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Believe It, Psychology Master's Degrees Are Worth Your While

Often you will hear this said, "Get a doctorate; stop messing around with a psychology master's degree. It is only a waste of time"

This article discusses why this is untrue. Psychology master's degrees are not a waste of time. Often, the field of psychology is guilty of being intellectual snobs when it comes to qualifications. There is the tendency to belittle a master's degree, which is unfair as there is value and wisdom to be gained from a master's degree.

Let us make it clear that this actually is not a myth if you do want to enter the academic arena. You may take up a doctorate degree at junior college levels within the local community. What should be noted is that competition is fierce in this area. Now, if your plan does not include a career in the academic world, then a master's degree has important benefits that are not provided by a doctorate.

Teaching aside, the training and credentials gained from a psychology master's degree has provided enormous employment opportunities. This is noted by the APA itself, which has stated that those with master's degrees have obtained jobs within their selected field of study. This only acts as proof that in the modern job market, a master's degree is still relevant, even beneficial.

Other independent studies verify the importance of a psychology master's degree, particularly within the field of mental health. "Sub-doctoral" professionals are increasingly preferred by managed health care systems as opposed to doctorate holders. This is because "sub-doctoral" professionals provide more value in terms of patient service at a lower cost. This fact has provided a world of opportunities for master's degree holders in the field of mental health, most notably within the field of psychotherapy. What's more, it is a trend that has great prospects in the future.

A master's degree is, at some points, more attractive that a doctorate. Consider the availability and accessibility of the course itself. A doctorate program may not be widely available and may require a student to relocate. On the other hand, with the advent of online course delivery, master's programs for many subjects including psychology are made more available.

There are also cost and time advantages offered by a master's degree. It takes a minimum of 6 years to get a doctorate while you can earn a master's degree in 2 to 3 years' time. For someone who has financial responsibilities and concerns, 4 years of potential earnings is a big advantage, as opposed to getting a doctorate where you will have to wait for more years before you can start earning.

One argument against getting a master's degree as opposed to a doctorate degree states that you will have to start all over again in the event that you wish to take a doctorate program after having finished your master's degree. They say that you will not be able to have your master's credits recognized in a doctorate program. This, however, depends on the doctoral program and how relevant your current master's work is to the doctoral program you wish to take. Always take not that relevance is an important factor and that there are even some doctoral programs that require you to have a master's degree.

Indeed, a psychology master's degree is not a waste of time. It is useful, especially if you want to enter the mental health profession. It has provided a great deal of opportunities for tens of thousands of mental health professionals now and in the future.