How to Become a Psychologist: A Step by Step Guide

Did you know that the average psychologist makes more than eighty thousand dollars a year?

Not only is it profitable to be a psychologist, but it is also an extremely rewarding profession. The problem is that it can be hard to know how to become a psychologist. Not only does it require that you earn various degrees, but you also need to do things such as obtain licensure.

The good news is that it’s possible for you to become a psychologist if you take the right steps and get the right training. If you want to find out how to do it, read on and we’ll tell you.

What Does a Psychologist Do?

If you become a psychologist, your role will be to make sense of human thought patterns, emotions, and behaviors. This will help you to determine the state of their mental health and to make diagnoses of the mental health conditions that they might have.

Psychologists usually collaborate with other healthcare professionals. This includes doctors, nurses, and social workers in order to offer comprehensive care. Some psychologists offer counseling to their patients (either in person or online).. Others perform experiments on their patients within a research setting. How Much Should You Expect to Make as a Psychologist?

It is hard to say what you should expect to make as a psychologist. The reason for this is that your pay will depend on how much education and experience you have. Your pay will also depend on your specialty, and on what kinds of certifications you have.

Lastly, geography has a lot to do with how much psychologists get paid. If you live in a rural area, you should expect to make less than if you live in an urban area such as Los Angeles.

Despite the fact that many psychologists earn an hourly wage through freelance work and by offering consultations, the majority of psychologists receive an annual salary.

The average salary for those with psychology jobs is somewhere around eighty thousand dollars a year. The minimum salary is around fifty thousand dollars and the maximum salary can be as high as two hundred thousand dollars a year.

How To Become a Psychologist 

There is a huge amount of training that you need in order to become a psychologist. You need to at least have a doctorate. In most situations, you’ll also need to have various kinds of clinical training, certifications, and practice licensing.

Get Your Bachelor’s Degree

Even though it’s not necessary for you to get your bachelor’s degree in psychology, it can be helpful. But there are many people who choose instead a major within the social sciences. You’ll be more prepared for your future career if you choose courses within the sciences such as biology, psychology, and chemistry.

You should try to familiarize yourself with important skills such as scientific research methods. Those who major in psychology can earn a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree or a Bachelor of Sciences (BS) degree.

Also read: How to become a topper from an average student?

Get Your Master’s Degree

Though it is necessary for you to earn your master’s degree in order to pursue a career as a psychologist, you don’t always need to choose psychology or a related field. Doctorate programs do sometimes accept students from a wide range of educational backgrounds.

The coursework for your master’s degree should take two or three years. If you do enroll in a program for psychology, behavior science, or similar fields, you’ll have a better opportunity to take part in research projects.

If you’re looking for a program that you can take at your own pace from the comfort of your home, California Coast University offers bachelor’s and master’s programs in psychology. You can discover more here about their programs which offer low-cost interest-free payment plans.

Get Practical Experience

If you’re serious about pursuing this career, you should proactively search for opportunities to get experience. You might consider applying for internships, mentorships within a clinical environment, or volunteering.

Not only will these kinds of experiences help you understand what type of psychology is most interesting to you, but they will also be helpful for opening doorways to new future opportunities.

Get Your Doctorate Degree

There are two types of doctorate programs in psychology: Ph.D. and Psy.D. If you are interested in doing research and gathering data, you should pursue a Ph.D. If you want to open your own psychology practice, consider pursuing a Psy.D.

You should also keep in mind that doctorate programs are extremely competitive. Most of them only accept a few students. If you want to prepare the best possible application, you should pursue a specialization, get involved with internships, volunteer, and make sure you have a great GPA.

Complete Your Clinical Training

Each state has requirements for clinical training and internship hours. In order to find out what these requirements are, be sure to check with your state board of psychology, or research what the requirements are for you to practice in y our state.

Pass the National Psychology Exam

Those who have psychology careers need to pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology. This two-part exam has many multiple-choice questions to test things such as research methodology, ethical practice in psychology, and competence.

Start Pursuing Your Dreams Today

If you are just getting started in figuring out how to become a psychologist, remember that it is a long road ahead. Make sure that psychology is a field that you truly love. Remember to focus on the small steps, such as volunteering and finding internships.

If you want to find out more about earning advanced degrees and certifications, don’t forget to check out the Education section of our website. Here we publish many important articles on this topic.