Psychologist

Duties and Responsibilities:

Psychologists study the behavior and actions of people to understand, explain, and change their behavior patterns.  They also provide counseling and therapy to those with emotional, learning, and behavior problems.  Psychologists work in schools, clinics, hospitals, and private practice.  They can specialize in clinical, educational, quantitative, developmental, social, experimental, and industrial-organizational psychology.  Their duties often include:

Diagnosing and treating problems.

Interviewing and observing patients.

Developing, selecting, and administering tests.

Counseling patients, groups, and families.

Developing mental health programs.

Conducting research and teaching.

Average Salary:  $45,000 - $65,000

Educational Requirements:

Students should prepare for a career in psychology by taking the most challenging (AP or IB) high school courses available, especially in English and science.

Licensed psychologists must earn a Ph.D. in psychology.  Admission to graduate programs is usually dependent on the quality of undergraduate performance in a psychology major.  Clinical psychologists must complete a two-year supervised internship after earning their doctorate and pass oral and written state qualifying exams.

School psychologists must earn at least a master's degree