Psychology Ph.D. and Psy.D. Degree Programs in West Virginia
Find Doctoral Degree Programs in West Virginia
Devoting your career to the field of psychology is a move that can improve society as a whole. As a licensed psychologist, you can impact individuals’ lives by providing counseling services, diagnosing and treating mental illnesses, and aiding people through difficult life transitions.
As a postsecondary professor, you can teach the next generation of psychologists and ensure that tomorrow’s patients have the care providers they deserve. If you go into research, you can find connections that may revolutionize this field.
Of course, it all starts with the right education. By earning a doctorate in psychology, WV students can seek licensure and expand their potential career paths and options. Advancing your education at this level can open new doors for you and help you develop the skills you need to work in a variety of settings.
Discover how a doctorate may improve your personal and professional life by contacting West Virginia psychology programs.
Getting Your Doctorate Degree in Psychology in West Virginia
Psychology doctoral programs generally admit an entire cohort at once, which means that courses for new students may start twice a year or once a year. That’s why it’s important to get in touch with schools early and take as much time as you need to weigh different options.
One of the most important factors in your school selection is each program’s academic expectations. You may want to compare required and elective courses between programs to find a school whose courses get you closer to your career goals.
If you decide to earn a clinical Ph.D. in psychology, West Virginia programs may require the following courses:
- Research Design and Data Analysis
- Single-Subject Research Methods
- Experimental Analysis of Behavior
- Ethics in Behavior Analysis
- Human Behavior
- History and Systems
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Clinical Interviewing
- Ethical and Legal Issues in Psychology
- Clinical Supervision
Psy.D. programs aren’t as widely available as Ph.D. programs, but they serve an important function in clinical care. In West Virginia, you may take courses that offer specialized training in psychology and rural mental healthcare needs, since much of the state’s population receives limited mental health services.
Required Psy.D. courses may include:
- Advanced Psychotherapy
- Differential Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
- Individual Psychotherapy and Interviewing
- Cross-Cultural Psychology
- History and Systems
- Clinical Health Psychology
- Psychopharmacology
- Group Therapy
- Rural Psychology
- Community Psychology
Look into each school’s clinical experiences and requirements. Spreading your clinical hours throughout your degree may help you master important skills before building on them with more advanced theories. You may also wish to select a school that puts you in a variety of settings, since you never know where you may end up working after graduation. On average, West Virginia programs require 1000 clinical hours.
Working With Your Doctoral Degree in Psychology in West Virginia
Completing a Ph.D. or Psy.D. is the first step to becoming licensed in West Virginia. With your degree in hand, you can get started at the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists. They require a copy of your supervision contract, which outlines how you plan on meeting your supervised hour requirements for a full license. To get your license, you must pass the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology and an oral examination given by the West Virginia Board of Examiners of Psychologists.
Salary ranges vary between areas of West Virginia and practice settings. Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists have an average income of $54,460 per year in West Virginia (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). An average salary of $61,490 per year is reported for psychology professors (BLS, 2016).
Becoming a licensed psychologist empowers you to do a lot of good in West Virginia, especially in rural areas where residents’ mental health needs may go untreated.
Find out how you can get started by requesting information from doctorate in psychology West Virginia programs.
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