Daily Tips for a Healthy Mind to Your Inbox, A consumer guide to psychological services. Make sure this matches with your aspirations! The time it takes to become a psychologist depends largely on your specialty area, career interest, and previous level of education. However, to help you determine how to become a psychologist, we will name a few of the most sought-after specializations. For example, a clinical psychologist may choose to focus on psychological research, and so they might opt to make Experimental Psychology or Behavioral Analysis their specialty. However, if you do one, it can count as credit for your licensure. Most schools will have a focus themselves -- one will be a good clinical school while another will be a good experimental school. To become a clinical psychologist, you will need an undergraduate degree (four to five years of college) plus a doctorate degree (four to seven years of graduate school). Close! In order to use this title, you need to have a doctorate degree in either psychology or education and also have passed the state licensing exams. Then the Psy.D. The ABD stands for "all but dissertation" meaning you have completed your coursework but have yet to do your dissertation. Doctoral programs take six to seven years (depending on how you do it, it could also take much longer), including a year-long internship. Clinical psychology: the study of human psychology in clinical settings like hospitals and mental heath facilities, including psychotherapy. Not necessarily! A strong science background is a must, so sign up for as many courses as you can in topics such as biology, chemistry, human anatomy/physiology, and other life sciences. Then, you specialize in Psychiatry. Enroll in science, math, and humanities courses. That's what summers are for, folks. I have a degree in Psychology with counselling from a UK university. This is not the way to go if you want to end up with a private practice. A BA in psychology or a related field is important, but on its own it probably won't get you to where you want to go. By learning more about human history and behavior, you can put yourself on the road to future success as you continue your psychology education. To be a psychiatrist, you must go to medical school and get a medical degree (MD). Typically, the Ph.D. degree tends to focus more on a scientific model and places a lot of emphasis on experimental methods and research. Learn more... Do you find yourself sitting down with friends and picking their brains, analyzing their behaviors, and helping them sort through their not-so-conscious problems? Luckily, the past few years have set you up for this moment. You could also choose to earn a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) Is a Ph.D. in Psychology the Right Choice for You? Try another answer... That's right! A psychologist has a master's degree, not a doctorate. This involves working with corporations or organizations; in the end, you'll work for a business and focus on morale and HR-like activities. Pick another answer! Clinical psychology. Beyond science and math classes, taking courses in history, philosophy, writing, religion, and language can also be beneficial. After your psychology degree, you'll need to undertake postgraduate professional training (at doctoral level) to become a clinical psychologist. To create this article, 56 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Which speaks to you? uses talk therapy to treat patient illness or distress, cannot prescribe medication. Consider choosing an area of specialization, such as childhood disorders or substance abuse. Finally, remember to maintain good grades in all of your courses. Still, if you're interested in pursuing marriage counseling, school psychology or family counseling, this could be the right path for you! No. Some states have an oral test, too, while others only have a jurisprudence exam. Professors are always looking for help with experiments! After completing Bachelor’s Degree course, you may go for relevant PG course. Psychologists and psychiatrists both help people deal with emotional issues , but licensed clinical and counseling psychologists must have a doctorate in psychology, which requires 5-to-7 years of postgraduate work. Is there a field where I can study the subconscious brain alone? What Do Those Abbreviations Mean After a Psychotherapist's Name? We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. % of people told us that this article helped them. Not quite! Counselling is similar to clinical, but you'll probably end up working in a school or government setting (like prison!). If you are interested in becoming a psychiatrist, you must: Close! To become a clinical psychologist, start by earning a bachelor's degree in psychology. Regardless of whether you're interested in becoming a psychiatrist, if you want to follow any form of psychology, you should seek out hands-on learning and research. Basically, the more people you know, the better you'll be off. What's more, they'll be able to get you information on prospective study programs. wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Thomas Barwick/DigitalVision/Getty Images. It's also important to stay on the cutting edge of the field. Some grads won't need a post-doc. Choose another answer! If you're interested in learning about how the brain contributes to human psychology and behavior, you're going to want to follow the neuropsychology path, rather than cognitive psychology. Your path to becoming a psychologist can start at any point. Try again! This can be an exciting career choice with a wide variety of specialty areas and opportunities. During this process, students might perform research, work supervised clinical rotations, and teach classes. Start looking at graduate programs as early as your freshman year so you can be sure to fulfill requirements. When that three months of nothing to do rolls around, stay on campus. It's also very important that your school matches your philosophical orientation. Most PhD programs are looking for a good score (master's programs may be less intense). I would strongly suggest something which would help you to see the individual more holistically, such as sociology, anthropology, social work, nursing, or health. You must obtain a doctorate to be a psychologist. Either way, becoming a psychologist may be your calling. If you have already graduated with a Ph.D., you may want to consider a post-doctoral appointment at a university. If you are referred to as an ABD, what step do you need to take next? At the master’s degree level, one can obtain a master of arts (M.A.) If you find that a particular area appeals to you, consider adjusting your course plan to include more elective classes in this subject area. A doctoral program prepares you for working as a psychologist in a hospital, clinic, or some other kind of institutional setting. References Psychologists do not have medical degrees, and, therefore, cannot prescribe medication. That really depends upon your location. Choose another answer! If your high school does offer some sort of psychology course, it would definitely be a good idea to add this class to your schedule. You must then register with the Health and Care Professions Council which allows you to practice in the NHS. This degree must be accredited and recognised by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC). Becoming a psychologist requires years of education and training. Graduate school, if not even higher education, is necessary for getting higher up in the field of psychology. You would need to have adequate funding to complete the required schooling, as well as to complete any internship requirements, licensure exams, and to submit the licensure application. and M.Sc.? work is highly independent. There are many different paths you can take in the field of psychology, so don't worry if medical school isn't the right one for you. This step is more for your junior or senior year in college. What school of thought do you fall into? Some social psychologists work with people one-on-one, helping them to become more effective or cooperative with co-workers and other people. ", "It's very comprehensive and informative! Internships are the best training you're going to get and they're actually required by many programs. Check if local community colleges offer college-level psychology courses for high school students. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/a\/a4\/563418-1.jpg\/v4-460px-563418-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/a\/a4\/563418-1.jpg\/aid563418-v4-728px-563418-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"