CMPC Certification

How to Become a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC)

The Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) credential, administered by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), is a professional certification for individuals who help athletes, performers, leaders, military personnel, and other high achievers optimize performance and well-being. Certification requires graduate-level education, mentored field experience, and successful completion of the CMPC certification exam.

At William James College, students can pursue either a Mental Performance Consulting Concentration as part of an eligible graduate degree program or a Graduate Certificate in Mental Performance Consulting after earning a qualifying graduate degree.

Step 1: Choose Your Pathway

Students interested in Mental Performance Consulting at William James College have two program options. Choose the pathway that fits your education to begin your journey to becoming a Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC).

Graduate Certificate in Mental Performance Consulting

The Graduate Certificate in Mental Performance Consulting is designed for professionals who already hold a qualifying master's degree and want to complete coursework that supports progress toward CMPC certification.

Mental Performance Concentration

The concentration option is ideal for students who are currently pursuing a graduate degree at William James College and want to integrate mental performance consulting coursework into their program of study.

Eligible William James College Programs:

Step 2: Complete the Educational Requirements

CMPC certification requires a master's or doctoral degree in a related field and coursework across the following eight required knowledge areas:

  • Professional Ethics and Standards
  • Sport Psychology
  • Sport Science
  • Psychopathology
  • Helping Relationships
  • Research Methods and Statistics
  • Psychological Foundations of Behavior
  • Diversity and Culture

The coursework required for CMPC certification varies based on your educational background. The Mental Performance Consulting Concentration and Graduate Certificate at William James College are designed to support your progress toward CMPC educational requirements, and faculty advisors can help you understand how your prior and current coursework aligns with certification standards.

Step 3: Complete Mentored Field Experience

In addition to completing the educational requirements, you must also complete a mentored field experience under the supervision of an approved CMPC mentor. During this experience, you will apply sport and performance psychology principles in real-world settings while receiving supervision, guidance, and feedback from an approved mentor.

While the mentored field experience is completed independently after coursework, William James College provides guidance regarding the mentorship process and professional resources within the field.

Step 4: Pass the CMPC Certification Exam

After completing the educational and mentored field experience requirements, you will become eligible to sit for the CMPC certification examination.

The examination assesses knowledge related to:

  • Sport and performance psychology
  • Ethics and professional practice
  • Diversity and culture
  • Consultation and intervention strategies
  • Applied mental performance consulting

CMPC certification requirements are established and administered by AASP and are subject to change. Prospective students should consult the AASP website for the most current certification requirements.