Child Psychology Career Paper

My entire life I have always been on the search of a career that would fit my persona, fit who I truly am, and to become someone who will constantly have the ability to help people through their difficult problems that they face. Throughout my life I have been deemed the type of person that people felt comfortable coming to with their problems. Maybe people feel this way because they sense that I have a sympathetic ear? Well, all I can say is that human behavior has always seemed interesting to me and that is probably why I made the decision to go down the psychology career pathway.

Before postgraduate work can be started, the student must receive a bachelor’s in psychology and fulfill the requirements listed for the psychology program they wish to enter. Once a bachelor’s degree is achieved, a psychology major has the choice of either obtaining their master's or their doctorate. When earning a master’s a student is accepted into the college of his or her choice, and usually completes the program within 2 years, or longer. If a master's is earned, the student may go on to become an assistant in a clinical setting underneath someone who has a doctorate in psychology, but they will not be able to do any high level of work. If a student chooses to obtain a doctorate they are again, accepted into the program of their choice, although admission is very competitive. Once accepted into the doctorate program the student serves about 2-4 years where they receive training and guidance in a hospital setting, but it all depends on the program they enter. Having a doctorate in psychology will open the doors for soon-to-be clinical psychologists, and offers a higher job title, certification, and higher pay. Whether a student chooses a master's or a doctorate, a large amount of psychology classes must be taken. More than likely when a student is an a doctorate program, they are required to fulfill a 1-2 year internal ship of professional experience, as cited from

The work setting varies for developmental psychologist. Some might work in the field of higher education, during research and in teaching positions. There are many that are employed by

Coursework along this path demands both education and psychology due to the nature of the work. There are mental health components and educational aspects. The masters degree in psychology requires at least two years of full-time graduate study and usually includes practical experience in an applied setting and a thesis based on personal research that is original. Getting accepted into graduate programs for psychology can be full of competition. School psychologists must meet credential and licensing requirements for individual states. These vary state by state. The licensing varies by type of position and is based on professional competence through training and experience. Some states require continuing education for renewal of licenses. According to Landrum and Davis (2009) “right now twenty-nine states recognize the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) designation on a national level” (p.73). Credentials transfer from state to state in this case and new credential exams do not have to be taken when moving from one of these states to another. Requirements for the NCSP include completion of sixty graduate semester hours in school psychology, a twelve hundred hour internship (six hundred hours in school setting), and a passing score on the National School Psychology exam.

The two careers I choose to look at are Child Psychology and Pediatric Dentistry. Based on the information taken from the Occupational Outlook Handbook located

There are many types of jobs you can choose from when it comes to psychology. One of the many interesting jobs there is is being a marriage and family therapist. A marriage and family therapist helps people manage and overcome problems with family and other relationships by asking questions that help clients understand their problems and develop strategies to improve their lives.

Like Daniel Goldstein once said, “Psychology, unlike chemistry, unlike algebra, unlike literature, is an owner's manual for your own mind. It's a guide to life. What could be more important than grounding young people in the scientific information that they need to live happy, healthy, productive lives? To have good relationships?”. Clinical psychologists use their findings to help improve processes and behaviors in humans. This career would be best for me because I have the strong communication skills needed, and I am ready to help people with short-term personal issues to severe, chronic conditions.

Psychologists with doctoral degrees (either a PhD, PsyD or EdD) receive one of the highest levels of education of all health care professionals, spending an average of seven years in education and training after they receive their undergraduate degrees.

More common disorders that might be treated include learning disabilities, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Education requirements in a psychology career for becoming a clinical psychologist require extensive training and education. In order to have a career as clinical psychologists, individuals have to have a Bachelor’s in psychology or clinical psychology. Other schooling is also usually necessary after the four year degree which includes earning a Master’s degree and Doctoral degree in clinical psychology. Clinical psychologist will have the option of practicing general clinical psychology or focusing on certain types of patients or disorders.

The field of psychology is so broad. Many people assume psychology is just counseling, and yes that is true but that is only a small part in the bigger world. It can be from counseling children and adults, to case workers, school teachers, researchers, animal advocates, and even working for corporate offices. There are so many opportunities nowadays for people with a psychology degree. First, I will present the life of an adolescent development researcher, then a forensic psychologist. Then, I will compare and contrast the two jobs. I will conclude with a personal application of my own interest and values with these two jobs.

The good news is that the degree is so applicable to so many professions, the opportunities are only limited by your creativity. One possible career with a BA in psychology can be in advertising. Specifically, a career as an advertising copywriter. according to the Society for human resource management inform, “The copywriter creates advertising copy to promote the sale of goods and services by presenting information in an appealing, informative, concise and easy-to-understand manner…” (“Copywriter,” n.d.) The job requires creativity, as you are creating original work, you must have the skill of persuasion, social perceptiveness, as your work must remain relevant, and lastly writing skills. (“Copywriter,” n.d.) Copy writers perform a variety of essential functions. I would be communicating with clients in order to understand how to best present their product. Then come the importance of familiarizing yourself with the product itself and reading/ analyzing technical information on new and existing products. There are also product meetings that must be attended and accurate file keeping must be kept of reference materials. You will also be asked to do various clerical work and assisting team leaders and fellow

Salaries for Clinical Psychologists nationally can range from $46,417 to $125,127 depending on experience and location. The average entrance level salary for a licensed Clinical Psychologist is $67,000 according to payscale.com. The states that offer the best salary and the most jobs in this field are New York and California. The cost of living in New York City is outrageous, even with a six figure salary, the best I could do to achieve the lifestyle I want would be a one or two bedroom apartment or condo. California’s living expenses are not ridiculous, but the climate in that state is always fluctuating, so I do not believe that would be ideal for me.

Psychologists have a fair share of cultural imperatives that set themselves apart from the average citizen. Among the vast array of these cultural imperatives in psychology, the schooling required to enter the field sets the bar above most college graduates. Psychologists begin competing from high school by keeping their grade point averages up and taking as many psychology classes as possible. In college the competition continues as placement test scores help to decide who moves on to the best graduate school and who may need to search for new options. On the website Guidetopsychology.com Raymond Lloyd Richmond breaks down each phase of the education required to become a member of the psychological community, starting with high school. According to Richmond, “the study of psychology is not for everyone; if it were, it would be a video game, not a profession.” But, earning a degree in psychology just shows that someone has an understanding of the knowledge that has already emitted from the psychological community.

A career as a child psychologist involves studying the behavior of children from the time they are born up to their teenage years. In order to become a child psychologist I would have to earn a bachelor's degree or if i wanted to pursue further, a masters and a PHD would be required.

When considering a job as a psychologist, people often only think about the wonderful aspects of that job, but it is equally important to consider the negative aspects of that profession too. To become a psychologist, a person has to have a bachelor's degree in psychology (Lancaster). Burnout is when stress levels become too high and it causes the worker to have physical, mental, or emotional exhaustion, and the burnout rate for a psychologist is five years (Boccio 660). The burnout is not worth the hassle a person has to take to get a degree in psychology.