FAQs

Clinical/Counseling Psychology as a Career

Prepared by Dr. Lou Schippers with Dr. Jeffrey Nicholas

Q: What do clinicians do?

A: Clinical and counseling psychologists work with individuals, couples, families, or groups to help develop understanding and develop plans to change unwanted patterns of behavior that are maladaptive, or to develop new skills to address problems in living.  They may work as generalists--seeing many different types of clients--or as specialists who work with certain populations or problems. Clinicians provide counseling,  psychotherapy, education, and consultation services.

Q: What degree do I need?

A: The American Psychological Association only recognizes the Doctorate in Psychology (Ph.D.; PsyD; or EdD) as the entry level degree for professional psychology, but Massachusetts and many other states license master's-level clinicians.  You can work as a clinician with a Master's degree (MA; M.Ed.; or MSW). You can open your own practice or work in an agency.  To work in the mental health field as a therapist, you at least have to have a Master's degree. However, you cannot refer to yourself as a psychologist unless you have a doctorate in psychology and are licensed as a psychologist.  Masters level clinicians refer to themselves as Mental Health Counselors.  Bachelor's level persons are limited to specific jobs in the mental health field. These jobs usually involve work in mental health hospitals or residential treatment centers. Such persons are called mental health workers. These jobs are similar to nurse's aides or orderlies in medical hospitals and nursing homes.

Q: How long will it take me to get a degree?

A: Master's degrees are typically 60 credit hours beyond the Bachelor's. If you can attend graduate school full time, this would typically take three years. Some programs require a thesis.  Doctoral programs can typically be completed in 5 years. Ph.D. programs require an extensive research project known as a dissertation. PsyD programs emphasize clinical practice more than research and take 4 years.  The PsyD is more of a practitioner's degree.  The Ph.D. is a more traditional degree which provides a balance between clinical skills and research.

Q: How do I get licensed?

A: The license for Master's level clinicians qualifies you as a Mental Health Counselor. It requires a Master's degree and full time supervised employment for two years after the degree. A licensure exam is also required.  MSWs have a similar educational requirement and licensure procedure. Their license is called Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker.

Q: Which degree is best?

A: All Master's level degrees are now equivalent in terms of required courses and supervised training and work.

Q: How much will it cost me to get a degree?

A: Tuition costs vary.  Tuition and fees for Bridgewater's Master's program is $774.75 per course.  That would work out to $15,495 total.

Q: Where will I most likely work?

A: The opportunities for employment do increase with a doctorate in psychology.  However, if you just want to do counseling and therapy, working for group practices or mental health agencies is the most logical choice. A Master's degree and a license in Mental Health Counseling is sufficient and appropriate for this type of work.  Doctoral level psychologists may provide services in addition to therapy, such as consultation, teaching, or research.  Both licensed Doctoral and Master's level clinicians can work independently, without direct supervision.

Q: What schools offer degrees in clinical/counseling?

A: Several schools in the Boston area offer Master's level degree programs.  Bridgewater offers an MA in clinical psychology, an M.Ed. in counseling, and a MSW in Social Work.  Cambridge College, Lesley College, and Assumption College all offer the MA.  The Mass. School of Professional Psychology offers a PsyD program in its professional school.  Many of the private universities in the Boston area offer the Ph.D. They are expensive. U. Mass Boston and U. Mass Amherst offer the Ph.D. and are less expensive.

Q: Can I get a doctorate after I finish my masters?

A: It is not necessary to get a Master's degree before applying to a doctoral program. Many doctoral programs admit students with a BA into their programs and the Master's is granted along the way.  However, many persons choose to get a Masters degree first, become employed  in the field, and then apply for a Doctoral program later. Most will work on their advanced degrees part time.  Students who have their heart set on a Ph.D. should focus on admission to those programs.

Q: What if I want to work with an “extreme” population, like schizophrenics or the criminally insane?

A: You can work with these populations with a Master's degree or Ph.D.  With the doctorate you could be more involved in supervision and management at places like Bridgewater State Hospital.

Q: What is the state licensure exam like?

A: Massachusetts requires the National Clinical Mental Health Counseling Examination (NCMCHE) for licensure.  The problems on the NCMCHE are designed to sample a broad area of competencies, not the recall of isolated facts. Therefore, the problems assess clinical problem-solving ability, including identifying, analyzing, diagnosing, and treating clinical problems.  The examination consists of 10 clinical mental health counseling cases. Each case will be divided into 5-8 sections classified as either information gathering or decision-making. The exam covers the following areas:  Evaluation & Assessment, Clinical Diagnosis & Treatment Planning, and Clinical Practice.  The following web sites may be of interest to you.

Q: How do I take the GRE?

A: The Graduate School and Continuing Education Office at Bridgewater State College offers computer based testing right here on campus. The ETS computer lab is located on the ground floor of the library. Students interested in taking the GRE or GMAT can call the testing site at (508) 531-1780 to schedule an appointment at your convenience. The exams are offered on the computer by appointment.  Visit the website for more information about the GRE and how to prepare to take the test. http://www.bridgew.edu/depts/carplan/gradQ&A.htm

Last Modified: January 17, 2006