Majors for an Aspiring Child Psychiatrist
Child psychiatrists are licensed medical doctors who analyze and treat emotional and mental health issues in children. Majors in hard sciences and psychology can help prepare you for this career. Read on to learn more about specific courses and online options.
What Majors Will Prepare Me To Become a Child Psychiatrist?
You will need to complete medical school in order to become a child psychiatrist. Medical schools require that you complete a 4-year degree prior to beginning your graduate study. While an undergraduate, you can pursue numerous majors that provide training relevant for study in psychiatry. These include psychology, biology and chemistry.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Possible Majors</b></td><td> Biology, chemistry, psychology</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Common Courses</b></td><td> General chemistry, organic chemistry, biology</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Online Options</b></td><td> Bachelor's programs in psychology available online</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Career Requirements</b></td><td> Medical school with residency focused on child psychiatry, state licensure</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary (2021)</b></td><td> $223,000 (<i>for all child psychiatrists</i>)*</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Outlook (2019-2029)</b></td><td> 12% growth (<i>for all psychiatrists</i>)**</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Sources: *PayScale.com, **U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCoursesShouldITake">What Courses Should I Take?</h3><p>It will be important that you take undergraduate courses that prepare you for admission into medical school. Most medical schools will require you to take two years of chemistry, including general and organic chemistry. You will likely also need biology and physics. All of these sciences must be taken with both lectures and labs.
</p><p>If you major in a science, such as biology or chemistry, these classes will likely be a requirement for your bachelor's degree. If you major in psychology or another field, you may need to take these courses as electives in addition to your general requirements.
</p><h3 id="section---AreAnyOfTheseDegreesAvailableOnline">Are Any of These Degrees Available Online?</h3><p>You can earn a bachelor's degree in psychology through online study. Online programs offer courses identical to what you would take in a campus-based program, though with increased flexibility. In these online programs, you utilize an online classroom platform, such as Blackboard, to watch recorded lectures, receive and submit assignments, communicate with faculty and participate in message board discussions with fellow students.
</p><p>Most general science majors, such as biology and chemistry, cannot be pursued entirely online. However, you may be able to complete select coursework through an online program that is transferable to a campus-based program. It is important to note that very few online colleges offer the lab-based science coursework required by many medical schools for admission. However, you may be able to complete this coursework at a local college, regardless of your bachelor's degree program, to fulfill these requirements.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatWillINeedToBeginMyCareer">What Will I Need To Begin My Career?</h3><p>After completing your undergraduate career, you can enroll in medical school. This typically consists of four years of study followed by internship and residency requirements. Throughout much of your graduate study, you will learn general medical education. It will be during your residency that you can specialize in child psychiatry, gaining experience in a supervised setting. You will then need to earn a psychiatry license in order to practice, a requirement shared by all states.</p>