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Psychology Degrees - Psychologist Training

If you love the way the mind works, have a desire to help people with emotional problems, or simply want to teach people about the history of psychiatric breakthroughs, consider pursuing a psychology degree.

Colleges, universities, and dedicated schools offer certificates, undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology. Depending on the career that's right for you, one or more of these psychology degrees will prepare you to enter the field.

Psychologists Enjoy a Wide Range of Career Choices

Most people with psychology degrees work as clinical psychologists, either in private practice or with counseling centers, clinics, and hospitals. They assist individuals, families, or couples with mental or emotional issues including loss, divorce, chronic pain or addictions, and more.

School psychologists work with elementary or secondary school students who have learning disabilities, addictions, or emotional problems. Research psychologists work in university or laboratory institutions and conduct studies on cognitive learning, depression, and mental disorders.

You'll need a master's or PhD psychology degree for many of the individual or institutional practice positions. The doctorate is required for psychology teaching positions at major colleges and universities. A bachelor's degree or certificate can qualify you to assist psychologists in community health or vocational rehabilitation centers.

The Job Outlook is Good

Approximately 140,000 people held psychology related jobs in 2002. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), positions for trained psychologists and therapists should grow faster than the national average for other occupations through 2012.

The BLS predicts that the greatest number of new psychology jobs during the decade will open for persons trained to work as school psychologists, and aggressive growth predicted to occur in family counseling and chemical dependency fields.