“The development of psychology for the benefit of society. Developing psychology to improve every human life”.That’s what the American Association of Psychologists (AAP) slogan sounds like.
Psychology in the United States is really in constant development and occupies an important place in society. At the moment, AARP allocates more than 50 different professions in its field. One in three Americans has sought help from a psychologist at least once. As for vocational education, according to the international ranking of the 15 best universities in the world under the program “Psychology” 10 are American.
Training as a psychologist in America
So, if you want to study the characteristics of the human person, help people solve their problems and understand themselves, the question “how to become a psychologist in the U.S.” will be the right step towards realizing yourself in this profession.
Junior Psychology Specialist
Creating their social projects, volunteering, assistant psychologist or staff in hospitals, centres, kindergartens and schools for psychological care – all these low positions can be occupied by graduates with a junior degree, which they receive in two-year colleges. At this level of education, students are not given vocational training and specialization, they receive only a general idea of the chosen field. After graduating from a two-year college, young professionals usually continue with clinical psychology programs USA.
Receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology
Full psychological education in the U.S. begins with a bachelor’s degree from best psychology colleges in USA.
You can study for a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college, institute or university. The first 2 years of the university show all the diversity and versatility of the profession, often introducing classes of a similar profile.
The curriculum includes general education disciplines and subjects related to psychology, such as research methods and statistics.
Master’s and PhDs in Psychology
Clinical psychology, counselling, forensic psychology, industrial and organizational psychology, and many other narrow specialties requiring in-depth analysis will be closed to you in the U.S. if your level of education is below master’s. Most master’s and doctoral programs are focused on working with statistics, different research methods and computer technologies. This is the training of specialists of a narrow profile, but a wide range of knowledge.
In most cases, master degree in clinical psychology in USA is sufficient to start a career as a highly specialized specialist. In America, it can be obtained from universities and vocational schools. The first main emphasis is on the research side of the profession, the second – on the practical.
Therefore, if you want to become a professional psychologist, you need to complete a doctorate, or undergo an annual internship as part of a doctoral study of a particular field of psychology.
Admission to the psychological direction of the university
The selection of applicants at the psychological department is stricter than is usually the customary in the United States. And the higher the level of education, the more demanding the commission becomes. But at the same time, the conditions of admission to the Faculty of Psychology in all American universities are about the same, which greatly facilitates the process.
Key documents for admission
- Online application on the university’s website
- Full secondary education/ bachelor’s or master’s degree
- Achievement report card
- List of items passed
- GPA (average diploma score) and GRE (standardized test) for master’s degree
- ACT or SAT tests for undergraduate
- TOEFL or IELTS tests
- Motivational letter
- Teachers’ letters of recommendation
- Work experience for a master’s degree
- The cost of training for a psychologist
Education consultant in Delhi will always help you find these options, start training and do well.