Every year, thousands of students and young adults wonder, “How Do I Become A Developmental Psychologist?” While developmental psychology is a rewarding career path, it can be challenging to become a developmental psychologist. The following guide provides simple tips and tricks on how to start a career in developmental psychology.
Developmental psychologists work with children and teenagers to help them mental health issues. Since it can be difficult to diagnose mental health problems in young children, it’s important for parents to talk with a developmental psychologist if they believe their child has learning or emotional disorders. Since very young children havent learned to talk, developmental psychologists must pick up on subtle cues in the environment to diagnose a potential problem with a child.
In addition, developmental psychologists work with older children and teenagers to help them manage mental health issues. For example, mental health issues like autism and attention deficit disorder can be difficult to diagnose without assistance from a professional.
Developmental psychologists also help develop learning programs for children and young adults. Since the mind of a child has a high degree of plasticity, it’s very easy for a child to learn at a rapid rate. By developing learning programs that can adapt to a child’s different developmental cycles, a psychologist can help enhance the learning process.
To become a developmental psychologist, an individual must first obtain an undergraduate degree in general psychology. This four year degree will provide a variety of psychology and general courses that are the stepping stones of developmental psychology.
After completing an undergraduate degree in psychology, an individual can pursue a graduate degree in development psychology. In most schools, an individual must first pursue his or master’s degree. After completing this, an individual becomes a candidate for the PhD program at his or her school.
Once the PhD program has been completed an individual will usually enter a two year residency period. During this time, he or she will see patients at free clinics and other learning facilities. After completing a residency, an individual will be ready to take the board exams.
The board exams are used to ensure that a candidate is competent to perform as a developmental psychologist. After completing the board exams successfully, an individual will become a developmental psychologist.
Salary for a developmental psychologist can vary significantly based on many factors. For example, developmental psychologists who work in an academic setting often have lower salaries than people who work in the private industry.
Developmental psychologists who run their own practice often have better results than ones that work for other people. For example, the average developmental psychologist salary in the United States was $53,000 in 2011 according to BLS statistics. However, the average salary had a range of $24,000 to $192,000.
While it can be challenging to become a developmental psychologist, it can be a rewarding experience for many people. By pursuing a degree program in the field of developmental psychology, it’s possible to make a positive difference in the lives of people with mental disabilities all around the world.