What Degree is Necessary to be a Developmental Psychologist?

Today’s developmental psychologist provides an important service to many people. What is this profession all about, and how can someone  become one? Here are the basics of this excellent field right now.

What is a Developmental Psychologist?

It’s good to know some of the basic aligns of this particular career field. Developmental psychologists are the professionals uniquely qualified to study and work with matters of human development. Typically, most development in humans is related to growth in childhood, but adults encounter developmental hurdles as well. Healthy human development sees several specific stages and is marked by specific milestones a person can reach certain points in their growth. Subsequently, it’s the developmental psychologist who understands all of this the very best.

Aside from observation and study, these professionals work to solve problems encountered by some children and adults through their growth and development. In doing so, the psychologist may visit with a family or the person in question and work with them to identify any developmental issues. They then find ways to help them solve and get past these issues if at all possible. In some cases, the developmental barriers may be permanent, at which point the psychologist will then help them to find the best strategies with which to best live on with those particular issues.

What are the Educational Requirements?

There are some important requirements placed on those wishing to get involved with this career as this is a position that greatly affects individuals, families, and even society on a psychological level. To work in this vital role, one must have, at minimum, a master’s degree in developmental psychology. For most job opportunities, however, a Ph.D. or PsyD in Developmental Psychology is the optimum degree qualification.

Those with a Bachelor’s in Developmental Psychology can occasionally find entry-level work in the psychology industry but nowhere near the abundance of opportunities or at the pay rates afforded by the Ph.D. or PsyD in the discipline. A full-fledged developmental psychologist with a Ph.D. or PsyD is listed by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, under “Other” types of psychologists, as making an hourly rate of $46.99. Others still are listed here as making up to $60.64 per hour.

Featured Programs

The following are some of the courses one can expect to encounter while pursuing a degree in developmental psychology:

  • The Brain and Behavior
  • Information Processing
  • Latent Structure Analysis
  • Applied Regression
  • Cognitive Development
  • Prenatal Development
  • Research Methods in Psychology
  • Lifespan Development
  • Emotion and Culture
  • Family in the aContext of Child Development

Additional Resources

There are several resources available to those interested in finding more out about the degree qualifications and the career outlook of a developmental psychologist. The American Psychological Association is a leading organization for the psychology industry as a whole. Here, visitors can find expert information on all types of psychology concepts including developmental psychology. The European Association for Developmental Psychology is another excellent resource directly built around the field of developmental psychology specifically.

Developmental psychology provides an integral look at how humans grow and prosper. No other discipline can provide this particular, invaluable service to society. As a result, a master’s in developmental psychology is the minimum recommended credential needed for entry into a career as a developmental psychologist today.

Related Resources: