Can I become a therapist without a psychology degree?
Yes. There are many different types of counseling/therapy jobs, and not all of them require advanced degrees. To have your own practice AND be able to have your fees paid by people's health insurance plans, you would need to be a licensed psychologist (PhD) or social worker (MSW). However, there are counseling and therapist jobs that are paid in other ways. You could be a drug & alcohol counselor and work in a program where you are paid a salary. You'd probably report to a psychologist. The program might be paid through health insurance, but it might also be government funded. Some programs require certification, which might be a 1 year program; others do not. Activity therapy and recreation therapy require two-year degrees, but some nursing homes, rehab places and mental health programs may not require specific certification. You would get a salary at these jobs. There are also advocacy programs. For example, if you are a cancer survivor or an amputee and want to help others deal with similar conditions, you might only need the personal experience. You'd have t research what's out there. Some of these things are on a volunteer basis, but advocacy programs do exist that pay the people who work for them. Finally, there are a host of New Age and alternative therapies out there. You could have your own practice using any method you like, though you'll have to convince people to pay out of their pockets for your help.
Is it possible to become a psychologist without attending university? Can you take the course at a community college? If so, how extensive is it?
Thanks for the a2aAs far as I know, there are no states in this country that would allow you to call yourself a psychologist without a PhD.That usually means a 4 year Bachelors degree, followed by several years of graduate school, followed by at least a year in supervised practice. Then you take an exam, and if you pass that, you get to call yourself a psychologist and see patients.If you want to become a mental health professional, there's other paths, with less educational requirements. Some states now have licensed Masters degree therapists who can see patients. Check with your own state, or a state where you might practice, for their options. Also, masters degree social workers with additional training can be psychotherapists in most places.It may seem daunting, but honestly, it's not impossible. Good luck.
Can I become a psychologist without having a psychology subject in 12th?
If you want to come on the track which leads you to the Psychologist then this’ll be your process to reach to your destination:12th with Psychology as a subject (Generally, if you want to pursue B.A in Psychology or B.A (Gen) with Psychology as a subject then majority of the Universities require Psychology as a subject studied at 12th standard).B.A (Hons) in Psychology or B.A (Gen) with Psychology as a subject.Then perform your M.A in Psychology.Now, finally take license from “American Psychological Association” or other similar Psychology organization.That’s it, you’re now a valid Psychologist and can start your own business or join Hospitals etc.TIP: If you want to make a career in Psychology then I highly advise you to make strong hold on your Psychology subject in 12th, because it’s a base of Psychology on which your further studies of Psychology is based upon. So study it very seriously.I studied Psychology in my 12th as a subject, that’s why I’m talking with experience.Good luck!!I hope this might help you :)Feel free to ask!!Thanks for asking!
Can a psychopath still become a psychologist?
I don't see why not. Dr. Hannibal Lecter was a top rate psychiatrist. Cautionary note: eating your patients is generally frowned upon in the professional community.
Can someone become a psychologist without a degree in psychology?
Hi,No, you cant become psychologist without doing a degree. After your 12th you can go for B. A hons psychology.Eligibility Criteria for pursuing B.A. Hons psychology in most of the top universities is pass with 60% aggregate marks in 10+2Career prospects of B.A. Hons psychology are:· Clinical psychologist.· Counselling psychologist.· Educational psychologist.· Forensic psychologist.· Further education teacher.· Health psychologist.· Occupational psychologist.You must make sure that you are enrolling yourself in a premium university that provides you access to ample growth opportunities.Some of the top universities offering B. A hons psychology are:· Lovely Professional University, Punjab,· Sri Ram College of Commerce(SRCC) - Delhi· Lady Shriram College for Women (LSR) - Delhi· Loyola College - Chennai· St. Xavier's College, Mumbai.· Christ University, Bangalore. Etc.
Can I become a child psychologist without a bachelor's degree in psychology? And is it possible to become one with a bachelor's in sociology?
To be an “official” Psychologist, you need something called charter membership with the Psychology association in your country. To get one, you usually need an accredited Postgraduate course in Psychology.The association is basically an institution that makes sure Psychology treatments are done in a responsible manner. Charter membership is a “certificate” you apply for, saying you are qualified to be a professional Psychologist. The association releases a list of accredited courses each year, these are courses that lead to charter membership. They review each course and make sure it is structured in an appropriate way, that it covers all the necessary information and that it is difficult enough. This process can be a little bureaucratic, but it is how it is. Once you complete the eligible course, you can apply for “chartered membership”, which allows you to work as a Psychologist.If you are in the USA, the association is APA. The list of courses is here.For the UK, the association is BPS. The information is here.You could theoretically apply for the required course with a Bc in Sociology. The applications for these courses can be quite competitive, so you will need to make it clear you are really interested in working as a Psychologist, as well as show some relevant experience in the area. In the UK, people often do a Bc in Psychology, then work for 1–2 years in some sort of a social care facility, then apply for an accredited Postgraduate course.I don’t think you need an accredited Bc in Psychology, as long as you proceed to a Postgraduate course that is accredited. You might need to double check the exact requirements for charter membership with the association in your country.Parichati is making a very good point in the other answer. You don’t need to be a charter Psychologist to help children. It’s just one of many paths. There will be social worker positions that don’t require a Psychology degree at all. If you are interested in education, there are tons of non-profits that focus on improving access to education - their work is bound to impact children in a significant way. There is one program at our University that goes into low-status high schools and shows kids that they too can go to University, I think that is a commendable cause. Work like that won’t need Psychology at all.
Can I become a clinical psychologist without a bachelor’s in psychology but have a master’s in clinical psychology?
Hi RF. Not sure where you live but here in North America the Masters and even better yet the Doctorate in clinical Psychology opens the door to licencing and practicing independently. Your undergrad degree really just helps you obtain acceptance to a graduate program. If you have good grades and study and score well on the GRE in psych some grad schools will not require the undergrad degree. But be prepared if you have not studied any psychology in university and you start a graduate program, you will need to understand the curriculum better than others who have already taken Intro courses, stats, learning theory and abnormal etc. in undergrad. You will need to catch up. It can be done, I did it but I struggled my first year and leaned on my fellow students until the later years of clinical practicums.
Is it possible to obtain a clinical psychology degree without a bachelor of science?
Are you asking if you can pursue a degree for licensure as a clinical psychologist without first earning a bachelor’s degree with a psychology major? Or is there some specific problem with earning a BS?Most practicing mental health counselors are not (technically) psychologists; they have either an MA in counseling psych or an MSW, and eventually get licensed. Some psychologists earn either a PsyD (doctor of psychology) in counseling psychology or a PhD (doctor of philosophy) in clinical psychology. You can pursue any of these degrees with a bachelor’s degree in anything (in principle), but you will need to have some coursework. Online courses might count if they are from an accredited institution that will give you a transcript (and you were formally registered and passed the courses). Different programs will have different requirements. I know people in cognitive experimental psychology who have undergrad degrees in computer science and math (although cognitive is quite distant from clinical/counseling).