A career in clinical psychology begins with the right education, in this case a master's in clinical psychology program, and ends with a huge variety of opportunities throughout many fields within the psychology sector. Clinical psychologists address the behavioral health, emotional health, and mental health issues of either children or adults. They may deal with patients with mental and emotional disorders and offer mental health counseling if they work as a licensed professional counselor in clinical practice. Clinical counseling will help those who have issues with their mental health or emotional disorders to live better lives overall. You could also pursue research or therapy career pathways, both of which include observing, assessing, analyzing, and customizing treatments. Some clinical psychologists will specialize in specific disorders, and some will focus on specific age ranges of patients or research subjects. Or, if you wish to earn a doctoral degree but work outside clinical mental health counseling, you may also teach psychology students in a college or university setting; this may include undergraduate and graduate students. You may teach in-class and online students who are looking to earn their own clinical psychology degrees about human behavior, professional practice, clinical mental health counseling, and more.
To become truly successful clinical psychologists, students must complete at least a doctoral degree. Many individuals will pursue their education one degree at a time while gaining invaluable experience in alternative clinical psychology positions until all degree requirements and clinical hours have been completed. These jobs vary greatly based on education but include social work, addiction counseling, school counselors, research assistants, consultants, family therapists, and more.
Many clinical psychologists have irregular hours unless they work in private practice. However, evenings and weekends are quite common for everyone. The type of work environment will depend entirely on the field of study of each individual such as medical facilities, hospitals, outpatient rehab centers, home office, nursing homes, schools, businesses, government agency buildings, patients’ homes, research labs, and many others.
Overview of a Degree in Clinical Psychology
What Can You Do with an Online Clinical Psychology Degree?
A clinical psychology degree opens numerous career possibilities. With such a degree, people can choose from psychology-based fields, research positions, and professorships. If an individual wishes to pursue the route of therapy, they can specialize in disorders, communities, and age ranges. Some people prefer to work with children, young people, families, adults, or within the geriatric classification. The same is true for specific disorders such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, PTSD, schizophrenia, dementia, personality disorders, and many others.
Or, you could choose to work as a professor, a researcher, or both. These individuals typically work at colleges and universities, for government agencies, in the private sector, or for other non-profits. Professors teach within a classroom, online, or a hybrid of both. Researchers typically work in a lab, in a clinical practice setting, at a hospital, and in other various locations. The courses one teaches and the clinical trials and studies in which one participates will often depend on the degree specialization.
Typical Online Clinical Psychology Degree Requirements
It’s possible to complete degrees in psychology and clinical psychology at all degree levels and in both undergraduate and graduate certificates. However, a doctorate in clinical psychology will be necessary to become a practicing psychologist. To reach this degree level, you will require a high school diploma or the equivalent to pursue either an online associate degree or a bachelor’s degree. Whether or not one requires an online master’s degree will depend upon the college or university and the clinical psychology program.
Some online doctorate programs in clinical psychology combine both an online master’s and a bachelor’s degree. Other PhD or PsyD programs will allow entry into the program with a bachelor’s degree and the appropriate prerequisite courses. At other higher learning institutions, a master’s degree or a graduate certificate will be necessary to apply for a doctorate degree in clinical psychology. Each state will have unique licensure and certification requirements, as well as supervised clinical hours for each doctoral candidate to complete.
Typical Clinical Psychology Certification Needs
Within clinical psychology, a variety of certifications can boost career prospects and skill development at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. It’s also important to understand that the completion of state licensure and clinical psychology certification will be necessary based on state regulations before one can become an official and legal practicing psychologist. These requirements will vary by state.
Undergraduate Certificates
Clinical psychology certificates at the undergraduate level are ideal for skill development, career development, specialization, and to meet graduate degree entrance requirements. These certificates can be offered through higher learning institutions or by professional clinical psychology organizations. A minimum GPA may be necessary to enter these certificate programs and a bachelor’s degree may be necessary, or simply a minimum number of college credits in psychology and specific clinical psychology courses.
The undergraduate certificates available vary, but include these:
- Alzheimer Caregiver Certification
- Thanatology: Death, Dying and Bereavement Certification
- Co-Occurring Disorders Specialist Certification
- Personal/Life Coach Certification
Graduate Certificates
At the online master’s degree and post-graduate certification level, clinical psychology certifications are designed for specialization, salary increases, promotions, and career shifts. Some graduate certificates may require a program participant to have completed licensure as part of continuing education and licensure renewal. Each individual will have a unique reason or requirement for completing certifications at this level. Many of these certifications are available online at this time.
The subject matter for graduates certificates will vary greatly and may include:
- Psychology Leadership
- Clinical Health
- Clinical Neuropsychology
- Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Geropsychology
- Rehabilitation Psychology/Psychoanalysis
- Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology
- Group Psychology
Academic Standards for a Clinical Psychology Degree
While becoming a practicing clinical psychologist may seem like a never-ending process, it will one day come to an end, and each new stage of the process is as important as the last. If one begins with an associate degree at a community college or online school, a high school GPA of 2.0 or higher will be necessary. Of course, this will depend on the school you attend.
For those pursuing a bachelor’s degree, the GPA requirements will typically be higher, such as a high school or associate degree GPA of 2.5 or higher. ACT or SAT requirements will also be established by the higher learning institution.
Once an individual is prepared to pursue a master’s degree, students must have respectable GPAs of 3.0 or higher and quite possibly be required to complete the GRE with a minimum requirement. Again, these standards vary by school. A formal thesis or a comprehensive exam may be necessary to complete these degrees successfully.
To gain entrance into doctoral programs that do not include both a master’s degree and a doctoral program, it will be essential to graduate from a college or university with regional accreditation. It will also be beneficial to graduate from an accredited master’s program. GPAs, certifications, professional organization memberships, and work experience are also influencing factors.
Exam/Experience Needed for an Online Clinical Psychology Degree?
To become a fully practicing clinical psychologist, each individual will be required to complete state licensure, clinical psychology certification, and between 3,000 and 6,000 hours of clinical work under authorized supervision. For any other non-psychology-related career, exams and experience will depend upon the degree level and job title. One may have to take the GRE exam. An internship may be necessary. And exams are also required to complete certain master’s degree programs.
Professional Clinical Psychology Organizations
AACP
American Academy of Clinical Psychology
The American Academy of Clinical Psychology unites professional psychologists to advance both standards of practice and quality of service.
SCP
Society of Clinical Psychology
The Society of Clinical Psychology features APA members in research, active practice, teaching, administration, and students. Approved students receive membership discounts.
APA
American Psychological Association
The American Psychological Association has over 120,000 members in a variety of psychology fields including education, consultancy, clinicians, and researchers. Students can also become members.
ABP
Association of Black Psychologists
The Association of Black Psychologists is a rapidly growing professional psychology organization featuring over 1,400 members. These professionals focus on social change and psychological assistance in black communities.