How to Become a Child Psychologist

If you want to help children with their emotional and mental health, then you may want to become a child psychologist. As a child psychologist, you'll be researching, assessing, studying, and treating psychological disorders, developmental problems, and cognitive deficits, with infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents.[1] While the profession can be rewarding, becoming a child psychologist is not easy. You'll need to undergo years of education and experience to start treating children's mental disorders. Luckily, with passion and dedication, the goal of becoming a child psychologist is achievable.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Getting the Education

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    Attain an undergraduate degree in psychology or a related field. While a general psychology degree will help you get into graduate school, consider going for a specific degree in child development, child studies, or cognitive studies.[2] Specializing your degree will give you more knowledge in your field. It may also give you more insight into the world of child psychology so you can determine if it's the right career path for you.
    • Look at the available degrees when searching for a university to attend. Some colleges offer more child psychology related majors.
    • Some of the best colleges to get your psychology degree include Stanford University, The University of Pennsylvania, Yale University, and The University of Michigan.[3]
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    Determine what field of child psychology you want to work in. Once you obtain your bachelor's degree, you'll need a PhD to work as a child psychologist in the majority of circumstances.[4] During your Ph.D. program, you'll have to concentrate on one of the four fields of child psychology which include clinical, developmental, school, and educational psychology. Determine which type of job you would want post-graduation and specialize in it.
    • Clinical child psychologists deal directly with the children and help assess, diagnose, and treat children with developmental or psychological disorders, as well as do scientific and academic research in these areas.
    • Developmental child psychologists work more towards a better understanding of child behavior in a research-based setting.
    • School psychologists deal with the mental health needs of children in a school or education setting. They determine child eligibility for government sponsored programs and help build curricula to suit the needs of children.
    • Education children psychologists work to improve the learning and teaching processes in schools. They suggest changes to classes and curriculum, so it can better suit the needs of children's psychological health.[5]
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    Get your graduate degree in psychology. A master's degree will not allow you to practice as a psychologist, but a master's degree in mental health counseling will allow you to get licensed to see patients, although you will not be a psychologist and as such will not be allowed to conduct psychological testing. [6] Look for schools that have good programs for the type of child psychology you are looking to pursue. An undergraduate degree alone will not enable you to do advanced research or to treat and diagnose patients.[7]
    • Graduate courses include adolescent and young adult development, child development, and psychopathology in children.
    • Good graduate schools for child psychology include The University of Kansas and The University of Virginia Curry School of Education.[8]
    • A master's degree usually takes two to three years to complete.
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    Get your doctorate. Getting your doctorate will take between four to six years on average and will enable you to become a licensed psychologist and directly diagnose and assess patients, as well as conduct scientific and academic research. You don't have to get your Masters degree before applying to a PhD program. Rather, you will earn your master's degree as an important milestone towards your PhD during the course of your graduate education. If you know that you want to be a licensed psychologist and be able to to psychological testing and conduct academic research then it's recommended you get your doctorate. If you are interested in being a therapist you can achieve that through a mental health counseling master's program to be come a licensed mental health counselor.[9]
    • A Psy.D. is an applied clinical doctorate. The main difference between a PhD and a PsyD is that the PhD is traditionally a research degree, although most programs fall somewhere along the scientist-practitioner spectrum. The PsyD was specifically created for those who want to be a licensed psychologist but are not interested in research. Another important distinction is that since a PhD is a research degree there is usually funding available for students in the form of a tuition waiver and a stipend, while PsyD's have to pay for their education out of pocket. [10]
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Getting the Experience

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    Complete your internship or practicum. If you are getting your doctorate, undergoing a one-year internship while you study is typically required. This is usually followed by another year residency under supervision before you can attain your license to practice.[11]
    • During your practicum you may work for an in-house health department at your school or your local hospitals, clinics and research facilities.[12]
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    Obtain your state certification. Different states differ on their requirements to become a licensed state child psychologist. For most states, you'll need to have your doctorate in child psychology and have hours of experience under supervision. Look up your state's website to find application forms and requirements.
    • In Washington, you must have your doctoral degree and 750-hour residency and 300-hour practicum.[13]
    • In New York, you must have your doctorate from an accredited program as well as two years of full-time supervised experience.[14]
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    Get your Board Certification. A Board certification from The American Board of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology will allow you to designate a specialization. It shows that you have the capability and competence to serve as a child psychologist.[15] You can visit the official website for The American Board of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and fill out the specialization and application forms to get started.
    • Being Board Certified will also make your skills more marketable.[16]
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Getting the Job

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    Apply to organizations that need child psychologists. Once you have the proper licenses, certifications, and education to practice, you can start looking for jobs at different organizations. Some organizations that need child psychologists include, mental health clinics, legal organizations, hospitals, and research centers such as universities.[17] Use online job boards to find jobs in your area.
    • Take your time and do research on each company to determine the best fit for you.
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    Use your networking connections to find a job. Because you've already undergone your residency and internship or practicum period, there's a good chance you've already networked with people in the psychology or health fields. Reach out to old colleagues or bosses and let them know that you've completed your education and are ready to practice.
    • Often, if there's a position available, you will get precedence over someone who did not do their residency there.
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    Go on the interview. Once you've applied and gotten a callback, your potential employer will want you to come in for an interview. Make sure that you have a good demeanor, especially if you are going to be working in direct contact with children.
    • The hospital or organization you are working for will also be looking for additional skills and knowledge over the newest techniques in cognitive therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy.
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    Start your own practice. Typically you'll need years of practice in the industry before opening your own practice. In addition to being on the top of your field, you'll also need to understand the basic principles of business and marketing to make your practice stand out from the rest.[18] Retain old patients and try to get new business through referrals and word-of-mouth.
    • Work with a business development consultant if you aren't business savvy or are not sure about the technical aspects of starting your own practice like billing and getting new customers.
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References

  1. ↑ http://www.apa.org/ed/graduate/specialize/child-clinical.aspx
  2. ↑ http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/departments/psych/undergraduate_programs/child_development.php
  3. ↑ http://www.bestpsychologydegrees.com/top-50-universities-to-earn-a-psychology-degree/
  4. ↑ http://learn.org/articles/Child_Psychology_5_Steps_to_Becoming_a_Child_Psychologist.html
  5. ↑ http://www.innerbody.com/careers-in-health/becoming-child-psychologist.html
  6. ↑ https://www.mastersincounseling.org/counseling-degrees/masters-in-child-psychology-ms.html
  7. ↑ http://www.learnhowtobecome.org/psychologist/child-psychologist/
  8. ↑ http://www.psychologydegree411.com/degrees/child-psychology/
  9. ↑ http://www.learnhowtobecome.org/psychologist/child-psychologist/
  1. ↑ http://mastersinpsychologyguide.com/articles/masters-psychology-vs-psyd
  2. ↑ http://www.psychologist-license.com/types-of-psychologists/child-psychologist.html#context/api/listings/prefilter
  3. ↑ https://psychology.sas.upenn.edu/clinical-training-program/practicum-training
  4. ↑ https://doh.wa.gov/licenses-permits-and-certificates/professions-new-renew-or-update/psychologist/licensing-information
  5. ↑ http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/psych/psychlic.htm
  6. ↑ http://www.abpp.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3352
  7. ↑ http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2010/03/specialty-certification.aspx
  8. ↑ http://careersinpsychology.org/employment-outlook-child-psychologists/
  9. ↑ https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2011/11/private-practice.aspx

About This Article

wikiHow Staff
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This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff. Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. This article has been viewed 142,401 times.
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Co-authors: 14
Updated: February 18, 2023
Views: 142,401
Categories: Psychology Careers
Article SummaryX

To become a child psychologist, you'll need to enjoy working with children and helping others. If that sounds like you, look into getting your undergraduate degree in psychology or a related field if you don't already have one. Then, seek out a PhD program that has a strong concentration in your chosen field, such as clinical or developmental psychology. During your schooling, you’ll also need to complete an internship or practicum to gain real-world experience. Finally, to get your state certification, have your doctorate as well as the required hours of supervised experience. To learn how to apply for jobs as a child psychologist, keep reading!

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