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Child psychology focuses on the minds and behavior patterns of children, and becoming a child psychologist typically involves completing an undergraduate and graduate degree, volunteering with children, taking tests like the GRE, and obtaining licensure in the country where one wishes to practice.
Child psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on children. It deals with their minds and behavior patterns, also covering development that starts before the child is born and ends when adolescence ends. A child psychologist is one who focuses on child psychology. Starting out in this career typically means completing an undergraduate degree followed by a graduate degree.
To become a child psychologist in many places, a person must gain admission to college, maintain a good grade point average, and graduate with a bachelor’s degree. While in college, he can choose any major, but majoring in psychology or something related to it can be useful for further studies in graduate school. Regardless of a person’s specialty, it’s smart to take psychology and child development classes. Some graduate schools also look favorably on applicants who studied statistics in college, as knowledge of statistics can be useful not only in graduate school but also throughout a career in psychology. Many aspiring psychologists contact graduate schools and ask about admission requirements long before it’s time to apply.
Volunteer work is another important step towards becoming a child psychologist. Aspiring child psychologists who work voluntarily with children can enjoy a dual benefit. First, they can benefit from learning in advance how comfortable they are working with children, and second, they can show graduate school admissions officers that they are committed to working with young people.
Tests are often necessary steps towards a career in child psychology. At the end of freshman year or the beginning of senior year of college, the aspiring child psychologist may need to take a test called the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). This test is on the list of requirements for admission to graduate schools in the United States and also in some other countries that have English as a primary language. The GRE score is supposed to indicate a student’s academic abilities.
Graduate school is the next step in starting child psychology. An aspiring child psychologist can opt for a master’s degree, which typically takes about two years to complete. Alternatively, he can pursue a PhD, known as a PhD, which could mean up to five more years in school. However, a PhD often translates to more job opportunities, and may be necessary for anyone looking to pursue an independent practice.
Depending on your location, you may need to obtain licensure before you can work as a child psychologist. In the United States, for example, a person must apply for licensing and take a licensing exam through their state. In Canada, a prospective child psychologist would need to obtain a license through their provincial council of psychology, whereas someone in New Zealand would apply to the New Zealand Council of Psychologists. Licensing requirements for child psychology vary, depending on the country in which a person wishes to practice.
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