Myth Buster - don't waste your time with a psychology masters degree - get a doctorate !

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.

Aside from the APA, independent studies have repeatedly demonstrated the value of a psychology masters degree within the mental health field. Particular attention has been paid to the use of "sub-doctoral" professionals within managed health care systems as they can provide added value with patient service delivery at a cheaper cost than doctorate holders. This has in turn led to greater opportunities for holders of the masters degree in psychology within the mental health field and particularly psychotherapy. This is a trend that looks likely to continue in the future.

There are other advantages to be gained by a master's degree instead of a doctorate. For one, master's degrees are more available as opposed to doctoral programs, which may often require the student to relocate in order to take the degree. Also, innovations regarding online delivery have further energized master's programs for psychology and other subjects.

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.

A further argument that is sometimes advanced for going straight to the doctorate is that if you take a masters degree you cannot then subsequently transfer your work to a doctorate. In effect you have to start all over with your doctorate and ergo, the masters is a waste of time. In practice this depends upon the doctoral program you enroll in and the relevance of your masters work to the doctorate you subsequently are seeking. The key issue is to bear in mind the relevance of your masters to the doctoral program and also that some doctorate programs actually require a masters as a prerequisite.

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.

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Related resources: Also learn about psychology courses online plus where to find a good graduate school for forensic psychology - click on the links for details.