Becoming a Psychologist
First
Steps
Becoming a psychologist ultimately requires earning a
graduate degree. Even in high school, though, you can begin
preparing yourself by taking courses in science, math,
social studies, and English. Reading about psychology and
talking with psychologists about their work can help give
you some pictures of the field.
Bachelor's
Degree
Most bachelor's degrees in psychology include courses both
in science and in the liberal arts. Usually there is an
introductory courses as well as courses in experimental
psychology and statistics. Other required courses can
include learning, personality, abnormal psychology and
tests and measurements. Not all graduate programs require a
bachelor's degree in psychology.
Because there are wide differences among graduate programs
and their requirements, it can be a good idea to begin
making plans for graduate school before your junior year.
This way you can identify programs that are the best match
for your career plans, and you will have time to prepare
yourself for these programs.
A graduate or
professional school’s catalogue, brochures, and website are
generally the best and most current sources of information
about the nature of each graduate program and its program
and admission requirements. A composite source of such
information is also available from the American Psychological
Association.
People with bachelor's degrees are qualified to assist
psychologists and other professionals in settings such as
community mental health centers. Some work as research
assistants or administrative assistants.
Master's
Degree
A master's degree requires at least two years of graduate
study. Required courses in the master's program typically
include statistics and research design. Practical
experiences in an applied setting are usually required as
is a master's thesis based on an original research project.
People with a master’s degree in psychology can work as
industrial-organizational psychologist, and they can
conduct research or do psychological evaluations under the
supervision of doctoral-level psychologists.
Doctoral
Degrees
The missions of the doctoral programs appear to be on a
continuum. On one end are programs that are mainly
committed to producing research-oriented,
scientists/scholars who will create knowledge that will
improve the quality of life. Some of these programs, such
as the program at Stanford University, do not even offer
degrees in clinical, counseling, industrial or
organizational psychology. On the other end of the
continuum are programs whose primary mission is to produce
practitioners/clinicians who work directly with people,
typically as therapists and counselors.
In general, the schools on the research end of the
continuum award the traditional research PhD degree. Some
of the schools on the practitioner/clinician end of the
continuum award the PhD, but an increasing number of
schools award a newer degree - the PsyD.
A doctoral
degree generally requires 5 to 7 years of graduate study.
The PhD degree culminates in a dissertation based on
original research. The PsyD may be based on practical work
and examinations rather than a dissertation.
A doctoral degree usually is required for employment as an
independent licensed clinical or counseling psychologist.
Psychologists with a PhD qualify for a wide range of
teaching, research, clinical, and counseling positions in
universities, health care services, elementary and
secondary schools, private industry, and government.
Psychologists with a PsyD usually work in clinical
positions or in private practices, but some also teach,
conduct research, or carry out administrative
responsibilities.
Advice
John Chaney, Mvskoke
Creek, PhD, director of the American Indians into
Psychology Program at Oklahoma State University,
says that
during high school, students can do volunteer work in
nursing homes and hospitals. Later as undergraduates
they can work on hotlines and in women’s crisis
shelters. These experiences can help students decide if
they have the aptitude to deal effectively with human
issues and if they want to work with people.
Chaney also advises all students to take some math courses
and to do some research as undergraduates. Many students
are afraid of these areas but he says that once you
understand that they are straightforward and learnable,
they can be rewarding and even fun.
Candace M.
Fleming,
Kickapoo-Oneida-Cherokee, PhD, gives the
following advice to American Indian and Alaska Native
students who are considering graduate work in
psychology: “The more well rounded you are in your
knowledge about history, science, literature, oral
traditions, and philosophy, the better you can
understand the persons you’re serving. I think graduate
schools are very interested in people who have sampled a
variety of disciplines and traditions of learning.” She
also says, "The
behavioral health disciplines have more than just
applied careers. There’s also research and teaching. I
urge students to consider many pathways. In Indian
Country, we naturally want to give back to and help our
own people, so often we think of service careers. But
research can be of great help to Native people.
Educating others is essential for having role models at
the academy for those that come after us."
For
descriptions of a few programs that recruit/support
American Indian and Alaska Native students, see
Schools/Programs.
Parts
of this article were originally published in the Fall 2000
issue of Winds of Change. (The cover artist is Roy Henry
Vickers, Tsimshian and English.)