DOCTORATE DEGREES IN PSYCHOLOGY
A doctorate in psychology may position you for many careers you can’t access without one. Above all, in ones like clinical, counseling and school psychology. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand in these fields is on an uptick, with 14% more jobs forecast for 2028. That said, there are two doctorate degree in psychology programs to consider. One is a PhD in psychology, and the other, a Doctor of Psychology or PsyD. Below is a brief description of what to expect from a PhD vs PsyD. Keep your goals and interests in mind as you weigh these options.
WHAT IS A DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PHD) IN PSYCHOLOGY?
A PhD is a Doctor of Philosophy and by definition, a research degree. As such, it is less of a “hands on” approach to psychology, and more academic.
The name for this type of training is the ‘scientist practitioner model’. Instead of clinical work, it stresses inquiry, statistics, testing and data. This makes many PhD in psychology programs both broad and deep. Broad because they cover a wide range of theories and research methods. And deep because you anchor your program in a research interest.
As you learn how to design experiments, there other things you might study too. Such as, the various ways to collect data, analyze it and present your findings in a clear, scientific way. To this point, a PhD caps with a dissertation in which you submit an original theory. You must also defend your paper to colleagues and teachers (with lots of evidence).
As you might guess, a PhD tends to build expertise in analysis which may be useful in specific careers. Like researcher, educator, consultant and program evaluator.
Since there are many areas to investigate, as a prospective PhD student, you want to identify yours. When you do, it can help you find programs where the faculty shares your ambitions. Like PTSD, forensics, couples, addicts etc.
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