The psychology field is growing at very rapid pace, with 19% job growth anticipated by 2024, according to US government statistics. Specifically, the employment of clinical, counseling and school psychologists will grow by 20%.
Much higher demand is expected overall in the psychology field because schools, hospitals, mental health facilities and social service offices have more people asking for mental health services.
Clinical psychologists are specifically seeing great job demand because as our population is aging and living longer, some of them have psychological conditions that they want to address so they can live a happier life.
Due to the greater need for psychologists overall, there are more clinical psychology master’s programs available, and many more are online than a decade ago.
The increased job availability and demand has affected salaries as well, with the median salary in the field being $72,580. If you earn your doctoral degree and have more than 10 years of experience, you can expect your salary to top $118,000 in some cases.
Keep in mind that to work as a licensed psychologist, you must have at least your master’s degree. People who earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology cannot practice psychology. You may get many other types of positions and could possibly work in the office of a group of psychologists, but you must have at least a master’s degree to get your license.
Some practicing psychologists did have a bachelor’s degree in psychology. While it is helpful to have this type of background, it is not essential to earning your master’s or doctoral degree, and eventually, your license to practice.
Even Better – No GRE Required
More clinical psychologists are needed today, so many online graduate schools have decided to waive the need to submit GRE scores to be considered for admission. This is advantageous for people wanting to earn their master’s degree in clinical psychology, as you do not need to devote the time and money to studying for this difficult examination.
Overview of Master’s in Psychology Degree
A master’s in clinical psychology will prepare you for a career in clinical psychology, either in private practice or possibly in a school or social services office. Clinical psychology is a broad term that encompasses many specializations in psychology:
- Marriage and family therapy
- Child psychology
- Neuropsychology
Some clinical psychology programs may be what is referred to as a ‘terminal’ degree This means that the goal of this master’s program is for it to be the conclusion of your education, and then you are ready to look for a variety of clinical psychology related jobs, including private practice under the supervision of a psychologist with a Ph.D.
Springboard to Ph.D. in Psychology
However, another option is to earn a master’s degree in clinical psychology and then go on to earn your doctoral degree. This is often the path that psychologists choose so that they can practice on their own.
After they earn their doctorate, they must do an internship of one or two years, and then pass the national examination to become a licensed psychologist.
A master’s in clinical psychology is a good choice if you want to get your doctoral degree eventually. You will study clinical diagnosis, research techniques, psychopathology and how to conduct psychological testing.
Licensure and Certification for Clinical Psychologists
In all states, to be a psychologist under that specific term, you must have a license. The laws for licensing vary by state; as noted earlier, you can start to practice as a clinical psychologist in many states with your master’s but you may find that earning your doctorate will be necessary to maximize your career potential.
Before you can practice, you must pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology that is administered by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards.
Also, the American Board of Professional Psychology provides certifications in different specialities of psychology, including clinical health and couple and family counseling.
After extensive research, we have concluded that the five online master’s in clinical psychology programs below are worth strong consideration:
#1 The Chicago School of Clinical Psychology
The Chicago School of Clinical Psychology offers a two year, full time, online Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling that provides you with the knowledge and advanced psychological skills to prosper in many different mental health services roles. You will learn how to help all types of clients to deal with major mental health issues:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Grief
- Low self esteem
- Suicidal tendencies
- Relationship problems
Students who are enrolled at the Chicago School have a completely transformational master’s education experience that can be adapted depending upon your work schedule.
The major areas that are covered in this two year master’s program are:
- Prevention
- Counselor identity
- Advocacy
- Assessment
- Ethics
- Research
- Program evaluation
- Diagnosis
The Chicago School has a highly experienced practitioner faculty that will help to prepare you for licensure as a professional counselor. The exact nature of the professional development plans that you will have with your advisor will depend upon the state in which you are being licensed.
Core classes that are central to your master’s program are:
- Diagnosis of Mental Health Issues
- Group Theories and Processes of Counseling
- Assessment of Individuals
Practicum and Internship
You will work closely with your faculty advisor and the director of the program to find a site for your clinical experience in your area. During this practicum, you will complete classes and at least 100 hours of clinical work. In this vital work experience, you will practice your counseling skills, and you will be able to evaluate more advanced skills as you education continues and your experience grows.
After you have completed your practicum, you will commence with your internship, which has more courses, the National Counselor Examination, a capstone course and 600 hours of additional clinical practice.
Also, you are required to attend two, four day residences on the campus in Chicago. One of them is in the first year of the program, and the other is at the beginning of the second year. However, the rest of your classes may be taken online, so that you can work around your family and work obligations.
Meeting your faculty and fellow students in person is usually helpful for building relationships and networking.
More information:
- Campus: Chicago IL; online
- Type: Non-Profit
- Accreditation: WASC
- Tuition: $525 per credit hour
- GRE/GMAT Required: No
- Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
- On Campus Requirements: Yes
- Programs Offered: Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling
#2 Argosy University
Argosy University offers a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. This university recognized the importance of providing people who offer human services the knowledge and skills that are so important to work in clinical psychology.
All of the courses and curricula in this two year online program have been designed to meet licensure and certification mandates for as many states as possible. However, the laws vary in each state, so you should check with your state’s licensing board for more information.
Major program outcomes are as follows:
- Professional orientation and ethical practice
- Social and cultural diversity
- Human growth and development
- Career development
- Helping relationships
- Group work
- Assessment
- Research and program evaluation
More information:
- Campus: Orange CA; online
- Type: Non-Profit
- Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- Tuition: $630 per credit hour
- GRE/GMAT Required: No
- Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
- On Campus Requirements: No
- Programs Offered: Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling
#3 California Southern University
This university offers an online Master of Science in Clinical Psychology that is designed to offer you a strong foundation in the study of clinical psychological practice. No matter if you have a long background in mental health or want to improve your skill set in psychology with a background in another field, this program can be a great fit for you.
This two year master’s program online can also be an introduction to the university’s doctoral program, which is a Psy.D. degree. After you are successfully enrolled, you can choose from several specializations:
- Clinical psychology
- Sports psychology
- Pastoral counseling
- Chemical dependency
- Industrial psychology
- General psychology
Some of your required classes include:
- Ethical Issues in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy
- Human Sexuality
- Child & Adolescent Psychology
- Child Abuse Assessment and Reporting
- Psychological Tests and Measurements
- Psychology of Violence
- Psychopharmacology
- Research Methods and Statistics
- Counseling Theories and Strategies
- Theories of Human Development and Functioning
More information:
- Campus: Irvine CA; online
- Type: Non-Profit
- Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges
- Tuition: $425 per credit hour
- GRE/GMAT Required: No
- Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
- On Campus Requirements: No
- Programs Offered: Master of Science in Clinical Counseling
Earning your master’s degree in clinical psychology is a great career choice if you want to help other people deal with their mental health conditions. Given the amount of demand that is being seen in the psychology field overall for more services, it seems likely that this will be a good career choice for many years to come.
#4 University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota offers an excellent Master’s of Forensic Psychology that you may finish in two or three years.
Forensic psychology is a rapidly growing field of psychology – it refers to applying psychological theories, knowledge and skills to the criminal justice and civil justice systems. As a forensic psychologist, you will work on applying psychological principles to issues and questions that are related to criminal and civil law cases.
Forensic psychologists often work as expert witnesses in criminal cases. They work a great deal on helping lawyers and judges to do criminal profiles of possible suspects on cases.
The master’s program at University of North Dakota will teach you the enhanced communication skills that you will need to function well in forensic settings., You also will have a very detailed understanding of the US legal system and the critical role that forensic psychology plays.
More information:
- Campus: Grand Forks ND; online
- Type: Non-Profit
- Accreditation: North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
- Tuition: $460 per credit hour
- GRE/GMAT Required: No
- Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
- On Campus Requirements: No
- Programs Offered: Master’s of Forensic Psychology
#5 Penn State University
Penn State University offers an unusual Master of Professional Studies in the Psychology of Leadership. This program is outstanding for professionals who want to get an advanced education in leadership and boost their career prospects by supporting and enhancing the organizational goals and objectives of where they work.
This Psychology of Leadership program stresses the relationship between followers and leaders. The program is structured upon solid psychological theory and research that has been shown over time to boost the effectiveness of leadership effectiveness in companies and in work groups.
The faculty of this two year program are researchers in psychology who are renowned in their fields. All of them have showed strong leadership as successful entrepreneurs and in many different large organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, education and the military.
More information:
- Campus: University Park, PA; online
- Type: Non-Profit
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
- Tuition: $821 per credit hour
- GRE/GMAT Required: No
- Minimum Time Commitment: 24 months
- On Campus Requirements: No
- Programs Offered: Master of Professional Studies in the Psychology of Leadership
