What Education Do I Need to Become a Psychologist?
Psychologist education typically includes both undergraduate- and graduate-level education. Those wondering how to become a psychologist can learn about the educational requirements at each postsecondary level, as well as licensure requirements.
What Are the Educational Requirements for a Psychologist?
Most psychologists are required to have a doctoral degree in psychology, but some areas of the field, such as industrial-organizational (I/O) psychology and school psychology, may only require a master's degree. In general, these degree programs help prepare aspiring psychologists for licensure and commonly include hands-on training in the field. Many psychology degree programs are available in online formats, including online accelerated psychology degree programs. Learn more about some of the psychology education options below.
Undergraduate Psychologist Education
Aspiring psychologists typically need to begin their education with a bachelor's degree in psychology. These programs are usually 4 years in length and may be available as a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree. Some of these programs may conclude with a thesis or capstone experience and many offer concentrations such as forensic psychology or workplace psychology. Bachelor's programs in psychology are commonly available online and may include coursework in topics like:
- Behavior analysis
- Abnormal psychology
- Cross-cultural psychology
- Statistics
- Psychology
Graduate Psychologist Education
Although some undergraduate programs may offer different concentrations, aspiring psychologists begin to really specialize at the graduate level. For example, there are graduate schools with criminal psychology programs, school psychology programs, and more.
At the master's level, students can most commonly pursue a Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Science (MS) degree in psychology or a specific area of psychology. These programs are often available online and typically include research opportunities and/or a final project or capstone experience. While some master's programs can be a terminal degree for a career, master's degree programs can also be used as preparation for a doctoral degree in the field.
Aspiring psychologists typically need to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychology or a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) degree. These degree programs may take anywhere from 4 to 6 years to complete and some may accept students with only a bachelor's degree. Most of these programs include a practicum experience and/or other hands-on learning experiences and training. Some coursework may be available online and these programs typically offer a variety of concentration areas in psychology, such as:
- Clinical
- Brain, behavior, and cognition
- Developmental
- Social
- Behavioral neuroscience
- Quantitative
How to Become a Psychologist
Other psychologist requirements include training and licensure. After completing a graduate program in psychology, most psychologists must complete an internship experience in their field to gain the necessary experience and training required for state licensure. The required number of hours for these internships is dependent on the state. Clinical and counseling psychologists may need additional work experience in a supervised setting.
Licensure requirements vary by state, but typically require continuing education to maintain licensure. Students may also pursue certification in a particular area of specialization from the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) or other professional organizations. The ABPP offers certifications for those wishing to become child psychologists, counseling psychologists, forensic psychologists, and more. ABPP certifications are also available at different career levels, such as Early Career Psychologist and Senior, which is reserved for psychologists who have been licensed for 15 years or more.
Psychologist Salary
As of May 2018, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that psychologists made a median annual salary of $79,010. This salary varies based on specialty areas and industry. For example, I/O psychologists made a median annual salary of $97,260 in 2018 and clinical, counseling, and school psychologists made a median annual salary of $76,990.