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Clinical, Counseling, and Applied Psychology is a degree category that consists of the following common degrees:
- Read more about Clinical Psychology
Perhaps the best way to answer this question is to distinguish between counseling psychology and clinical psychology.
Counseling psychologists typically work with generally healthy patients who need help to manage emotional, social, or physical issues, such as relationship problems, career challenges, or substance abuse.
Clinical psychologists work with those kinds of patients as well, but they tend to focus on more pathological populations. In other words, they work mostly with people who have a mental illness or a psychosis – a severe disorder or disability that can incapacitate them, not merely diminish the quality of their life. Examples are schizophrenia, delusional disorder, and substance-induced psychotic disorder.
Degree programs in clinical psychology teach students both how to observe, assess, diagnose, and treat patients and how to conduct and interpret clinical research to improve on each of those processes.
- Read more about Counseling PsychologyA counseling psychology degree program typically involves the study of theories and practices of counseling and psychotherapy, as well as human development, diversity, and social justice issues. The program may include coursework in the following areas: - Counseling theories and techniques: Students learn about different theories of counseling and psychotherapy, and how to apply them in practice. - Human development: Students study the stages of human development from infancy to old age, and how various factors such as genetics, environment, and culture can influence development. - Group counseling: Students learn about the dynamics of group therapy and how to facilitate group counseling sessions. - Psychopathology and diagnosis: Students learn about various mental health disorders, their symptoms, and how to diagnose them. - Assessment and testing: Students learn how to assess clients’ mental health and develop treatment plans based on their assessment results. - Ethics and legal issues: Students learn about the ethical and legal considerations involved in counseling and psychotherapy. - Research methods: Students learn about research methods used in counseling psychology, and how to evaluate the effectiveness of counseling interventions. - Cultural diversity and social justice: Students learn about the impact of culture, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and other factors on mental health, and how to provide culturally responsive counseling services. In addition to coursework, counseling psychology degree programs often require supervised clinical experience, in which students work with clients under the supervision of licensed counselors or psychologists. This provides students with practical experience and helps them develop the skills they need to become effective counselors. Upon completion of a counseling psychology degree program, graduates may be eligible for licensure as a professional counselor or psychologist.
Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Satisfaction:
N/A
Industrial and Organizational PsychologyAvg Grad Salary:
$80k
Read more about Industrial and Organizational PsychologyIndustrial and organizational psychologists focus on the behaviour of employees in the workplace. They may work directly in an organization’s human resources department, or they may act as independent consultants, called into an organization to solve a particular problem. The career path to becoming an industrial and organizational psychologist begins with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Opportunities with a bachelor’s degree alone aren’t unheard of, but they are sparse. Most students interested in becoming an industrial and organizational psychologist go on to earn an advanced degree. A person with a master’s degree is often able to find an entry-level position to launch a career. However, those with a doctoral degree will have more employment opportunities in this field.- Read more about School Psychology
Children and youth can face problems related to learning, navigating social relationships, making difficult decisions, or managing depression, anxiety, or isolation. School psychologists, with a strong background in psychological foundations and skills in diagnostic testing, assessment, and intervention, help them maneuver these challenges so that they thrive in school, at home, and in life.
School psychology is not exclusively focused on the student, however, because by supporting students’ ability to learn, school psychologists also support teachers’ ability to teach. Degree programs in the field prepare individuals to take on this important role of helping schools improve academic achievement, promoting positive behavior and mental health, supporting diverse learners, creating safe, positive school climates, and strengthening family-school-community partnerships.