Outside US & Canada?
Psychology Degree Programs for Careers in Psychology
By Clare KaufmanQuestion
I am a female from Papua New Guinea aged 30. Just a few months ago I started with my new employer as an Executive Secretary, however after doing a free career test on the Internet, which I should have done years ago, I have decided to train for a new career.
I did not obtain a High School Diploma however I graduated with a grade ten (10) certificate and then went to business college for 2 years, graduating with a certificate in basic secretarial and stenography (shorthand). I am very much interested in obtaining a diploma/degree in Psychology, however I would like you to advise what I am to do in order to obtain this. Do I have to earn a high school diploma?
I have done some research on Psychology and am very much interested in Industrial/Organization Psychology; School and Educational Psychology; Educational Psychologist; and Cross-Cultural Psychology. It would be appreciated if you could advise me how I can achieve this goal even if it takes me four or five years to get it.
Answer
I'm not familiar with job qualifications in Papua New Guinea, but I'll speak to the requirements here in the United States.
Most psychology positions require graduate-level coursework--the exact qualification varies among the different specialties. All positions require a high school diploma and a four-year bachelor's degree in Psychology. With a bachelor's degree, you can assist psychologists but cannot practice as a professional psychologist yourself.
To practice as a psychologist in the U.S., you would need several years of graduate training after completing your bachelor's degree. Your area of specialization will determine which graduate program you attend after earning your bachelor's degree. Industrial psychology, for example, involves a two-year master's degree; educational psychology calls for a specialist degree (called Ed.S.), which involves three years of schooling and a one-year internship.
In other words, to practice as a psychologist in the U.S., you would need at least another seven years of formal education. This might be discouraging news, but I suspect that in Papua New Guinea the requirements are much different. Check with your local college--you'll probably need to complete your secondary education, but you may not need to invest as much time in college-level training.
In any case, your education might seem more manageable if you think of it as an ongoing process rather than a four or five-year marathon. You don't need to stop working to pursue a degree--many schools offer online programs and flexible class scheduling. Also, you might find internship opportunities that allow you to work with psychologists as you're studying to become one yourself.
I encourage you to go for it! There's nothing like finding something you like to do, especially if you're helping others at the same time.
Clare Kaufman is a freelance writer specializing in education and career advice. She has a graduate degree in English.
