A Clinical Psychology Degree is ideal for those wanting to work in the mental health field assessing, diagnosing, and treating a wide variety of mental disorders and illnesses. Clinical psychology degree programs provide instruction on a variety of severe mental health problems, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and phobias. Students learn about the advanced aspects of psychological work in numerous areas, including evaluation, intervention, and research. Course topics commonly include clinical psychopathology, behavioral assessment, psychobiology, cognitive-behavioral therapy, social bases of behavior, and psychopharmacology. Many programs require internship or practicum components and doctoral programs require a lengthy dissertation. Many programs enable students to select a specialty, like certain mental health conditions including depression or addiction, or focusing on a specific group, like children, families, or the elderly. Students who complete this degree are prepared to work in many different settings, such as mental health facilities, hospitals, schools, and private practices. Those who complete doctoral programs are prepared to take the licensing examination to become licensed in the state their intend to practice. The benefits of a clinical psychology degree include gaining the satisfaction of working with individuals suffering from mental illness and helping them overcome their difficulties to live more fulfilling lives.
How To Find The Top Clinical Psychology Degree Programs
When looking for the best Clinical Psychology Degree programs, certain factors can help students make a good decision on choosing which school to attend. Making sure an institution is accredited is one of the most important aspects because accreditation demonstrates that a school offers high quality educational programs. A school’s ranking is also useful as it shows how it stands up against other colleges and universities. Other valuable aspects to consider include course options, tuition rates, financial aid programs, retention rate, and academic resources available to students.
Schools that offer the top clinical psychology programs include the University of Wisconsin, the University of California, and the University of Minnesota. The University of Wisconsin offers a doctoral program that emphasizes research and mentor-based clinical research education. Students team up with faculty mentors to complete clinical psychology research tasks. The University of California offers a doctoral program and students have the ability to specialize in 11 areas, such as psychopathology, behavioral medicine, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and cross-cultural mental health research. The University of Minnesota offers an integrated program in both adult and child clinical psychology. The program includes clinical research, a practicum, and an internship. In addition to the top campus-based programs, one of the best online Clinical Psychology Degree programs is offered by Walden University.
Careers and Salaries For Individuals With A Clinical Psychology Degree
There are myriad Clinical Psychology Degree careers for those who complete these programs. Clinical psychologists, neuropsychologists, and health psychologists are examples of possible job options.
Clinical psychologists evaluate, diagnose, and use a variety of treatment methods for people suffering from various mental illnesses. Their goal is to help people with a large range of conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and irrational thoughts. Neuropsychologists specialize in brain-behavior relationships and evaluate how an individual’s brain is functioning to determine how normal brain processes are changed and how it will affect the life of the individual. Health psychologists focus on how health and illness is influenced by many different psychological and genetic aspects.
Clinical Psychology Degree salaries differ depending on various factors, such as location, employer, and benefits. Generally, the average annual salary for clinical psychologists is around $65,000; neuropsychologists $90,000; and health psychologists $63,000.
A Clinical Psychology Degree is a great educational program for students seeking a rewarding career helping individuals with mental health conditions and using a variety of methods to help improve their lives.
Additional Resource: Top 10 Best Online Masters in Psychology Degree Programs