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When it comes to getting a job
in the field of psychology, one of the things you can
do to increase your career options is to earn an advanced
degree. Though you can get started with a bachelor's
degree in the field, master's degree programs in psychology
as well as doctoral programs provide the best opportunity
for higher wages and salaries and more career options
overall. |
Master's and Doctoral Psychology Programs
After you graduate from a four-year university, you can enroll
in a master's degree psychology program in any number of concentrations.
For example, you can choose a master's program that specializes
in child and adolescents, clinical psychology, gerontology,
organizational leadership or even industrial/organizational
psychology. Master's
programs in psychology are typically two to three full-time
years in length. You'll graduate with the experience necessary,
depending on your specific concentration, to administer psychological
tests, conduct clinical assessments, counsel clients and carry
other responsibilities within your specialty field.
On the other hand, doctoral programs in psychology are usually
anywhere from five to six years in length, including a one-year,
full-time internship that gives you hands-on training in the
psychology specialty of your choice. The two most popular
doctoral programs in psychology are the PhD and the PsyD graduate
programs, the first one typically focusing more on research
and the latter on clinical training. A third major doctoral
psychology program option you have is to earn a PhD in industrial/organizational
psychology.
Career Options in Psychology
Perhaps one of the greatest advantages of earning an advanced
degree in psychology, whether you're enrolled in a master's
or doctoral psychology program, is the fact that your degree
is versatile according to your career goals. For example,
you can choose to become self-employed whether you have a
master's or doctorate in the field. In fact, the United States'
Bureau of Labor reports that approximately 34% of all psychologists
are self-employed. You can manage your own business and practice,
which almost always gives you the chance to increase your
earnings than if you accepted a salaried position.
While both the master's and doctorate degrees gives you the
ability to work in a variety of work settings, doctoral programs
in psychology are more flexible in this regard. If you have
a PhD or PsyD degree in psychology, you can work in a psychiatric
hospital, community mental health center, university as a
professor or researcher, government or private-sector research
facility, pharmaceutical company, or even your own private
practice. If you have an advanced specialty in industrial/organizational
psychology, you can work as a management or human resources
consultant for a business or corporation.
In addition, one of the positive aspects of earning your
doctoral degree in psychology is the fact that you can work
in more than one capacity in the field, if you wish. For example,
you could be providing consulting services to businesses or
organizations while working part- or full-time at a college
or university or running your own psychotherapy practice.
Of course, the type of work you take on naturally depends
on your specialization in psychology.
As you can see, there are enormous benefits to completing
a graduate program in the field of psychology. Whether you're
interested in clinical work and wish to counsel people at
the master's level, or you wish to learn advanced psychotherapy
techniques, almost anything is possible. A graduate
psychology degree not only allows you to earn more money,
but gives you flexibility and freedom when considering your
career options.
There are many schools that offer psychology courses. To see
these and other related degrees, visit the Psychology
Schools directory today.
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