The time commitment and financial investment required to earn a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree is extensive. Most programs will take at least four years (usually between five and seven years), and a typical Psy.D. graduate who finishes with student debt will have six figures in loans to repay.
Thatโs why many psychology students may choose to complete a masterโs degree before heading into a Psy.D. program. Letโs take a look at the pros and cons to this path, including how much time students can expect to cut off their academic journey by getting a Psy.D. after their masterโs.
Completion Time for PsyD
Generally, a Psy.D. program will take between five and seven years to complete, and most programs canโt be completed in less than four years, including internship time. Some Psy.D. programs actually include a masterโs degree as part of the Psy.D. degree track with students completing the masterโs during their second year in the Psy.D. program.
Depending on where they earned their masterโs and if course credits will transfer over, it may be possible for Psy.D. students to shorten the length of time they spend in the doctoral program, though students will need to be sure they will be able to do this before they begin the masterโs program.
SEE ALSO: Psychology Ph.D. or PsyD without a Masters Degree
Not all Psy.D.-granting institutions will consider courses completed in a masterโs as counting toward a Psy.D., so depending on where they got their masterโs and where they plan to get their Psy.D., itโs possible the masterโs degree wonโt save any time at all.
In cases where students are able to earn credits toward their Psy.D. via their masterโs transcript, itโs reasonable to expect that only a few courses will transfer over. So those who expect to shave years off their time to complete a Psy.D. will likely be disappointed.
PsyD Without Masterโs?
Depending on your undergraduate experience, it may be necessary to earn a masterโs degree in psychology before pursuing a Psy.D. But a growing number of Psy.D. programs are designed to be completed by those who have only a bachelorโs degree.
As referenced, some Psy.D. programs are designed such that students will complete a masterโs degree en route to the doctorate. Other students may choose to complete a masterโs degree if, for example, their undergrad degree is an area other than psychology or if they want to refocus their psychology education to a specific population group or specialty. And, of course, some Psy.D. programs require applicants to have completed a masterโs degree before they apply.
Practical Experience
While itโs possible to offset some of the time needed to complete a Psy.D. by getting a masterโs degree, thereโs no substitute for hands-on experience, and this is the hallmark of the Psy.D. program.
In every state, those who apply for professional psychologist licensure must complete thousands of hours of supervised professional experience. This ranges from about 1,500 to as much as 4,000 hours depending on the state, and most Psy.D. programs include internship and practicum experiences either from the start or as the culmination of the degree.
Dissertation
Some Psy.D. programs, though not all of them, also require students to research, write and defend a dissertation. This process usually begins from Day One of the Psy.D. program with students selecting a topic and receiving guidance while they work on it throughout their entire Psy.D. track.
Like an internship, this is a lengthy and intense process that by design takes a great deal of time given how important it is to illustrating a studentโs command of the subject matter. In other words, thereโs simply no substitute for putting in the work.
Conclusion
Earning a masterโs degree on the way to a Psy.D. is a perfectly sensible educational path to take, and in some cases, students may be able to save a small amount of time by going this route. But the intensive coursework, dissertation and internship experiences that are critical to earning a Psy.D. will still take several years, so for those who are serious about earning a Psy.D., itโs best to set aside at least seven years from start to finish.
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