Online Health Psychology Degree Programs

<p>Health psychology programs are often offered as a specialization within the general psychology field. Master's and doctoral degree programs are the most common online health psychology degree programs. Master' degree programs usually award students with a Master of Science or Master of Arts in Health Psychology, while doctoral programs generally award a Doctor of Philosophy in Health Psychology. It is also important to make sure the online program meets licensing requirements for the career and state you wish to work in before enrolling. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td><b>Degree Levels</b></td><td> Degrees in health psychology are typically offered at the master's or Ph.D. level</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Online Availability</b></td><td> Master's degrees can be completed online; doctoral programs can be partially completed online.</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Common Courses</b></td><td> Social psychology, stress and mental health, nutrition and wellness, neuropsychology, influence of personality on health</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Career Possibilities</b></td><td> Health consultant, behavior specialist, health psychologist, professor</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Job Outlook (2019-2029)</b></td><td> 3% growth (<i>for all clinical, counseling, and school psychologists</i>)*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---CanIEarnMyDegreeCompletelyOnline">Can I Earn My Degree Completely Online?</h3> <p>Online doctoral degree programs in health psychology often require multiple residencies throughout the program length, meaning that these programs are usually not available entirely though distance learning. Some programs require you to spend up to one year in residency, while others might require only a few weekends of your time each academic year. The residencies will allow you to interact with patients and receive guidance from faculty members and experienced psychologists. Tests and assignments during the rest of the program usually can be performed online, and you can keep in contact with teachers and other students through e-mail or, in some cases, telephone. </p> <p>If you wish to earn your master's degree in health psychology, there are programs available entirely online. Discussion boards often keep you in contact with other students, while chat rooms can allow teachers to hold synchronized lectures. Many master's degree programs end in a comprehensive exam that can be administered and taken online, while some programs end in a capstone project or thesis paper that must propose a solution to a research-related question. </p> <p>Online technology requirements for master's and doctoral degree programs often include an updated antivirus software program and broadband Internet connection. Some programs also require students to have a microphone and web camera for class discussions. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatClassesWillITake">What Classes Will I Take?</h3> <p>Health psychology is an interdisciplinary field that looks at the impact of health factors like nutrition, stress and exercise on people's mental well being. Health psychology coursework does not vary too widely between master's and doctoral degree programs. Master's degree programs usually begin by covering core psychology subjects, then transition into more specific health topics like illness, diet and addiction. Particular attention is paid to how psychology can influence people's behaviors and how students can coach patients towards better lifestyle and health choices. Subjects covered in the master's degree program can include: </p> <ul><li>Nutrition and wellness </li><li>Social psychology </li><li>Health coaching </li><li>Stress and mental health </li><li>Reasons behind human behavior </li></ul><p>Doctoral degree programs require you to conduct more advanced research on various health psychology topics and might even require laboratory work with psychology professionals. The coursework for the second half of the doctoral program usually allows you to choose a health psychology query that you wish to base a dissertation on. You typically can investigate the subject independently and receive input from faculty members online or in-person. You must then successfully defend your dissertation during the final portion of the program. Common health psychology class topics for the doctoral degree program include: </p> <ul><li>Multicultural perspectives on health </li><li>Neuropsychology </li><li>Influence of personality on health </li><li>Dissertation research </li></ul><h3 id="section---WhatCanIDoWithAHealthPsychologyGraduateDegree">What Can I Do with a Health Psychology Graduate Degree?</h3> <p>With a graduate degree in health psychology, you can work in the health care and wellness fields at hospitals, private companies, government agencies and fitness centers. A master's degree program can prepare you to become a health consultant or behavior specialist. </p> <p>Health consultants often help companies and organizations provide better nutrition and wellness knowledge to their employees. <i>PayScale.com</i> reported that health and safety consultants made a median salary of $72,000 in 2021. You also can find work as a behavior specialist, which is a field related to health consulting. Behavior specialists find ways to encourage positive behaviors among employees, students or patients. According to <i>PayScale.com</i>, applied behavior specialists earned a median annual income of $42,000 in 2021. </p> <p>With your doctoral degree, you can become a health psychologist working in education, clinical counseling or consulting for government agencies. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), counseling psychology candidates usually must hold their doctoral degree, complete an internship, pass an examination and gain professional experience to receive licensure. Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists earned a median salary of $79,820 per year in 2020. You also can enter postsecondary teaching and research with your doctoral degree. The BLS stated that postsecondary psychology teachers made a median yearly wage of $78,180 in 2020.</p>