Earning Your Psychology Degree Has Never Been This Simple
July 23, 2010 by admin
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Pursuing a how to go to college free degree in psychology will help you gain knowledge that you will be able to apply to understanding many aspects of daily human activity, such as family life, education, employment, and the treatment of mental health problems. Pursuing a psychology degree means you will have the unique ability to study the human mind. In fact, deriving from Ancient Greek, the word psychology actually means “study of the soul”. Earning a psychology degree traditionally or online will begin your first steps towards being a licensed psychologist, where you can apply scientific method to understanding how and why people behave the way that they do within a multitude of fields, from government industry to working with children. A psychologist might use techniques like clinical studies or detailed questionnaires to answer questions of human behavior.
A bachelor’s degree with a basis in psychology is helpful and can qualify a person to assist psychologists or work as administrative assistants to licensed psychologists, but opportunities directly related to psychology will be limited for those who only possess a bachelor’s degree. Some people may be able to work as assistants in rehabilitation centers or data collection and analysis jobs, but to work independently as a psychologist, a doctoral degree is usually the final requirement. Someone who possesses only a bachelor’s degree may find success working within the federal government, a job that requires the candidate to have at least 24 hours of education focused on psychology, but these jobs are highly sought by applicants.
Although a bachelor’s degree is the first step, working as an independent psychologist usually requires a master’s and a doctoral degree. Earning a doctoral degree in psychology requires roughly five years of graduate study and is completed with an original dissertation, followed by an internship. The American Board of Professional Psychology may require further education in 13 technical areas. The procedure for obtaining a license to practice is very competitive, and those with the highest levels of education and advanced degrees may have more opportunities for job placement.
To work as a solo psychologist or to offer any type of patient care – including clinical, counseling or working as a school psychologist – aspiring psychologists must be certified and licensed in all states, including the District of Colombia. Although licensing laws are regulated at the state level and may differ according to the area of specialty, the basics for earning the license remain similar. To achieve licensure, a candidate must earn a traditional or online master’s degree, and a doctorate degree in psychology, including an approved internship and up to two years of professional experience. After completing the background education work and earning the bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees, most states require that an applicant pass an examination, including a standardized test. The test may be supplemented with oral or essay questions. Some states also require that the psychology license be renewed annually, with continuing education in their field to be completed as part of the process.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 34 percent of psychologists with psychology courses on line degrees are self-employed as private practitioners. In a field with such broad variation, job growth and salary varies by specialty – clinical counseling is projected to grow about 11 percent over eight years with an annual median income of about $64,000. Industrial psychology jobs, however, are projected to grow by 26 percent over the same period, commanding median annual wages that are higher, at $77,000.
A psychology degree can be put to practical use performing a variety of duties in a myriad of industries. A licensed psychologist can work in many health service fields, providing mental healthcare in hospitals, clinics or schools to a multitude of people. A licensed psychologist with a degree can also work in a government, industry or business setting.
A person must be extremely dedicated and motivated in order to earn their degrees and become a licensed psychologist. Being a good student and earning advanced degrees are not the only requirements. Emotional stability, maturity and the ability to deal effectively with individuals or groups are also important personality traits for an aspiring psychologist. These traits contribute to the possibility of working in a variety of settings, which may vary from employer to employer. In many fields of study or practice, psychologists consult with other psychologists, creating a team environment.
Regardless of what a student decides, and although a lot of hard work is required to earn a free online college degrees degree, many of the steps can be completed through an online degree. The payoff for so much hard work can be directly applied to real-life work experience. Becoming a licensed psychologist means having the opportunity to affect change throughout the scientific and health community, as well as possibly helping individuals create more positive lifestyle choices through the help they receive in counseling.
