychologists Licensure Examination as a computer-based exam.
Yes. It's a 10-item topic in Advanced Theories of Personality, covering Sikolohiyang Filipino concepts and Philippine traditions and values.
They're separate exams. The Psychologist exam has advanced subjects, including Counseling and Psychotherapy, which the Psychometrician exam doesn't have. See the Psychometrician board exam coverage.
Ready to test yourself? Try the free Psychologist board exam reviewer. I built prepPH, so I'm biased, but every question there comes with an explanation. For a study plan, read how to review for the PRC board exam. When you're ready to apply, see how to apply for the PRC board exam online (LERIS) and how much the PRC board exam costs. To plan your weeks, see how long to review for the RPsy board exam, and to decide on a review center, see can you pass the RPsy board exam with self-review?.
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