Child Psychology Degree Programs and Career Guide 2020.
Find APA-accredited programs, including doctoral graduate programs in clinical, counseling, school psychology and combination programs; internships, a required component of doctoral training; and postdoctoral residency programs in traditional and specialty practice areas of psychology.
Child Psychologist. Specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of emotional, mental, and behavioral disorders in children and adolescents, child psychologists must earn a doctoral degree and pursue a license for clinical practice in their state. Graduates of a bachelor's program may go on to earn a master's degree, which qualifies them for select psychologist assistant positions.
Universities offering graduate study programs in developmental psychology. Those who are interested in pursuing graduate work in developmental psychology and related disciplines are encouraged to point their browsers to the following programs for further information.
Graduate students can obtain a PhD in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Clinical Child Psychology or Experimental Psychology (developmental students). Regardless of training area, the research focus is interdisciplinary and students are expected to gain a thorough understanding in both normative and atypical development.
A key component of any child psychology graduate program, practicum courses allow students to put their skills into practice through supervised professional experiences, ideally under the guidance of a licensed psychologist who is working in the particular specialty or setting of the student's choice.
The School and Clinical Child Psychology M.Ed. program is designed to prepare students for doctoral studies. It is highly recommended that students who complete the M.Ed. program go on to apply for the Ph.D. program to benefit from the full sequence of courses and practicum experiences.
The doctoral program in school and applied child psychology is designed to prepare psychologists who can serve as practitioners and supervisors in the field, trainers of school psychologists, researchers, and leaders in school psychology. The typical doctoral program is 39 credits, beyond completion of the UBC School Psychology MA or equivalent program.