Earning an Online Psychology Degree
Earning a psychology degree online opens up many exciting and profitable careers. Online psychology degrees can be used in social work, substance abuse counseling and marital counseling, among other fields.
Types of Online Psychology Degrees
You can find most psychology degrees online, from associate degrees to PhDs. An associate degree is a two- year degree that can often be used as credit towards a bachelor's degree. Associate online psychology degrees often focus on certain fields of psychology, such as:
- family therapy
- human services
- marriage counseling
- pastoral counseling
-
school counseling.
Four-year bachelor's degrees in psychology often cover the same material, but in greater detail, as an associate degree.
You can earn an online masters degree in psychology or even a PhD. A bachelor's degree in psychology is a prerequisite for study at the master's level.
An online masters degree in psychology may be a general degree, or it may specialize in a psychology sub-discipline, such as:
- addiction counseling
- child therapy
- clinical psychology
- forensic psychology
- industrial organizational psychology
- Jungian studies
- leadership coaching
- mental health counseling
- social and community services
- sports psychology.
A master's degree in psychology usually requires a year of coursework, followed by a master's thesis. In all, the average master's degree takes two years to complete.
Due to the fact that online studies tend to progress faster than traditional classes, there are also one-year online psychology master degree programs available.
Coursework for Online Psychology Degrees
Coursework for an online psychology degree varies, of course, with the degree sought. An associate degree will, by necessity, not cover as much as a bachelor's degree. Certain course requirements appear frequently in online psychology degrees, including:
- behavioral psychology
- biology
- clinical science
- cognitive psychology
- developmental psychology
- research methods
- social psychology
- social sciences
- statistics.
In addition, students can take elective courses that increase their employability after graduation. A student planning on entering the business world might choose to take elective economics courses alongside psychology courses. Courses in marketing, business administration, communication and social work can also be combined with an online psychology degree.
An online masters degree in psychology or a PhD are more likely to delve deeper into specialized areas of psychology.
What You Can Do with an Online Psychology Degree
The most obvious use of an online psychology degree is in the field of mental health counseling. In actuality, many industries require psychology professionals. Here are just a few areas where you can find work with an online psychology degree:
- advertising
- career counseling
- community relations
- corporate training
- human resources
- management
- market research
- public relations
- substance abuse rehabilitation
- urban planning
- vocational rehabilitation.
Psychology graduates' salaries vary depending on the area they choose to work in, whether it's industry, health care or education. Higher degrees generally confer better pay: an online masters degree in psychology is considered more valuable than an associate degree.
To give a small sample of potential salaries, the average annual pay for a school psychologist is $54,950. In comparison, an organizational psychologist can expect to earn an average of $71,400.