How to become a psychologist?

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There are several different paths to becoming a psychologist. All of them in the US involve at least completion of an undergraduate and graduate degree in the study of psychology. In addition to these minimum requirements, to obtain a license, most people must pass board exams and have several thousand hours of supervised training in their field. As these time requirements can change, it is important to consider state requirements and those recommended by the American Psychological Association (APA), or the association in the country in which a person plans to study. Plan with most degrees to also undergo some therapy, as this is often a study or practice requirement.

There are three degrees in the US that allow people to become psychological. The two most common are Ph. D or Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology and the Psy.D or Doctor in Psychology. The third grade is Ed. D, Doctor of Education in Psychology. Each of these degrees may have a slightly different focus, although any one of them, as long as a person meets all licensing requirements, can qualify him or her to become a psychologist.

Ed. D might focus more on education and the types of psychology called developmental. The Psy. D relies more on clinical work, and the Ph. D may have a more extensive focus on research. Any of these degrees can be part of the preparation to become a psychologist and will allow a person with the proper license to practice therapy. There seems to be some bias in certain academic fields if a person wants to teach psychology. The Ph. D may be more preferred for people in teaching fields and certain research fields, although this can vary.

As mentioned, most people will need an undergraduate degree to begin with, and it’s generally accepted that people major in psychology. This can be a requirement for most graduate programs, and it’s a good place to start to get certain people to really want to pursue this profession. In the US, most people will need to take the general graduate records exam (GRE) before applying to graduate school.

It is suggested that people look for schools that focus on the areas they plan to work on. For example, if a person wants to become a psychologist to practice therapy, they might find graduate schools that focus on clinical work, and they might want to earn a Psy.D degree. It would make no sense to attend a graduate school with a primary focus on research if the goal is to become a therapist.

Graduate schools can be highly competitive, and most people will need good grades, excellent letters of recommendation, and high GRE scores to get into doctoral programs. These programs take an average of five years, although some can complete the work in four and others take seven to eight years to finish school. Some schools offer an optional master’s degree along the way, and that master’s degree, along with supervised training and exams, can license people to become therapists.

In total, the school can take 9 to 14 years to complete, and supervised training can extend this time. After a diploma is obtained, training is completed and board exams are passed, a person becomes a psychologist. There are shortcuts if a person wants to be a therapist and doesn’t feel that a PhD in psychology is necessary.

A person can become a licensed counselor with a master’s degree in counseling or in social work. These people are not psychologists, but after meeting the training hour requirements and passing the exams, they can practice therapy. They may have fewer job opportunities in academic fields than licensed psychologists, but they generally pay less money to college and spend less time there.

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