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Beware of the untruth which says that you should not waste your time with a psychology master's degree and that you should instead get a PhD. Let us take a look at this myth and dig deeper into the truth. Admittedly, the field of psychology has its own intellectual snobs who look down on a master's degree as something inferior when it comes to qualifications. This has resulted to an unfair depreciation of the value and wisdom gained from a psychology master's degree. In this article, we will peel off the myth and expose the truth. Of course, if you are thinking of establishing a career in the academia, then it is necessary for you to get a doctorate. You can take up a doctorate within the local community and at junior college levels. However, you have to note that there is fierce competition in these arenas. If you are not planning on an academic career, however, a master's degree offers distinct advantages over a doctorate. There are many career opportunities for those who have a psychology master's degree. The APA itself has observed that the credentials and training gained from a master's degree make for good job prospects. The APA also notes that master's degree holders have obtained employment within their selected field of study, further proving that a degree is still relevant in the modern job market. Aside from the APA, other independent studies have shown that a psychology master's degree is indeed useful, particularly in the mental health field. Nowadays, managed health care systems choose "sub-doctoral" professionals to deliver their services instead of doctorate holders. The reasons underlying this trend are that this option is cheaper and offer added value to the patient. Indeed, in the field of mental health, particularly in psychotherapy, career opportunities for psychology master's degree holders are growing, and this growth is likely to continue in the years to come. 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. Another plus factor for a master's degree involves the time required. With a doctorate, you will need some 6 years to finish, while you can complete your master's program in just 2 to 3 years. Think of the income potential that you can be yours in those four years! You can start earning after a couple or so years, rather than waiting to finish your doctorate program before you can earn. 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.
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