Psychology is the study of mental and emotional processes and the effects that these processes have on human behavior. A psychologist studies mental health, human behavior, and the mind so that he can better understand how these factors influence human activity. Psychology is a diverse field composed of a wide array of specialties. These include child psychologists, clinical psychologists, forensic psychologists, and criminal psychologists, among many others.
Here are the general steps necessary for becoming a psychologist.
- Job Description. Psychologists are usually described as being applied or research oriented. Those who are in the applied field work in a clinical setting. There are many different areas where clinical psychologists work can occur. Clinical psychologists may be found working in private practice, counseling for facilities, or as school psychologists. They work to improve the mental health of individuals that may be in crisis. Organizational psychologists work to make the work place and its employees a cohesive unit. They work to improve employee well-being and make the facility more profitable by reducing employee absences. Research psychologists work in the research and academic setting. They teach psychology and conduct research in the various fields of psychology.
- Education. To be a psychologist, you will need to have a doctorate degree in either education or psychology. You will not have a medical degree, and will not have prescriptive authority as psychiatrists have. Psychiatrists are medical doctors that specialize in psychiatry. Psychologists and psychiatrists often work together for patient care. The education process all starts with good high school grades. It is helpful if there is an emphasis in the sciences as well as any other classes necessary to gain entry to the college of your choice for an undergraduate degree. Many online schools offer Associate’s, Bachelor’s, and even online Master’s degrees in psychology. Just make sure that any school where you obtain your degree, be it online or traditional is accredited. This is absolutely essential as you will be going on to school for your doctorate. Plan on spending four years working full time on a Bachelor’s degree and an additional four to six years obtaining a master’s degree and doctorate degree. It is a serious time commitment to become a psychologist. The average psychology curriculum consists of coursework on the fundamental tenets of the field, major theories, and intra- and inter-personal relationships. Other programs encourage students to pursue fieldwork; the nature of this work will depend upon the branch of psychology in which a student wants to specialize.
- Licensure. To practice psychology you must be licensed. This is accomplished by passing the Examination of Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP). Some states also require a jurisprudence examination. Be sure to understand all the requirements necessary to practice in your state.
- Supervised Clinical Experience. Before you can legally practice in most states you will also be required to have two years of supervised experience. The first year of experience usually occurs during the last year of the doctoral program. The second year is completed after your doctorate is obtained.
- Certification. The American Board of Professional Psychology offers 13 different areas for certification. Certification is not mandatory, but does offer an additional plus on your resume, and lets your patients know you are a cut above the crowd.
- Salary. The range in this field is huge, from about $50,000 for beginning practitioners to $134,000 for those in specialty fields. Location of the practice, area of expertise, private practice versus research or teaching fields and years of experience all play into the salary.
- Job Outlook. The job growth rate for a psychologist is predicted to be about 22% in the next ten years.
Famous psychologists have contributed greatly to the understanding of the human mind and human behavior. Psychologists such as Noam Chomsky, Sigmund Freud, and Carl Jung have influenced generations of thinkers across a wide range of disciplines. Whether one chooses to pursue pure research or interact with others through social work or clinical psychology, a degree in psychology can encompass a wide range of interests and open a number of doors to the dedicated candidate. If you are willing to put in the hard work necessary to receive a degree in psychology, you will discover that being a psychologist is its own reward.