Earning an Masters Degree in Child Psychology Online
Earning an Masters Degree in Child Psychology Online
Sep 4, 2010 Shelley Aylesworth-Spink
A graduate degree in child psychology, at a minimum of a master’s level, is considered entry to the field. Many child psychologists have a doctoral degree along with many years of practice in the field.
Child psychology is a branch of developmental psychology involved with the mental processes and behaviors of children during various stages of development and learning. Special focus is directed to intellectual, cognitive, neural, social, and moral development during growth stages. Professionals with a degree in child psychology are trained to specifically handle cases involving children and families.
Child Psychology Career Starts with Masters Degree
A career as a child psychologist gives people options to work in hospitals, schools, and the judicial system and to open a private practice.
A choice to earn a masters in child psychology will help meet a rising societal need. Recent studies by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that the demand for school psychologists will be driven by a growing awareness of how students' mental health and behavioral problems, such as bullying, affect learning.
School psychologists will also be needed for general student counseling on a variety of other issues, including working with students with disabilities or with special needs, tackling drug abuse, and consulting and managing personal crisis.
Number of Child Psychology Jobs Rises in the U.S.
In the U.S., median annual wages of wage and salary clinical, counseling, and school psychologists were $64,140 in May 2008. The middle 50% earned between $48,700 and $82,800.
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Earning a graduate degree to enter the child psychology field is made easier through a growing number of online master of child psychology program.
At the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, a Master of Arts is available in clinical psychology with a counseling specialization and child and adolescent concentration. Students earn the degree over two years, as full time students, or over three years by studying part time.
At the University of Calgary, the Master Education in School and Applied Child Psychology online program is designed for individuals who are intending to work as school psychologists or are interested in applied psychology in school or community settings.
The University of Calgary program is delivered through a flexible, e-learning mode of delivery. Students take 18 half-credit courses in the topic areas of psychological foundations, assessment, intervention, school psychology practice and development, and research and program evaluation. Core content areas are complemented by 1,200 hours of field experience in school or community settings.
A Masters degree in child psychology, while needed for entry into the career field, is not as difficult to access as traditional, campus-based university programs. Armed with a related undergraduate degree, and the desire to higher career aspirations, people can easily access a variety of accredited online programs to earn this graduate credential.
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