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Education and Training for Psychologists |
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Monday, 28 May 2007 |
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When enrolling in psychology degree programs you are investing in an education to become a psychologist. It is important to realize that this may be a long and complicated process in order to become fully certified, and there is a great variety in psychology degree programs. Here are some of the steps that your education and training will take. The first step your education will take with your psychology degree programs is that you will earn your bachelor’s degree. As may seem obvious, most psychologists have a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
While getting your education, it would be in your interest to volunteer to assist a professor who conducts psychological research. Next step in your education is to gain some experience in your field of study. Depending on the area of psychology that you are most interested in, assist a professor or professional colleague in that area. Remember to take these steps very seriously, as you will need good letters of recommendation when you go on to finish your education. The next step is to research graduate psychology degree programs and find out the admissions requirements for the schools you are interested in. You will also need to choose a degree and a specialty at this point.Next, you must become enrolled in one of the psychology degree programs to continue your education. Keep in mind that this may not happen in the first try, as the programs can be very competitive. You often need a GRE score of at least 1200, a GPA of 3.3 and some sort of experience in the field, either paid or as a volunteer. Depending on the psychology degree programs, you may have to continue your education with a master’s degree first, others will allow you to enter after receiving your bachelor’s degree. Next on your education path is to complete an internship. This may include working full time at a hospital, clinic, or other mental health center. If you desire an APA approved internship, you generally will need to be from an APA approved graduate program. Many jobs in the mental health field require a person to have had an approved internship from the APA, so you may want to consider this when applying. The last step on your education journey is to become licensed by the state you wish to work in. You usually have to work for two years in a supervised environment after earning your degree, and then you must also complete and pass a national exam. In many states you are also asked to present a case study to a board of psychologists as well. |
