How to Become a Child Psychologist in 5 Steps

Learn about what it means to be a child psychologist and discover the five steps required to become a child psychologist.

The following chart provides an overview of child psychologist qualifications, job duties, and industry statistics.

Degree Required Master's or doctoral degreeEducation Field of Study PsychologyLicensure and Certification All states require psychologists to be licensed; board certification in psychology is availableJob Duties Use psychological principles to treat children's developmental or behavioral issues; provide counseling to children and families; evaluate, diagnose and treat children's emotional and mental health problemsJob Growth (2020-2030) 10% increase (for all clinical, counseling and school psychologists)*Median Salary (2020) $79,820 (for all clinical, counseling and school psychologists)*

Child psychologists have an important job in helping children of all ages manage their mental health. Becoming one requires a lot of training.

Below, you'll find an overview of what a child psychologist does and the five steps it takes to become one.

What Does a Child Psychologist Do?

A child psychologist is a mental health professional who provides psychological services to children and adolescents.

Child psychologists work with children who are dealing with behavioral, cognitive, developmental, emotional, and psychological issues.

Their jobs include assessing, diagnosing, and treating these issues as well as determining the root cause of the issues.

There are several different fields available to child psychologists:

abnormal child psychology: treat issues, such as behavioral issues, that stem from trauma
adolescent psychology: work primarily with pre-teen and teen patients
clinical child psychology: general child psychologist who assess, diagnose, and treat children, and may refer them to a specialist
developmental psychology: work in research fields to understand child behavior
educational psychology: focus on improving children's mental health by improving the educational system
school psychology: work as school counselors or therapists to help students within a school environment

Because psychologists work with vulnerable populations, they must meet strict requirements for education and licensure.

Below, we'll break down each step in the journey to become a child psychologist.

Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree

The first step to becoming a child psychologist is to earn a bachelor's degree in child psychology or an adjacent field.

Not all schools offer child psychology degrees or psychology degrees with a concentration in children at the bachelor's level.

However, most schools offer some form of undergraduate psychology program. These will still provide you with the psychology foundation you'll need.

If you are earning a degree in general psychology, try to choose elective courses that are focused on child development and working with children.

Depending on the program, early childhood development programs may also provide a solid foundation for child psychology.

Bachelor's degree programs are typically around 120 semester credits and take about four years to complete. They can be earned in person and sometimes online.

Step 2: Complete Graduate Degree Programs

To practice as a child psychologist, you must earn a graduate degree. A master's degree is acceptable for some careers, but all states require that licensed psychologists have a doctoral degree.

Master's programs typically require 30 to 40 credits and take an average of two years to complete. Coursework may be offered online, but these programs often require in-person fieldwork.

A master's degree in child psychology or child development will typically allow you to work as a child mental health counselor.

To work as a licensed clinical psychologist, you will need to have a doctorate degree. You have two options for a doctoral degree in child psychology.

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in child psychology is a research-focused degree best suited for students wanting to pursue careers in academia or research.

A Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree is more focused on working with children in a clinical setting. However, both types of doctoral degrees offer a pathway to clinical licensure.

Doctoral programs can take anywhere from three to seven years to complete depending on the program and your prior education. They often include internships and other types of hands-on experience.

Step 3: Fulfill Experience Requirements

All states require a certain amount of supervised work hours to obtain licensure, anywhere from 1,000 to 4,000 hours.

Often, an experiential component, like an internship, is included in your doctoral program. This allows you to shadow and work under an experienced child psychologist.

To meet your state requirements, you will likely also need to complete a post-doctoral fellowship. A fellowship allows you to practice duties under the supervision of an already licensed doctor.

Step 4: Obtain a State License

Every state has different requirements for licensure. It's important to check what your state's requirements are so that you aren't surprised.

All states require that psychologists hold a doctoral degree, complete experience hours, and pass a licensing exam. Some states also require jurisprudence exams.

Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology

The Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) is an exam developed by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards (ASPPB) and is the most common exam required by states.

Part one of the exam covers knowledge. Students are tested on eight areas:

biological bases of behavior
cognitive-affective bases of behavior
social and cultural bases of behavior
growth and lifespan development
assessment and diagnosis
treatment, intervention, prevention, and supervision
research methods and statistics
ethical, legal, and professional issues

The second part is skills-based and can only be taken after you pass part one. Students are tested on six domains:

scientific orientation
assessment and intervention
relational competence
professionalism
ethical practice
collaboration, consultation, and supervision

Other Exams

Most states require students to pass a jurisprudence exam. This is an exam that proves you know the laws covering the practice of psychology in your state.

These may be identified as a Professional Standards Examination (PSE) or Professional Responsibility Exam (PRE).

A handful of states also require you to pass an oral exam to demonstrate your knowledge of clinical practice and ethics. The states that require an oral exam are:

Georgia
Kentucky
Louisiana
Mississippi
Missouri
North Dakota
South Carolina
South Dakota
West Virginia

Step 5: Pursue Board Certification

Becoming board-certified isn't a requirement to practice as a child psychologist, but it comes with many benefits.

Some employers require that their psychologists are certified. Additionally, certification proves that you meet the quality, education, and experience requirements of the board.

The American Board of Professional Psychology is the board that certifies psychologists in the United States.

Child psychologists are certified through their member board, the American Board of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (ABCCAP). Certification requires passing an exam.

Start Your Journey in Child Psychology Today

Becoming a child psychologist requires many years of schooling and experience. Start your journey today by contacting Learn.org for more information.