Psychology Degree Program and Career Education

Psychologists study the cognitive, behavioral, and social factors of the human mind and human behavior. Psychology is a broad discipline, spanning subject matter from biology to statistics to sociology. The field of psychology contains numerous branches, including clinical research and various forms of application such as counseling, mental health care and rehabilitation, design, forensics, group dynamics, teaching, consulting, performance enhancement, and labor efficiency.

Education, Training and Degrees in Psychology

A doctoral degree is usually a requirement to work as a licensed independent psychologist, in either the clinical or counseling disciplines. Psychologists typically earn a Ph.D. or, alternately, a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) degree. In addition to a doctoral degree in the field, all 50 states (and the District of Columbia) require that psychologists in independent practice or who treat patients must pass an examination and meet certification or licensing requirements, which vary on a state-by-state basis, before they are allowed to practice. To work as a school psychologist, most states require an advanced psychology or education degree, although a few states still accept a master's degree as a credential.

Without an advanced specialty degree, an individual's options within the field are limited. A master's degree qualifies the holder to work as a psychological assistant, or to seek employment in numerous extracurricular venues, such as business and industry. With only a bachelor's degree, the individual is restricted essentially to the role of assistant, working under the authority of licensed psychologists and other professionals in such venues as community mental health clinics, psychiatric hospitals, vocational rehabilitation facilities, or correctional programs, or as research assistant for a psychologist. Some students who earn a bachelor's degree in psychology, however, apply this background to related fields like market research, sales or management.

Find out more information about online Health Care degrees, certificates, and diplomas.

Explore Career Opportunities in Psychology

Psychology is a wide ranging and varied field, covering both research and application in numerous disciplines. Because the range is so wide, psychologists usually specialize in a specific area. Numerous career opportunities are available in the various specializations within psychology. Below are more details concerning careers within this field.

Clinical Psychologist
Clinical psychologists assist individuals in dealing with and resolving their problems, phobias, fears, crises and anxieties. They constitute the largest specialty group, and usually work in private practice, counseling centers, hospitals, or clinics. They might interview patients, administer diagnostic tests, develop a regimen of behavioral modification treatment or provide psychotherapy, among other functions. There are numerous areas of specialization within the clinical psychology branch, including counseling, medical and health psychology, neuropsychology, and forensic psychology. The clinical psychologist will often work in collaboration with other medical professions to treat patients, particularly if the treatment includes medication, which they are generally not permitted to prescribe.

Cognitive and Perceptual Psychologist
Cognitive and perceptual psychologists study human perception, reasoning, judgment, decision making, memory, thought processes, and thought processing, in an attempt to understand the relationship between the material and mental worlds. Among the practical applications, these psychologists study the cognitive basis for problems such as eating disorders and depression.

Counseling Psychologist
Counseling psychologists help people understand the basis for their problems, and provide guidance on how to cope with and resolve them. They administer psychotherapy and counseling to individuals of all ages, as well as to families, groups, and organizations. Counseling psychologists assist people in gaining control of their lives, using techniques such as interviewing, testing, and dialog.


Developmental Psychologist
Developmental psychologists study the psychological changes that occur during various phases of maturation throughout life. This field began with the study of the formative influences of childhood and adolescence, but has recently increased its scope to include the changes that accompany every major state of life, from infant to elder.

Educational Psychologist
Educational psychologists study how psychological and sociological factors (such as gender and race) affect learning, in order to develop more effective teaching techniques.

Engineering Psychologist
Engineering psychologists research the human/machine interface, to assist in the design of tools and equipment that will conform to human needs and limitations, and enhance human effectiveness and productivity. Most engineering psychologists work in industry, but some are employed by the government, particularly the Department of Defense.

Evolutionary Psychologist
Evolutionary psychologists study how genetically driven behaviors such as mating, aggression, altruism, and communication influence human cognition, emotion, and behavior.

Experimental or Research Psychologist
Experimental or research psychologists work with both humans and animals in an attempt to understand such phenomena as cognitive processes, learning and conditioning, perception, motivation, attention, learning and memory, among many other basic psychophysical functions.

Forensic Psychologist
Forensic psychologists apply psychological principles to legal and criminal justice issues, including child custody, profiling, the assessment and treatment of offenders, and the evaluation of defendants' mental competence to stand trial. They often testify in court.

Health Psychologist
Health psychologists work with medical professionals to study topics like pain management, illness-related stress, psychosomatic symptoms and disorders, the motivations behind substance abuse and poor health habits, and how various biological, psychological, and social factors affect health.

Industrial/Organizational Psychologist
Industrial/organizational psychologists apply psychology to the workplace to improve the productivity, effectiveness, and satisfaction of workers. They might perform research on marketing-related issues; screen, train, and interview job applicants; redesign workspace layouts or lighting; or consult on issues such as diversity and discrimination in the workplace, among other functions.

Medical Psychologist
Medical psychologists specialize in the psychological components of physical illnesses and are often trained in related fields such as general medicine, psychopharmacology, physiology, and rehabilitation.


Neuropsychologist
Neuropsychologists study the relationship between physical brain structures, psychology, and behavior, to better understand subjects such as memory, or how brain injuries affect perception, emotions, and behavior. These studies can be for pure research or for rehabilitation purposes.

Quantitative and Measurement Psychologist
Quantitative and measurement psychologists design, evaluate, and refine psychological and educational tests and experiments. They develop improved methods for creating and administering psychological tests or experiments, or for analyzing the data derived from them.

Rehabilitation Psychologist
Rehabilitation psychologists work with people disabled by accidents or by organic conditions such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, or autism. They help their patients adjust and adapt to their situation in order that they might live more fulfilling and productive lives.

School Psychologist
School psychologists work in elementary and secondary schools. They provide guidance for children with learning, behavioral, or personal problems; assess, test, and counsel students; evaluate and assist in developing learning strategies for both gifted and disabled students; and provide consultation to parents, teachers, and students. Most school districts employ a full-time psychologist.

Social Psychologist
Social psychologists study interpersonal relationships and how an individual's personality is shaped by association with other people. In a school setting, for instance, the social psychologist might develop methods of changing dysfunctional attitudes such as bullying, peer pressure, or prejudice. They are often employed by advertising agencies to study consumer habits, attitudes and preferences, and by businesses, to apply their knowledge of group behavior, leadership dynamics, and organization.

Sports Psychologist
Sports psychologists work with athletes to assist them in achieving maximum performance. This can include building motivation, self-esteem and discipline; reducing anxiety; or dealing with various other issues related to competition.

The successful psychologist in any specialty will exhibit certain specific character traits. Those interested in research need detachment, objectivity, and a keen eye for detail. Counselors and clinical psychologists who are involved in therapy, treatment, and patient care should possess emotional stability and excellent communication and interpersonal skills, as well as empathy, compassion, and patience.

Salary Range and Employment Outlook for Psychology Professionals

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, about 179,000 people were employed as psychologists in 2004. A quarter of all jobs in the field were in educational institutions, and nearly one-quarter more were in the health care field. Nearly 40 percent of psychologists are independently employed, compared with a national average of ten percent of all professionals.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment of psychologists is expected to grow "faster than average for all occupations" during the upcoming decade, due to increased demand for psychological services in venues such as schools, hospitals, social service agencies, mental health centers, substance abuse treatment clinics, consulting firms, and private industry. The real number of jobs in the psychology field for people holding graduate degrees is expected to grow between 10 and 20 percent during the next few years. The BLS predicts that the best job opportunities are for school psychologists, and counseling and health practices. The best paying jobs in psychology, and the greatest range of jobs, are of course available to psychologists holding doctoral degrees.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that in 2004, the median annual salary of clinical, counseling, and school psychologists was $54,950, with a range running from less than $32,280 to a high of more than $92,250. Independent clinical psychologists in private practice earned an average of $81,170 Industrial-organizational psychologists earned, on average, far higher salaries, with a median of $71,400, and a range running from $45,620 to a high of more than $125,560.

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