Psychology is the science of nature, functions, and phenomena of the human soul and mind. It can also be defined as the science of nature, functions, human behavior, and mental experience. This discipline has different studies and special areas, including child, counseling, clinical, developmental, experimental, and forensic psychology. Each deals with a certain issue and a group of people. Psychology is a broad field that offers various career opportunities for students.
Child Psychologist
A child psychologist is a specialist with knowledge and expertise in dealing with children and adolescents. The study assesses and treats biological, psychological, and social problems for young people. It also helps children cope with stress issues such as loss of loved ones, divorce, school-based harassment and bullying, disabilities, and mental issues. They work in hospitals, children's welfare agencies, or private practice in their consultation offices. A person can also practice child psychologist in universities and colleges.
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According to the American Psychological Association, a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, a one-year internship, and an additional year postgraduate experience under supervision are some of the requisite education and training requirements for one to be an accredited child psychologist ("American Psychological Association (APA)", 2020) . Additionally, the graduate should be a member of the American Board of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, submit a practice sample, and do an oral exam as licensing requirements. According to the American Bureau of Labour statistics (2015), their median annual salary was 81,331 dollars, and the career outlook was expected to grow at a rate of 19 percent. In terms of job outlook, child psychology will likely grow at 15% from 2018 to 2028. This is slightly above the rate of the entire field.
I would be interested in studying child psychology as a career. The first reason for this decision is the passion for working with children. It would be a good opportunity to study how they develop in cognitive terms. Secondly, this career offers one of the remunerations in the field of psychology. This benefit allows for better personal and career growth.
Counseling Psychologist
A counseling psychologist is a healthcare practitioner with expertise and knowledge in dealing with human function and behavior for all age groups. They address emotional, social, work, school, and physical health issues to help their clients overcome stressful feelings. In this counseling process, they assess, diagnose, and treat severe trauma and depression symptoms. They work in hospitals, NGOs, rehabilitation centers, Business Organisations, colleges, and private practice. Their educational background involves a doctoral or degree level training and a supervised postgraduate internship.
The licensure requirements are similar to those of a child psychologist. In 2018, the Bureau of Labour Statistics estimated the median annual salary of counseling psychologists at $85340 annually. In terms of licensing, one requires a doctorate, supervised work, and a written test. However, this requirement depends on the state one is operating. Lastly, counseling psychology will likely grow at a rate of 14 percent by 2026.
I would not select counseling psychology for two reasons. First, there is high confusion between it and general counseling. Many people may fail to differentiate between the two. Secondly, counseling psychology does not offer more career growth. The career is too general as compared to other subfields in psychology.
Clinical Psychology
A clinical psychologist is an expert who specializes in studying, observing, or carrying out an experiment on them with a view of promoting a change in human psychology. He/she deals with complex issues, including the scope of mental, behavioral, and emotional disorders using clinical procedures. Clinical psychologists mostly work in hospitals, community health teams, and health centers. In terms of salaries, those experts earn around 70,580 dollars per year. However, the amount may vary depending on the location, specialization, and the experience one has.
To qualify as a clinical psychologist, one needs to undertake a doctoral degree. This course involves extensive research projects, mandatory internship, and practicum sessions. To acquire a license in this field, he/she must have attained a doctoral degree, undergo a test, and supervised clinical work. In terms of career outlook, clinical psychology has the potential of growing at a rate of 15% annually. This projection occurs due to the rise in the number of people reporting mental cases in various health facilities across the country.
Clinical psychology would be of no interest to me due to various reasons. First, the academic qualifications for the course are much higher as compared to other classes of psychology. It means that I would be spending a lot of time undertaking more theoretical studies that practical work. Secondly, clinical psychology might pose a challenge to patient care as some might mix clinical issues with the psychological disorder, thus bringing confusion. This mix up can result in the wrong treatment as it would be hard to specify the type of symptoms to treat.
Developmental Psychologists
Developmental psychologists concentrate on human growth and development, emphasizing the cognitive, physical, intellectual, and social changes that occur during those processes. Most of those specialists tend to work in colleges and universities concentrating on teaching and researches. Some developmental psychologists may offer their services in clinics and healthcare facilities with a view of assessing, evaluating, and treating patients having developmental issues. Salaries for many developmental psychologists range between 69,000 to 91,000 dollars. However, there is a smaller percentage of specialists in this subfield who earn around $100,000 annually.
Like other psychology branches, salary for anyone working in this subfield depends on the location, job experience, and work setting. For one to qualify for developmental psychology, he/she needs to enroll for a doctoral degree ("American Psychological Association (APA)", 2020) . It comes after the person has attained an undergraduate and master's degree in psychology. To acquire a license, an individual needs to apply at the state level through a respective board. One must prove the academic qualification, work experience, and lastly, undergo an examination. In terms of career outlook, experts project the developmental psychology job growth to stand at 14 percent between 2016 and 2026. This figure is above the average of all subfields in psychology.
I prefer developmental psychology as a career subject in the future for various reasons. First, the career mostly deals with the growth and development of a child and young people. It has always been my interest to work with those age groups; thus, this subfield fitting me. Secondly, the career has better remuneration as compared to clinical psychology. It will be a good motivation for me to work hard to serve people.
Experimental Psychology
Experimental psychologists are experts who depend on scientific strategies in collecting data and analyzing it. They use this information to develop various theories that apply to the psychology field. There are various fields where experimental psychologists can work. They include research centers, universities, and private or government firms. A doctoral-level specialist in this subfield earns an annual salary of between 76,090 and 116,343 dollars.
The work setting greatly influences the salary figure, thus decreasing specialists working in research, faculty, or administration positions. For one to become an experimental psychologist, he/she needs to achieve certain academic qualifications ("Home : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics", 2020) . They include a bachelor's in psychology, strong mathematics skills, and a proven record in collecting and analyzing data. In terms of licensing, an experimental psychology trainee needs to attain necessary academic qualifications, extensive research, and practice for 3000 supervised hours. Lastly, experimental psychology is expected to grow at a rate of 14% from 2018 to 2028.
I prefer experimental psychology as a career in the future for various reasons. First, it contains different branches where one can specialize. They include administration, research, and faculty work. Secondly, experimental psychologists are responsible for data collection and analysis, thus developing certain theories in psychology. This reason forms my major interest in this field.
Forensic Psychologists
Forensic psychologists are experts who apply clinical specialties in the legal field. According to the American Psychology Association, those specialists use clinical psychology to solve forensic issues. Forensic psychologists work in the legal system like the judiciary and law enforcement agencies. According to the U.S Bureau of Labour Statistics, experts in this subfield earn around 77,030 dollars per year. However, the figure can change depending on work experience and location.
A forensic psychologist needs to acquire a bachelor's degree and masters in psychology before enrolling for a doctorate. However, one does not have a bachelor's degree in psychology to advance to this subfield's next education stage. All three levels of education in this field require a minimum of four years for one to qualify. In terms of licensing, a forensic psychologist trainee needs to have a doctorate, undergo supervised practice hours, and finally, a compulsory board exam ("American Psychological Association (APA)", 2020) . Lastly, in terms of career outlook, forensic psychology will grow at a rate of 19% from 2014 to 2024.
I would choose forensic psychology in the future for two main reasons. First, one does not need to acquire a bachelor's in psychology to qualify for masters in this subfield. Therefore, one can acquire knowledge from another field and combine it with forensic psychology for better competence. Secondly, the main duty of specialists in this subfield include solving major crimes using psychological skills. This work has always been one of my major interests.
Industrial-organizational Psychologists
Industrial or organizational psychology is a career that specializes in human behavior in the workplace or an organization. It focuses on deriving certain theories on a person, a group, or an organization's traits to solve common issues in such places. Industrial psychologists apply their skills in all industries, including commerce, manufacturing, healthcare, and labor unions. This career's salary is approximately $81,000 per year but can rise to $100,000 annually depending on the location and work experience ("Home : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics", 2020) . To become a specialist in this subfield, he/she must have a bachelor's degree in psychology with an option of advancing to master’s and doctorate.
To be licensed as an industrial and organizational psychologist, he/she must fulfill certain requirements. They include obtaining a Ph.D. or doctorate, supervised for a certain period, and oral and written examination from the regulatory body. Those requirements are common in the United States and certain regions in Canada. In terms of job outlook, industrial and organizational psychology will likely grow at eight percent from 2016 to 2026. This figure is below the overall growth of the entire field.
Industrial and organizational psychology would be of interest to me for reasons. The first motivation involves the area of operation, which includes various workplaces. Knowing the behaviors of people in organizations helps one develop the right strategies for handling workers. Secondly, the salary of an industrial and organizational psychologist is one of the best in psychology. This benefit helps in personal development on top of career growth.
Health Psychologist
A health psychologist is a specialist whose main duties include diagnosing and treating an illness affecting a patient's bodily and mental well-being. He/she uses intervention and continuous therapy to treat the condition. The main areas of operation for health psychologists include hospitals, healthcare facilities, clinics, and learning institutions. In terms of remuneration, a qualified specialist in this subfield earn an average salary of 80,000 dollars per year. However, the amount can change depending on work experience and location.
To qualify for health psychology, a person must attain a doctoral degree, which takes five years to complete. A health psychologist has to fulfill certain requirements to get a license depending on the state. The most common requirements include a graduate degree, a doctorate, and a supervised test. In terms of job outlook, health psychology will likely grow at 14 percent from 2018 to 2028. This figure corresponds to the projection of the entire psychology field.
I would not select health psychology as a career in the future for two reasons. First, there is great confusion between this course and psychiatry. Some of the duties of a health psychologist relate to those of a psychiatrist. Secondly, as a specialist in this subfield operates in a hospital, confusion might occur in diagnosis and treatment. This situation occurs as a result of some patients confusing some symptoms of mental illness.
Neuropsychologist
Neuropsychologists are specialists who specialize in understanding how the brain works in terms of coordinating human behavior. They focus on illnesses or injuries that occur in the brain and their effect on cognitive functions. Neurologists’ main duties include carrying out mental tests with a view of developing strategies to manage, treat, and rehabilitate the cognitive impaired person. Their job locations include hospitals, clinics, and universities. To become a neuropsychologist, he/she must acquire a bachelor's degree, masters, and a doctorate in the field of psychology.
In terms of licensing, a neuropsychologist must have the minimum education requirements, undergo written examination, and finally, a supervised work for a certain period. A specialist in this subfield earns an annual salary of around 94,100 dollars ("Home : Occupational Outlook Handbook: : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics", 2020) . Like other careers in the psychology field, this amount is greatly dependent on the number of years one has worked and the area of operation. In terms of job outlook, the U.S Bureau of Labour Statistics expects neuropsychology to grow at 11% from 2014 to 2024. This rate is below the projected one for the entire field of psychology.
I would choose neuropsychology as a career in the future as it offers some of the best opportunities and benefits. First, its remuneration is one of the best in the field of psychology. The salary can rise to 185,200 dollars, depending on the years of service. Secondly, neuropsychology is a broader subfield as compared to others. This feature offers one an opportunity to advance to different areas within the same career.
School Psychologist
As a career, school psychology involves dealing with young people, families, and the entire schooling process. Specialists in this subfield intervene at a personal and organizational level and formulate certain programs that encourage children and youth's positive learning experience. The main locations of operation for school psychologists are the learning institutions. According to the U.S Bureau of Labour Statistics, a specialist in this career earns around $75,890 per year. The figure can be higher or lower depending on the location and one’s experience.
A person needs to acquire a minimum of a graduate degree to operate as a school psychologist. However, one can advance to masters and doctorate for more skills. In terms of licensing, one needs to have a bachelor's degree and undergo 1200 hours of supervised work. Lastly, the U.S Bureau of Labour Statistics projects school psychology at 11 percent from 2012 to 2022. This figure is lower than the overall percentage for the entire field.
I would choose school psychology as a career in the future for two reasons. First, it deals with the young population. This factor will work well with me as I belong in this category. Secondly, one does not require a doctorate to start practicing school psychology. Therefore, it is possible to commence once one has acquired a graduate degree.
Social Psychologist
A social psychologist is a specialist who studies how human behavior and personality are affected by interactions and societal influence. They research human behavior and manipulate the information learned to create solutions to problems. The research may be based on a certain group of people or individuals and how they behave to the social surrounding ("American Psychological Association (APA)", 2020) . Through this research, the causative agents of social issues, such as stereotyping a group of people, prejudgements, and the identity with a certain group of people, are addressed. They work in hospitals, as social psychology researchers, business organizations to analyze consumer behavior and its impact on productivity or teaching social psychology in colleges.
According to the American Psychological Association, one needs a bachelor's or doctoral degree in general psychology to become a social psychologist. Additionally, the graduate should have postgraduate practice in social psychology and pass a licensure exam to obtain a social psychologist license. According to the American Bureau of Labour statistics (2015), their median annual salary was 85,000 dollars. The career outlook was expected to grow at a rate of 14 percent. This growth is due to the expected increase in demand for social psychologists to work in various areas to address social issues.
I would be interested in pursuing social psychology as a career in psychology. The first reason is that I am passionate about human interactions and behavior. Therefore, I would want to discover the various types of personalities among individuals and how they are influenced by the environment they encounter. I also wish to apply the knowledge to create a peaceful world through conflict resolution techniques and addressing social norms such as prejudice and civil wars. I believe the world would be a better place to live if we respected each other and related harmoniously despite their tribe, religion, political or social affiliation.
Sports Psychologist
A sport psychologist is a professional with expertise and knowledge in dealing with athletes through counseling, coaching, training, and inspiring them to achieve their goals. They study human reactions in sports, physical exercise, and competition, which they apply in coaching and counseling individuals in sports. They assist athletes in overcoming nervousness, fear, and injuries. They may also diagnose mental health issues in athletes and provide appropriate therapy to them. They mainly offer psychological support in the field, counseling injured athletes in rehabilitation centers, schools, and private consultation.
Their educational background involves a doctoral degree in sport psychology. This qualification must be topped up with thorough training in kinesiology, human physiology, and sports medicine. The graduate must fulfill the American Board of Sports Psychology (ABSP) requirements to obtain a license. These requirements include completing the postgraduate ABSP training program, approved practical assessment and counseling of athletes, and presentation of a final project to ABSP. Their median salary was estimated at 95,610 dollars, and their career outlook is projected to grow by 14 percent due to increased demand for psychologists in the sports sector.
Sports psychology is an area I would be interested in pursuing as a career. I have always been a sports nerd despite my lack of physical prowess in sports. Therefore, I would be so excited to offer athletes psychological support through therapy and motivate them to perform beyond their potential. Coaching through physical exercise programs and teaching them a healthy diet would also help me be physically fit and healthy. Therefore, combining my love for psychology and a chance to work with my passion for sports would be quite fulfilling.
Comparison between APA Website and the Outlook Handbook
The information about the above psychology areas is best illustrated in the APA website compared to the Outlook Handbook. For example, APA gives more elaborate information about the education and licensing requirements for the two specialties. The Outlook Handbook only gives information on remuneration. Therefore, it leaves a lot of information that might be useful to a student. The APA website also contains more updated information than the Outlook Handbook.
The APA website was the easiest to navigate as it gave straight forward information. For instance, when analyzing clinical psychology, one needs to search it on the website to know about the definition, salary, and outlook. On the Outlook Handbook, a person has to go to a specific field like arts, then psychology, and finally, the subfield. It is also easier to trust the APA website that the Outlook Handbook. This assumption is because it is written by psychologists and contains the latest news concerning the field.
Conclusion
Psychology is a broad subject that offers various career opportunities for students. Various subfields that deal with different issues and groups make this field. They include clinical, child, school, industrial, and forensic psychology. Each of these subfields has a different salary margin, outlook, and qualification. Therefore, proper evaluation of each is important when choosing a psychology career.
References
American Psychological Association (APA) . https://www.apa.org. (2020). Retrieved 12 September 2020, from https://www.apa.org/#.
Home: Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics . Bls.gov. (2020). Retrieved 12 September 2020, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
