Question

I feel totally lost right now. I am a senior psychology undergrad and i have been looking at grad schools for a while now. My original plan was to go for my MA in Clinical Psychology but I've been reading on a lot of university websites that their Masters programs aren't designed for licensure, they're designed for students to get the basics and go on to pursue a doctoral degree, but they offer masters in counseling psychology and they say that students who want to be licensed and not pursue a doctorate should go for counseling. But i don't want to do counseling, i want to do clinical. Ive read that the differences between counseling and clinical psychologists is that counselors deal with patients who are generally healthy but have problems like at work or in the family and things that that, and clinical psychologists deal with the more mentally ill (schizophrenia, bipolar, depression, etc) and that's what i want to do. And i don't really think i want a doctorate. I remember my research professor, who is also my adviser, saying that people with a masters degree in clinical psychology can make just as much money as someone with a PhD or PsyD, so i was thinking, hey, why kill myself for 5-7 years trying to get a doctoral degree when i can make just as much money with a 2 year masters degree. But every school i look at either only offers a doctoral degree, or a masters that doesn't even make you eligible for licensing, and I'm just thinking, what is the point then? I would go for my doctorate but i just know you have to be really passionate about the field to succeed in that program and at this point in my life I'm still trying to figure out what I'm passionate about. I think im passionate enough to go for a masters, but i don't know about a doctorate, especially when i think about spending 5-7 years on getting the degree. My main concern is being financially secure (like maybe 60-70k a year) and i just want a degree that can get me a job that provides that. Also i read on this site someone saying that it takes an additional 8 years to get licensed after you get your masters. If that's the case then i suppose i might as well go for my doctorate. I don't want to waste time. Any advice?

Answer 1

Your dilemma is a common one. I have a couple of thoughts:

A) you are right that some masters programs in clinical psychology don't allow one to get licensed. Have you looked into MSW programs? The social work masters is the most versatile and marketable of all the Masters degrees and will allow you to practice after completing 3,000 hours. it is 2 years of graduate school only, but then you need to accrue 3,000 hours in order to take a licensing exam. Every masters program will be this way. There is no quick road.

2) Many degrees in the mental health field don't provide for a financially secure income. You may not earn more money with a doctorate as well. Social workers, however, have starting salaries of about 30-40K.

3) I would advice you against the PhD and PsyD since you are still unsure what you are passionate about. The doctorate is a huge investment in time and money and would be extremely painful if you were not very committed. The PhD/PsyD in clinical psychology requires 5-7 years of full-time graduate study-- longer than medical school. You will also have to complete a dissertation, which may take 2-3 years plus from start to finish, finish coursework, apply for internship, pass comprehensive exams, accrue 3,000 hours, take and pass the licensure exam. This takes about 8 years from start to finish and can cost 200,000 in loans if your program is not funded.