An online masters degree in psychology enables you to work toward a psychology career while maintaining your current lifestyle. Earning an online master's degree in psychology in an advantage if you're interested in pursuing specialist or supervisory positions in human service or health care organizations.
You will earn skills and knowledge to work in various positions in education, social work, sociology, communications, human resources management and other areas related to psychology such as organizational psychology, sports psychology, executive coaching, forensic psychology, and child psychology.
To work one-on-one with individuals and families, an online master's degree in psychology is the foundation to a doctoral degree in psychology that will enable you to practice in a clinical setting.
Learners who pursue online psychology degrees get the theoretical psychology education needed, but are often not able to complete all the coursework pertaining to a masters in psychology degree online, for example, clinical psychology and are thus expected to complete any clinical at a local practicum or clinical centers that will enable them to work in a supervised setting. Students are also expected to complete a research study (thesis) as part of their psychology program.
Online psychology degrees offer different focuses and specializations. General psychology and marriage and family therapy are popular areas of study within an online masters degree in psychology program. The coursework is designed to prepare graduates to work directly with individuals in a one-on-one counseling-type setting and help these individuals recover from mental health issues, or manage their day-to-day lives in a more productive and positive way.
Masters degree in forensic psychology online is a popular degree specialization. Forensic psychology degrees prepare students to apply psychology theory to the civil and criminal justice system. Forensic psychologists need knowledge of advanced psychological concepts and theories; analytical, statistical and evaluation skills; and in-depth understanding of the legal system and the roles that forensic psychologists play. Forensic psychologists may evaluate defendants, testify as expert witnesses or assist courts and state agencies with forensic issues in child custody, sexual harassment or other issues.
Psychology professionals who work in public schools, private practices, mental health agencies including some government positions require licensure. Licensing requirements vary by state, but typically include minimum degree requirements and a practicum or supervised experience in a one-on-one counseling setting.
Most of the managerial roles in psychology-related disciplines such as human services enable you to use your online masters degree in psychology without obtaining state licensure. These non-licensure careers in psychology exist in social services agencies, non-profit organizations and even the government sector.
To work as a psychologist in an independent practice, most states require you to have a doctoral degree in psychology. With your online master's degree in psychology, you can either work toward a Ph.D. or select a career option that does not require a Ph.D. Online psychology degrees can prepare you for a career in industrial-organizational psychology. An industrial-organizational psychologist helps to boost worker productivity, and deal with workplace issues such as diversity and anti-discrimination. You may also be able to go into social work, public mental health programs, or work in an academic or research capacity after earning a psychology doctorate degree.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the median wage of industrial-organizational psychologists in 2008 was $77,010. Clinical psychology degree graduates who go on to earn a doctorate and work in clinical practices earned a median salary of $64,140, while social workers and non-licensed government employees have a median income of $39,530. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that 152,800 of the 170,000 psychology professionals work in clinical psychology, while industrial-organizational psychologists are a relatively small field of only 2,300 professionals.
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