masters vs phd psychology reddit

MS vs PhD: Which Psychology Degree Should You Get?

An undergraduate degree proves a great starting point for people interested in careers involving psychology. To advance into occupations involving greater responsibility and pay, however, generally requires a graduate degree.

For instance, a master’s degree in psychology is one of the necessities to become a licensed therapist, such as a marriage and family therapist – a career the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts to grow a whopping 16% between 2020-2030. And becoming a psychologist – a position with an average median annual salary of $82,180 – requires earning a doctorate in psychology.

What Are MS and PhD in Psychology Degrees For?

The MS (Master of Science) in Psychology and the PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in Psychology are degrees for people interested in advanced study in the discipline. Students obtain a greater understanding of human behavior and how to help others. Degree earners are often interested in careers as therapists, licensed psychologists, researchers, or professors.

Choosing Between a Master’s Degree in Psychology vs. a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology Program

The choice between pursuing a Master’s Degree in Psychology vs. a PhD in Psychology boils down to individual interests and career aspirations. Many students find a MS in Psychology sufficient for the types of jobs they want. Others discover a doctorate necessary for the occupations to which they aspire.

What Is a MS in Psychology?

An MS in Psychology is a graduate degree that prepares recipients for a variety of careers. It also can serve as a building block to entering doctoral studies, and an MS program typically takes about two years to complete. Online MS in Psychology programs sometimes offers accelerated options in which ambitious students can finish in around 18 months.

While coursework varies by institution and personal interests, students in psychology master’s programs often take these classes:

Lifespan development
Research methodology
Cognitive psychology
Social psychology
Personality
Foundations of therapy
Family systems theory
Abnormal psychology

Some students focus on general psychology. Others gear their master’s program to a specific area. Some niche choices include:

Educational psychology
Forensic psychology
Clinical psychology
Industrial-organizational psychology
Sport psychology
Health psychology
Counseling psychology
Child and adolescent development
Applied behavior analysis

Who Should Get a MS in Psychology?

Students who want to expand their knowledge of psychology beyond the undergraduate level often seek a master’s degree. Some students pursue an MS to become more attractive candidates to schools when they apply to doctoral programs.

Others enter the workforce after receiving their MS in psychology. They find careers in the following fields:

Advertising
Human resources
Criminal justice
Social services
Mental health

What Can You Do with a MS in Psychology?

Individuals who have earned a Master’s in Psychology find their degree a gateway to various types of jobs dealing with people and what influences their behavior. A sample of possible occupations is listed below.

What Is a PhD In Psychology?

A PhD in psychology is the highest-level degree within the discipline. Earning it signifies academic excellence and dedication to the field. In addition to mastering psychological theories and concepts, PhD candidates learn how to advance scientific knowledge through their own original research.

Who Should Get a PhD In Psychology?

Obtaining a PhD in psychology is a rigorous process. It involves classwork, passing an oral exam demonstrating competency, and completing a dissertation. Practicums, internships, and teaching experiences may also be part of the program.

Students thinking about entering such a program should possess a strong background in psychology , such as a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree. They also should look closely at their career goals and decide whether a PhD puts them on the right path.

What Can You Do with a PhD In Psychology?

The expertise obtained from earning a PhD in Psychology opens doors to a variety of careers. Three sample positions include:

Many PhDs remain in academia. They teach classes at colleges and junior colleges as well as perform research in their area of interest within the field of psychology. The BLS lists the mean annual wage for postsecondary psychology teachers as $85,050. 6

Clinical psychologists diagnose and treat a variety of mental, emotional, and behavioral problems. Some specialize in certain areas, such as treating depression or eating disorders. Others work with specific populations, such as children or the elderly. The median yearly salary for a clinical psychologist in 2020 was $79,820 per the BLS. 7

These professionals apply their knowledge of psychology to the workplace. Companies and governmental organizations hire them to examine issues such as productivity, morale, teamwork, hiring, and organizational development. Their suggestions lead to workplace improvements. The BLS reports the median annual salary for an industrial-organizational psychologist in 2020 as $96,270. 7

PsyD Vs PhD at a Glance

Individuals wishing to earn a doctorate have another option besides a PhD in Psychology. They may pursue a PsyD (Doctor of Psychology). Selecting which to earn depends on the student’s educational and career interests.

In general, PsyD programs:

Focus heavily on applied psychology
Take 4-7 years to complete
Attract students interested in working as therapists inc community mental health, hospital, and private practice settings

By comparison, PhD programs in psychology:

Focus extensively on generating new knowledge through scientific research
Attract students interested in remaining in academia as professors and researchers, though many do seek licensure and become practicing psychologists

What to Look for in Psychology Graduate Degree Programs

Online vs. on-campus learning.

Whether a student wishes to pursue a master’s degree or a doctorate, choices exist regarding the learning format. Some schools offer graduate-level psychology programs online. Choosing such a route can prove beneficial in terms of access, flexibility, and cost.

Online studies remove geographical barriers when selecting an institution, which opens up a greater pool from which to choose. Remaining at home eliminates expenses related to travel and campus housing, and students with spouses or children do not need to upend their family’s lives to further their education and careers.

Students seeking online degrees should check the terms, however. Some programs include short residency requirements. Likewise, individuals may need to go to campus or other physical sites to complete research projects, internships, practicums, or other hands-on experiences.

Of course, regular on-site programs remain an option for students preferring traditional graduate school. A consistent schedule and the social aspect of attending classes physically alongside others still appeal to many students.

Psychology Certification and Licensure

Psychology-related occupations often require state licensure. Knowing the specifics for the state in which one hopes to find employment can guide educational and career choices and prevent unwelcome surprises down the line.

Psychologists, for example, typically need to complete the following:

A PsyD or a PhD in Psychology
An internship
A post-doc or 1-year supervised professional experience after the internship
A passing score on the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology
Completion of a dissertation or case study

States usually require all licensed therapists to complete the following:

A master’s degree
A range of 2,000-4,000 hours of post-degree supervised clinical experience
A successful exam score

Applying to Psychology Doctoral Programs

Acceptance into a Doctoral in Psychology program involves applying to individual institutions. Competition for spots can be substantial, so candidates should apply to several schools in order to increase the chances of getting in.

Some places are more selective than others and may present harder entrance requirements. Someone who has not completed an undergraduate degree in psychology or a sufficient number of psychology courses will likely need to address this gap before seeking admission.

Admissions Requirements for PsyD and PhD Programs

Depending on where a student applies, the prospective school may ask for the following::

Official transcripts from past collegiate studies at the undergraduate and graduate level, including classes taken, GPA, and degree(s) awarded with date
Proof of any internships, certifications, or licenses
A resume of work history, including dates and duties
A description of other relevant activities, such as volunteer work or participation in professional associations
Scores from the GRE and the GRE Psychology Test
2-3 letters of recommendation that support the candidacy
Responses to essay prompts
A personal statement explaining why the student wants to pursue this degree
Interviews with faculty

Note that some programs look only at candidates who already possess a Master’s Degree in Psychology or a closely related field. Others accept students with a bachelor’s degree into a combined master’s/doctoral program.

Accreditation

Selecting a school with regional accreditation ensures the institution has met certain educational standards. Choose one approved by the U.S. Department of Education or the nonprofit Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Your school’s specific graduate psychology program also should be accredited by one or both of these organizations.

Another important factor is checking if the program is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). 8 Satisfying licensure requirements in some states can be problematic without APA accreditation. Likewise, employers will often look at only job candidates who graduated from an APA-approved program and completed an APA-accredited internship.

Graduate Psychology Career Resources

The following organizations provide further information on licensure for different careers:

The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards
The National Board for Certified Counselors
The Association of Marital and Family Therapy Regulatory Boards
Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification
Someone possessing a PhD is not a medical doctor. A PhD is a doctor of philosophy. In recognition of the expertise obtained from completing this rigorous course of study, holders of a PhD are entitled to use the title “Doctor” if they so choose.
One isn’t better than the other, just different. Which degree to pursue depends on individual interests and career aspirations. Aspiring therapists and counselors often choose a master’s program. Those wishing to become licensed psychologists must complete a doctoral program. Also, PhD programs focus heavily on research and often lead to working in an academic setting or consulting.
Some career options for people who earn a graduate degree in psychology include marriage and family therapist, mental health counselor, substance abuse counselor, counseling psychologist, researcher, and psychology professor.
A person holding a PhD in psychology is not a medical doctor and usually cannot write prescriptions. A few states do allow psychologists with training in psychopharmacology to prescribe a limited number of psychiatric medications. The majority of prescriptions, however, are written out by psychiatrists since they are MDs.
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/marriage-and-family-therapists.htm#tab-1
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/psychologists.htm#tab-1
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/substance-abuse-behavioral-disorder-and-mental-health-counselors.htm#tab-1
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/market-research-analysts.htm
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/training-and-development-specialists.htm
https://www.bls.gov/oes/2017/may/oes251066.htm
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/psychologists.htm#tab-5
https://www.accreditation.apa.org/accredited-programs

Psychology Programs

What are the Differences Between a Masters and PhD in Psychology?

Choosing a path in psychology can be a bit like picking a route for a big journey. Should you stop at a master’s or go all the way to a PhD? While both are advanced degrees, they serve different purposes.

A master’s in psychology usually takes less time and provides a general overview, helping you get into various career paths within the field. A PhD, however, is a longer journey, focusing on specialized research and allowing you to become an expert in a specific area.

So, whether you are dreaming of counseling, teaching, or groundbreaking research, understanding the distinctions between these degrees is crucial. Let’s explore both options to find which suits you best!

Masters Vs. PhD in Psychology

A master’s in psychology typically takes 2-3 years and provides foundational knowledge and skills for various psychology-related careers. On the other hand, a PhD in psychology, taking 4-7 years, emphasizes research and advanced expertise, preparing graduates for academic, research, or specialized clinical positions.

To work in the field psychology, you need to have a minimum of master’s degree in psychology , and if you want to become a licensed psychologist , then a PhD will help you do that.

Master’s and Ph.D. degrees come under the heading of graduate studies. As mentioned above, a master’s degree in psychology typically takes between 2 to 3 years to complete in addition to an undergraduate in the same subject.

There are different types of psychology master’s degrees with the two most common being a Master’s of Art (M.A.) and a Master’s of Science (M.S.) . Without a master’s degree in psychology you cannot get licensed and hence you cannot begin practicing freely.

If your focus in psychology is more towards the applied side, you will need to complete an internship as well. Depending on the program, students may also need to prepare a thesis report towards the final months of a master’s program.

When it comes to a psychology doctorate degree , there are essentially 2 options – a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) or a Psy. D (Doctor of Psychology) . A PhD in psychology is more research oriented, whereas a Psy. D is more focused towards the practical and clinical sides. However, we are limiting our discussion to a PhD in psychology.

Typically a PhD can take between 4 and 7 years depending on how you approach it and on your work schedule. A few years of course work and a final dissertation are almost always required in a PhD program. Some PhD programs even require students to complete an internship which formally marks the end of their doctorate program.

The Road to Get There

To get into a master’s level program in psychology, it is preferred that candidates possess an undergraduate background in psychology. At the undergraduate level, students are presented with the opportunity to choose their majors which is then carried forward in the master’s program.

The undergraduate degree is necessary for creating a strong background and laying the right foundation for students. Some masters programs prefer that candidates have gone through some practical training which usually takes the form of an internship.

A master’s degree in psychology can also serve as an inroad to a PhD in psychology. Many top university PhD programs require students to have a master’s degree in psychology under their belt as a pre-requisite.

However not all PhD programs have that requirement. Some programs offer students a terminal master’s degree in the process of a PhD. This is basically a specialized master’s program that prepares students in their area of expertise and professional practice.

It is often required by PhD level psychology programs for students to have some kind of prior practical experience. This could be an internship or an assistant level position to a senior psychologist. With added practical experience, the concepts taught at the doctorate level are easier to understand and make more sense.

After Graduation

Psychology is a vast and quick expanding field of science which means that demand for qualified psychologists is high. With a masters level psychology you may land some entry level jobs such as a research assistant, assistant to a supervisor, teacher’s assistant and so on. You may work with other psychologists and learn from them on the job.

Opportunities may also exist in mental health institutes, schools and the like. You may also sit-in some sessions with a senior as they treat other patients. Initially there will be a lot of interaction with seniors in a controlled environment.

With a PhD in psychology under your belt you may be exposed to a more challenging and dynamic work environment. You may be part of an experiment where patients are kept under closely monitored situations. Pharmaceutical companies may contract your services to work on drug trials for instance.

Depending on your chosen niche, you may spend time with patients at correctional facilities, detention centers and even prisons.

Which One is Right For You?

There is no right answer for this question. Both degree options have their own merits, requirements and results. What matters is your drive and motivation as well as your career aspiration. For starters, you need to have an interest in the subject of psychology, otherwise there may not be any point in doing a masters, let alone a PhD.

A masters can only take you so far career-wise, sooner or later you will need to rely on a PhD to take your career to the next level – therefore you need to consider your vision. The best way to answer this question is from a timeline point of view – you must prioritize your goals at the given time.

School Psychology- Masters Vs. PsyD/PhD

Thread starter T120
Start date Oct 4, 2011

Full Member

Oct 4, 2011

Well your GREs will play a large part in determing how competitive you are for doctoral programs, so you could wait to take them and see what happens. The regular GREs are going to be required for any doctoral program, but some do not require the psych GRE. In terms of grades I was in a similar situation to you, with low undergrad and high MA GPA although my undergrad was much longer ago. One would hope that they would put much more weight on recent grades, but really who knows. There is generally a little less research focus in school psych, though that can vary by school. There is also generally much less research focus in PsyD programs, I don't remember being under the impression that the Pace PsyD program did much research when i interviewed there. Pace unfortunately was famous among people who interviewed around the same time as me for giving an incredibly negative/unfriendly vibe during their interview. That was a few years ago though, so it may have changed. And of course they could be fine once you actually get in for all we know.

School psychologist here... School psychology is one of the few subspecializations of psychology where you can practice and call yourself a psychologist without a doctorate. Typically, the minimum degree requirement to be a practicing school psychologist is a specialist degree (equivalent to master's plus 30). If your intention after getting your degree is to practice school psychology in the schools, a specialist degree would work just fine and you could get certified in the state where you want to practice. School psychologists with a doctorate typically do not make significantly much more than psychologists with a specialist degree in the public schools, and depending on the district, may fall under the same lane in a salary schedule. For example, in one district where I worked, the highest lane that was offered was a master's plus 45 -- no separate lane for PhD-level educators. Again, much of this depends on the district and the state (I live in Illinois.) I would go for the doctorate if you want to practice school psychology in other settings besides the schools. School psychologists can practice in a clinical/hospital/private practice setting. Most states require school psychologists to have a doctorate in order to get licensed and establish their own private practice. Some school psychologists may work in these settings under the supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist. However, the majority of school psychologists work in public schools. As for PsyD vs. PhD -- Again, either may be OK for what you want to do, especially since it doesn't sound like you want to do a bunch of research.

Oct 5, 2011

T120 said: Hey everyone, I noticed a similar thread to this, but I'm new here so forgive me if I am posting out of place. I've been reading this site for the past week or so and it seems to be a really great place to seek answers and advice. I find myself in somewhat of a predicament lately as I approach the end of my current masters program. I have not always been the best student. I received a bachelors degree from a pretty well known University in 2009 torn between a decision of law school and pursuing further study in psychology. Due to a variety of factors, including some pretty heavy family problems mixed with some immaturity, my GPA was a 2.7. I know, I'm embarrassed for myself, but I do feel I've grown significantly since then. In the time between then and now, I sought out an internship at the local court house in the family court sector. This was interesting and surprisingly led me to want to pursue psychology more than law due to seeing how I could be helping out these kids and families. Anyway, I ended up being accepted into a counseling program. I must admit, I did this for two reasons.. First, because I figured it would keep my options open as a good baseboard for further study in psychology OR law.. and second, I knew I had to do something to make up for that terrible undergraduate GPA. Yes, I understand that grad GPA is usually inflated, but if anything, at least I can prove my ability to pursue post undergraduate education. I finish this May and currently have a 3.91 GPA. I'm currently interning in a setting that is enabling me to be exposed to clinical and child/adolescent experience. Sorry for the babble, but I figure some background may help to understand. Anyway, to make a long story short, I'd like to become a school psychologist. I've been researching programs. I'm stuck between whether or not I should do a masters solely or enter into a PsyD/PhD program. Here are the issues/questions: 1. I am by no means a great standardized test taker. Some programs do not require the GRE, all the PsyD programs do. I am scheduled to take the Psych GRE next month, and the general shortly after. I'm scoring decent on the subject and will begin general study next week. 2. Since I do not have a great GPA and most PsyD/PhD are very competitive, would it be smarter to go for the masters and either work toward my certification (in NY, two years post degree required for licensure) or try directly into a PsyD program. Several programs that have terminal masters degrees seem that they would provide a good base for a PsyD, but I worry about this taking more time than going right into a doctorate program due to transfer credits, etc. 3. I am not so much into heavy research as I am gaining practical experience, which is why I like the idea of a PsyD. 4. I am considering a PsyD, mostly in School-Clinical because I feel it's a very versatile degree. For example, I could work in an educational setting or clinical setting.. but in the future perhaps I could with my own clients after building up experience and my own caseloads, etc. (not necessarily in private practice off the bat) and perhaps even teach at the university level. I just don't know if I should take it one step at a time. But to make it clear : I DO want to work with children/adolescents at the educational level. My main focus is obtaining admission to Pace University's joint School-Clinical program. I am not sure if I should apply for the MsEd degree (the first 3 years are identical to the PsyD program) and then apply to the PsyD program after year 3, which is an option for students in the program. or just apply directly to the PsyD program. I feel like this would give me more leverage in getting into their PsyD program and also prepare me for what is to come. Basically, my main question is, am I crazy for wanting to even go for a doctorate if I do not want to do large amounts of research? Like I said, it mainly would be to broaden my career options down the line. I understand the pay difference may not be as large as I'd like but at least I'd have more options (especially being able to eventually be licensed as a school psychologist and licensed psychologist after clinical supervision if I wanted to eventually go that route). I want to do many different things and not just therapy, so I've ruled out a LMHC or social work. I understand the risks and costs and am prepared to take them on. I guess I just need guidance. Anyone who can offer any insight, I would greatly appreciate it. Sorry for the long post!! Thank You!! T Click to expand...

Oct 24, 2011

Hey guys, thank you so much for the advice! Lot's to take into consideration!

AcronymAllergy

Neuropsychologist.

Oct 31, 2011

sabysmith said: You can earn your PhD in Applied Behavior Analysis which focuses on the areas of biology, psychology and even physical therapy. Studying in the PhD field of Clinical Psychology has you focusing on the areas of guidance counseling, educators and clinical psychologists as well as social work and psychologist in the research area. Click to expand...

School psychologists don't learn to be guidance counselors either. If you got your PhD in counseling though you might learn that, although I"m guessing it's more the MA level counseling people who go that route.

FadedC said: School psychologists don't learn to be guidance counselors either. If you got your PhD in counseling though you might learn that, although I"m guessing it's more the MA level counseling people who go that route. Click to expand...

AcronymAllergy said: Sorry, didn't mean to leave school psychologists out of my statement. I wouldn't imagine many counseling psych folks go into guidance counseling, either, which I believe may predominantly be practiced by bachelor's-level individuals. At least with respect to the "typical" high school guidance counselor. Then again, I don't have much knowledge of guidance counseling, so I may be completely mistaken. Click to expand...

FadedC said: I don't know a lot about it either, but I do know that the counseling program at my school has multiple graduate level classes in career/guidance counseling. There are people I sometimes take classes with who are getting their MA in school counseling, these seem like the people who will become guidance counselors. Things could vary by state though. I'm in NYC, and even just the classroom teachers here frequently have their MA in education. In some other states pretty much anyone who can pass a background check can become a teacher. Click to expand...

AcronymAllergy said: Very true; I'd imagine it could vary substantially from state to state, and even from district to district. Some schools, the counselors may essentially be teachers who take on the work for extra pay (in much the same way as coaches at many public schools). At others, they may be very specifically-trained master's or doctoral-level practitioners. I'd imagine these latter professionals are likely the people who work in university career development/counseling centers as well. Click to expand...

Duck Duck Goose

Senior lurker.

aagman01 said: Are there actually any states where you can be a school guidance counselor with only a masters? I am not in counseling psych, but at my program most of the doctoral counseling students do get "vocational" training - but, to my understanding, that is a traditional training focus of counseling psychology. Vocational work is frequently for preparation to work in a college counseling center or outpatient center. Counseling psych, though, from my understanding, like school psych, has evolved well beyond traditional roles. Traditionally, counseling psych folks have worked with the "worried well", in careers such as college counseling centers and outpatient clinics. School psych doctoral folks traditionally worked predominantly in public schools or training programs. I think both fields are gaining entrance into traditional clinical roles. For example, counseling folks I know frequently are successful gaining entrance into medical psychology careers and school folks increasingly are gaining entrance into children's hospitals. I think the lines are increasingly blurring between the 3 professional sub-fields. Click to expand...

Nov 2, 2011
Jan 28, 2014

aagman01 said: Hi there: The masters in counseling + EDS is a good combination, in that you will get counseling training through the counseling masters and cognitive/academic/personality assessment training through the school psych EDS. You would be looking at 7-8 years for the MA in counseling + PSYD in school psych. Thats a ton of schooling - plus, you are looking at very little to non-existent funding that route, so its also a LOT of debt. The MA counseling +EDS school psych would still be 4 years of schooling + internship (unpaid in NYC unless you are bilingual), so still a costly way to go. Some school psych eds programs will waive the first 30 credits if you already have a masters in a related area to school psych. Two school I heard of in the NYC area that do this are Kean and Montclair. That would allow you to complete course work in 3 years possibly including summers (2 years for counseling MA + 1 year for EDS). That seems the most logical way to go, especially if your career aspirations are to work solely in school settings. Click to expand...

Jan 29, 2014

Hi there. Great and valid questions. I will offer you my insight and experience, but it's just my perspective. I have a specialist degree in School Psychology. I feel that if you know what you want to do ultimately is work with kids and teens in schools, then this is a solid choice. You will have 2 years of classes, 1 year of internship (usually low paying). My programs only required one applied research project, which wasn't so bad. Some might just require that or thesis. However, that being said, a specialist level school psychologist degree is very limiting. It literally only (at least in the two states I trained and worked in) prepares and licenses you to work in a school. There aren't many other options and most of my cohort finds this very limiting and wish they had other choices. For example, we would be qualified to do independent evals for LD, ADHD, Autism, etc., but cannot unless we are employed under someone with a doctorate degree. I applied this year to PhD programs in Clinical Psych due to many reasons, one of those being the limited career options for someone with a specialist degree in school psychology. A joint Clinical-School program would give you many more options. If you can get accepted into the specialist level and then apply to the PsyD program, that is a decent option. Or in reality, some people in my cohort get accepted into the PhD program but switched to the specialist program. I do want to advise you to find out more about the field of school psychology. Have you talked to practicing school psychologists? I highly suggest you do that. Also maybe shadow someone. I had a cohort of 12 (6 specialist, 6 PhD level) and many of us at the specialist level were not and are not satisfied with our jobs. And many of us often feel like we're not actually helping children and families. Those who got a PhD have many more career options and seem to be more satisfied career wise. Feel free to PM me for more information. I do encourage you to find out more information.

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Master’s vs PhD | A Complete Guide to the Differences

Master's vs PhD | A Complete Guide to the Differences

Published on November 27, 2020 by Lauren Thomas . Revised on May 10, 2024.

The two most common types of graduate degrees are master’s and doctoral degrees:

A master’s is a 1–2 year degree that can prepare you for a multitude of careers.
A PhD, or doctoral degree, takes 3–7 years to complete (depending on the country) and prepares you for a career in academic research.

A master’s is also the necessary first step to a PhD. In the US, the master’s is built into PhD programs, while in most other countries, a separate master’s degree is required before applying for PhDs.

Master’s are far more common than PhDs. In the US, 24 million people have master’s or professional degrees, whereas only 4.5 million have doctorates.

Master’s vs phd at a glance, which is right for you, length of time required, career prospects, costs and salaries, application process, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about master's and phd degrees.

The table below shows the key differences between the two.

	Master’s	PhD
Career prospects	Usually intended for a career outside of academia.	Prepares for a research career, ideally as a university professor.
Length of time	1–2 years	5–7 in the US (master’s degree included); 3–5 outside the US (after a separate master’s degree)
Structure	Mostly coursework, often with a semester-long or capstone project at the end.	2 years of coursework (in the US), followed by 3–5 years of preparing a dissertation, which should make a significant original contribution to current knowledge.
Cost	Varies by country, university and program; usually higher upfront cost with limited financial aid available.	Tuition fees are usually waived and a living stipend provided in exchange for being a teaching or research assistant.
Graduate salaries	Wage premium (compared to earnings with a high school education) is 23% on average.	Wage premium is 26% on average.

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A PhD is right for you if:

Your goal is to become a professor at a university or some other type of professional researcher.
You love research and are passionate about discovering the answer to a particular question.
You are willing to spend years pursuing your research even if you have to put up with a lot of dead ends and roadblocks.

A master’s degree is the better choice if any of the following apply:

You want to continue studies in your field, but you’re not committed to a career as a professional researcher.
You want to develop professional skills for a specific career.
You are willing to pay a higher upfront cost if it means finishing with your degree (and thus being able to work) much faster.
You want the option to study part-time while working.

The length of time required to complete a PhD or master’s degree varies. Unsurprisingly, PhDs take much longer, usually between 3–7 years. Master’s degrees are usually only 1–2 years.

Length of a master’s

Master’s degrees are usually 2 years, although 1-year master’s degrees also exist, mainly in the UK.

Most of the degree consists of classes and coursework, although many master’s programs include an intensive, semester-long master’s thesis or capstone project in which students bring together all they’ve learned to produce an original piece of work.

Length of a PhD

In the US, a PhD usually takes between 5 and 7 years to complete. The first 2 years are spent on coursework. Students, even those who choose to leave without finishing the program, usually receive a master’s degree at this point.

The next 3–5 years are spent preparing a dissertation —a lengthy piece of writing based on independent research, which aims to make a significant original contribution to one’s field.

Master’s degrees tend to prepare you for a career outside of academia, while PhDs are designed to lead to a career in research.

Careers for master’s graduates

There are two types of master’s degrees: terminal and research-intensive. The career prospects are different for each.

Terminal master’s degrees are intended to prepare students for careers outside of academia. Some degrees, known as professional degrees, specifically prepare students for particular professions; these include the Master of Public Policy (MPP), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Master of Fine Arts (MFA), and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees.

Other master’s degrees, usually Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Sciences (MS or MSc) degrees, do not necessarily lead to a specific career, but are intended to be a final degree. Examples include an MS in Communications or MS in Data Analytics.

In research-intensive master’s programs, students take coursework intended to prepare them for writing an original piece of research known as the master’s thesis . Such programs are usually intended to prepare for further study in a doctoral program.

Careers for PhD graduates

As research degrees, PhDs are usually intended to lead to an academic career. A PhD can be thought of like an apprenticeship, where students learn from professional researchers (academics) how to produce their own research.

Most students aspire to become a university professor upon the completion of their degree. However, careers in academia are highly competitive, and the skills learned in a doctoral program often lend themselves well to other types of careers.

Some graduates who find they prefer teaching to producing research go on to be teachers at liberal arts colleges or even secondary schools. Others work in research-intensive careers in the government, private sector, or at think tanks.

Below are a few examples of specific fields and non-academic careers that are common destinations of graduates of those fields.

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Many government jobs, including economists at a country’s central bank, are research-intensive and require a PhD. Think tanks also hire economists to carry out independent research.

In the private sector, economic consulting and technology firms frequently hire PhDs to solve real-world problems that require complex mathematical modeling.

Graduate students from the humanities are sometimes hired by museums, who can make use of their research and writing skills to curate exhibits and run public outreach.

Humanities PhDs are often well-suited to research and grant-writing roles at nonprofits. Since so much of research is funded by grants, PhD students often gain a lot of experience applying for them, which is a useful skill in the nonprofit sector.

There are a wide range of non-academic research jobs for lab scientists with doctorates in subjects like chemistry, biology, ecology and physics.

Many PhD graduates are hired by pharmaceutical companies that need to perform research to create and test their products. Government agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), also hire lab scientists to work on research projects.

Job prospects after graduation vary widely based on the field. In fields like management, computer science, statistics, and economics, there’s little underemployment—even graduates from less well-known programs can easily find jobs that pay well and use the skills they’ve gained from the PhD.

However, in other fields, particularly in the humanities, many PhD graduates have difficulty in the job market. Unfortunately, there are far more PhD graduates than assistant professor roles, so many instead take on part-time and low-paid roles as adjunct instructors. Even non-academic careers can sometimes be difficult for PhDs to move into, as they may be seen as “overqualified” or as lacking in relevant professional experience.

Because career options post-PhD vary so much, you should take the time to figure out what the career prospects are in your field. Doctoral programs often have detailed “placement” records online in which they list the career outcomes of their graduates immediately upon leaving the program. If you can’t find these records, contact the program and ask for them—placement information should play an important role in your choice of PhD program.

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Although PhDs take far longer to complete, students often receive a living stipend in exchange for being a teaching or research assistant. Master’s degrees are shorter but less likely to be funded.

Both master’s degrees and PhDs lead to increased salaries upon graduation. While PhDs usually earn a bit more than those with a master’s degree, in some fields, the wages are identical, meaning that no financial benefit is gained from going on to a PhD.

Cost of a master’s

The upfront cost of a master’s degree is usually higher than a doctoral degree due to the lower amount of financial aid available. However, increased salaries also arrive faster than with a doctoral degree, because people graduate much earlier from a master’s program.

Some master’s students do receive stipends for their degrees, usually as compensation for being a teaching or research assistant. In addition, many people complete master’s degrees part time while working full-time, which allows them to fund their living costs as well as tuition.

The cost varies significantly by school and program. Public schools are usually cheaper than private ones. Some master’s degrees, such as MBAs, are notoriously expensive, but also result in much higher wages afterwards that make up for the high cost.

The master’s wage premium , or the extra amount that someone with a master’s degree makes than someone with just a high school diploma, is 23% on average. Many universities provide detailed statistics on the career and salary outcomes of their students. If they do not have this online, you should feel free to contact an administrator of the program and ask.

Cost of a PhD

PhDs, particularly outside the humanities, are usually (though not always) funded, meaning that tuition fees are fully waived and students receive a small living stipend. During the last 3–5 years of a PhD, after finishing their coursework (and sometimes before), students are usually expected to work as graduate instructors or research assistants in exchange for the stipend.

Sometimes students can apply for a fellowship (such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program in the United States) that relieves them of any obligations to be a teaching or research assistant. Doctoral programs in the US tend to be better funded than in the rest of the world.

Sometimes, PhD degrees can be completed part-time, but this is rare. Students are usually expected to devote at least 40 hours a week to their research and work as teaching or research assistants.

The main cost of doctoral programs comes in the form of opportunity cost—all the years that students could be working a regular, full-time job, which usually pays much better than a graduate school stipend.

The average wage premium for PhDs is 26%, which is not much higher than the master’s degree premium.

In the US, the application process is similar for master’s and PhD programs. Both will generally ask for:

At least one application essay, often called a personal statement or statement of purpose .
Letters of recommendation .
A resume or CV .
Transcripts.
Writing samples.

Applications for both types of programs also often require a standardized test. PhDs usually require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), which tries to measure verbal reasoning, quantitative, critical thinking , and analytical writing skills. Many master’s programs require this test as well.

Applying for a master’s

Master’s degrees programs will often ask you to respond to specific essay prompts that may ask you to reflect upon not just your academic background, but also your personal character and future career ambitions.

Northwestern University’s Kellogg Business School requires Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) applicants write two essays, one about a recent time they demonstrated leadership and the second about their personal values.

Who you should ask for your letters of recommendation varies by program. If you are applying to a research-intensive master’s program, then you should choose former professors or research supervisors. For other programs, particularly business school, current work supervisors may be a better choice.

Some professional master’s programs require a specific test. For example, to apply to law school, you must take the Law School Admissions Test, or LSAT. For business school, you must take either the GRE or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).

Applying for a PhD

When applying for a PhD, your resume should focus more on your research background—you should especially emphasize any publications you’ve authored or presentations that you’ve given.

Similarly, your statement of purpose should discuss research that you’ve participated in, whether as an assistant or the lead author. You should detail what exactly you did in projects you’ve contributed to, whether that’s conducting a literature review, coding regressions, or writing an entire article.

Your letters of recommendations should be from former professors or supervisors who can speak to your abilities and potential as a researcher. A good rule of thumb is to avoid asking for recommendations from anyone who does not themselves have a PhD.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

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A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

This depends on the country. In the United States, you can generally go directly to a PhD with only a bachelor’s degree, as a master’s program is included as part of the doctoral program.

Elsewhere, you generally need to graduate from a research-intensive master’s degree before continuing to the PhD.

This varies by country. In the United States, PhDs usually take between 5–7 years: 2 years of coursework followed by 3–5 years of independent research work to produce a dissertation.

In the rest of the world, students normally have a master’s degree before beginning the PhD, so they proceed directly to the research stage and complete a PhD in 3–5 years.

A master’s degree usually has a higher upfront cost, but it also allows you to start earning a higher salary more quickly. The exact cost depends on the country and the school: private universities usually cost more than public ones, and European degrees usually cost less than North American ones. There are limited possibilities for financial aid.

PhDs often waive tuition fees and offer a living stipend in exchange for a teaching or research assistantship. However, they take many years to complete, during which time you earn very little.

In the US, the graduate school application process is similar whether you’re applying for a master’s or a PhD . Both require letters of recommendation , a statement of purpose or personal statement , a resume or CV , and transcripts. Programs in the US and Canada usually also require a certain type of standardized test—often the GRE.

Outside the US, PhD programs usually also require applicants to write a research proposal , because students are expected to begin dissertation research in the first year of their PhD.

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Clinical Psych--Master's vs. Doctorate

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Clinical Psychology: Master's vs. PhD

If you are thinking about a career in clinical psychology, you are in store for a lot of decisions. One big one is is to get a Master's degree (MA/MS/MSW) or a Doctorate (PhD or PsyD). Here are some big issues to think about with regard to this distinction:

1) Are there basic differences between the two types of degrees? Yes, but even here the distinction gets a bit complex. First, only a PhD degree is focused on research. Both a Master's and PsyD are more interested in applied issues. This may seem confusing, since a PsyD is a Doctorate degee, but this is the nature of a PsyD degree. Second, the time frame for completing each of these graduate degrees differs: MSW: 2 years, MA: 2 years, PsyD: 4-6 years, and PhD: 5-7 years. Third, during graduate school, typically only PhD students will receive financial support (tuition paid and a stipend) rare. This discrepancy in financial aid is tied to PhD students typically serving as Teaching Assistants/Research Assistants., and that PhD programs have fewer graduate students than PsyD and Master's programs. The issue of finacial support may be extremely important for you, because without this support you will potentialy be taking out thousands of dollars in loans. You may not realize it, but graduate school is pretty expensive! Moreover, the amount of money you will ultimaytely earn with your graduate degree may be less than you had hoped. Check out more detailed information on these points at scoutiescareersinpsychology.org .

2) What about differences with regard to applying to Master's vs. Doctorate programs? Again, there are important distinctions. In general, the state of affairs for graduate school acceptance is that there is a hierarchy, Master's programs are easier to get into than PsyD programs and PhD programs are the hardest to get into. Difficulty of being accepted can be defined in various ways. For now, let's just say that ease of being accepted is defined in terms of grades and GRE scores. Keep in mind, however, that there are always exceptions to this hierarchy. Our point is simply that the type of program you apply to may be a function of whether your grades give you a chance to be accepted. Is this fair? That is a tough iquestion, but we hope you understand that grades and GRE scores need a way to determine who to accept and these are seen as two important criteria to make these decisions.

One point to add about acceptance is that it may be the case that your undergraduate academic record is not strong enough to get into a Doctoral program. However, you can get accepted into a Master's program. If you go the Master's route and do very well in this program, this can be the springboard to then applying to being accepted to a PhD program. In this case, your performance as Master's student shows PhD programs that you can do graduate level work and that your undergraduate academic record was not indicative of your true potential.

3) Should I go to an accredited program? Regardless of whether you shoot for a Master’s or Doctoral degree, you should probably lean toward an accredited program. The reason is that these programs offer a greater range of job opportunities. For example, some employers will only hire those from accredited graduate programs (e.g., the Veterans Administration). With this in mind, if a school does not indicate that it is accredited (e.g., from the American Psychological Association) view it with caution. One other point about accredited schools is that to be licensed (certified to practice by a state) in your chosen field you sometimes need an accredited graduate degree or internship.

4) There is the issue of job opportunities and salary. In general, it is again the case that there is a hierarchy. Master’s degrees typically lead to fewer job opportunities and lower salary than Doctoral degrees. Part of this is the result of employers looking for those who have more experience and supervised training.

5) Fifth, let's bring up the issue of esearch training versus clinical practice training agin. You really need to decide which path you want to follow. If you like to conduct research, a PhD is for you. However, a Master’s degree may include some research experience. With regard to an MSW and a PsyD, they likely will offer the least research training. Keep in mind that no matter what clinical degree you pursue there will always be some discussion of research.

6) There is the issue of how much independence you want to have when you graduate. This issue brings up the issue of licensure that was raised earlier. It is a complicated issue, because every state has their own laws regarding licensure for Psychology-related degrees. It is critical that you understand the state licensing laws for where you will practice. We know that you may not be clear on where you will end up working, but just be sure you know that the state where you end up living may have very different licensing laws than what you expected or from where you originally were working. keep in mind about licensure is that once you are licensed, if you decide to go into private practice, your fee schedule is typically market driven. Check out http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2004/01/get-licensed.aspx ) for issues about licensing

In presenting these important factors to think about with regard to a Masters vs. Doctoral degree], we of course understand that each individual has unique circumstances that must be taken in account. Still, we hope that presenting these factors gives you some food for thought as you consider your ultimate career path in clinical Psychology.

Please note that the comments of Dr. Golding and the others who post on this blog express their own opinion and not that of the University of Kentucky.

Visit our website to learn more about possible careers for psychology majors or those interested in jobs that involve psychology .

Learn how to succeed in college with Professor Golding’s blog.

Check out Dr. Lippert’s website to learn about her work as a cognitive psychologist.

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Admissions & Applications Master's vs PhD ( self.GradSchool )

submitted 2 months ago by nafaey_

I am a junior year mechanical engineering student. I am looking at graduate programs. I am confused about which programs I should apply for, a masters or a PhD. Ik that I want to do a PhD but I'm not sure if I want to do it rn because it feels like too big of a commitment. Like how can I be sure that this niche concentration is what I want to be working in for the rest of my life. Also I'm not sure yet if I wanna work in academia or industry. I feel like if I pursue a masters for now, I'll be able to make a more informed decision on when I should enroll for a PhD (whether immediately or after some work experience) and which concentration. Am I correct in thinking this way?

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Choosing Between a PhD and PsyD: Some Factors to Consider

Your degree choice will determine your training, as well as your career options..

Posted March 2, 2016 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

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Like many people who are interested in psychology, you may be considering a career involving clinical psychology. This is a good choice because clinical psychology covers a broad range of interest areas—children, adults, families, sports, forensics and many more.

In addition, there are many paths you can take toward a degree involving clinical psychology. You can earn a master’s or doctoral degree and you can receive training in clinical psychology, counseling psychology, social work, sports psychology, or even medicine as a psychiatrist. Finally, your career path can lead to a job involving research, treatment (including therapy ), teaching, or a combination of these areas.

Today, I (Jonathan) want to focus on a question I hear a lot from students and others—should you get a PhD or PsyD? (I will hold off on other clinical psychology question, such as getting a Master’s or Doctoral degree for now.) This question is very important because it will impact how you will get trained in graduate school and the career options you will have once you earn your advanced degree. There are a number of websites that describe the distinction between a PhD and PsyD.

For brevity, let’s just be clear that:

A PhD is a Doctor of Philosophy , whereas a PsyD is a Doctor of Psychology.
PhD students are generally trained following the scientist-practitioner model that puts greater emphasis on research than PsyD students, while PsyD students are generally trained with greater emphasis on clinical work than PhD students.
A PhD degree is earned in 5-7 years, while a PsyD degree is earned in 4-6 years, keeping in mind that this includes 1 internship year.

Now that I presented the distinction, let’s get right to it—what are the critical factors to consider when deciding whether to be trained as a PhD or a PsyD? In presenting these factors, I stuck to the general premise that the individual making this decision could go to either a PhD or Psych program. Of course, the ability to choose a PhD or a PsyD program may not be available to all students, because they do not meet the criteria of a particular program. These criteria may include grades, GRE scores, or life experiences. In addition, it is very important to keep in mind that, as a rule, the number of students selected for graduate school is quite small for a PhD program (typically 10 or fewer) compared to a PsyD program (which can reach as high as 100).

Let's get back to the factors important for making a PhD-PsyD decision. The first factor you need to consider is whether you will be funded during your years in graduate school.

It is typically the case that students in a PhD program receive some type of funding. This includes tuition, a stipend (a fixed sum of money paid for being a Teaching or Research Assistant), or in many cases, both types of aid. This can add up to literally tens of thousands of dollars each year in financial assistance. You will not be rolling in dough, but the fact that you will not have to pay tuition alone is a big deal because it will significantly reduce any debt you might incur in graduate school. This can turn out to be very important in the sense that the amount of money you will earn as a PhD clinical psychologist may not be as high as you imagined. (Check out careersinpsych.com to see salary info.)

PsyD programs, in general, are unable to provide the same type of support as a PhD program. Part of this is tied to the fact that PhD students serve as Teaching Assistants or Research Assistants, but the same is generally not true of PsyD students at a particular school. In addition, because PhD programs have far fewer graduate students than PsyD programs, schools are able to afford to support PhD students.

I feel it is important to bring up an issue that takes into account the factor of funding—the length time you will be in graduate school. As stated above, the time in graduate school is typically shorter for a PsyD student than a PhD student. In a practical sense, this means that a PsyD student is able to get out and earn a real salary (on average) a year before a PhD student.

Now, this is where things get a bit interesting. Say you get out of school and earn about $60,000 with your PsyD. Of course, this is way more than the stipend at any PhD program; the stipend might be close to $20,000. However, the $60,000 you earn in your year out of graduate school will be needed to start paying back what could be at least $100,000 in tuition costs. To find out tuition costs for any APA accredited PhD or PsyD program, go to their website and look for the link that says “Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data.” I think you will be very surprised to see the tuition costs at both PhD and PsyD programs. As stated earlier, a PhD student will typically not have any tuition debt hanging over their head. Thus the $40,000 extra in salary for the PsyD student in the year they are working compared to the stipend of a PhD student is offset by the tuition debt the PsyD student must repay.

The second factor to think about when deciding to apply to a PhD or PsyD program involves APA accreditation, for both graduate school and internship. APA states that, “Although graduating from an accredited program does not guarantee jobs or licensure for individuals, it may facilitate such achievement. It reflects the quality by which an educational institution or a program conducts its business. It speaks to a sense of public trust, as well as to professional quality.” Based on this statement, it would be wise to search out APA-accredited programs.

With regard to internships (that every PhD and PsyD student must complete), APA also notes that, “Students who take unaccredited internships are ineligible for positions with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the single largest employer of psychologists. They are also barred from civilian positions with the military. In addition, a handful of states require aspiring psychologists to have had an APA-accredited internship to be licensed, and many others require them to show that they completed the equivalent of an APA-accredited internship.” Once again, there are real advantages to your ultimate employment plans by completing an APA-accredited internship.

One nice thing about this second factor is that you have the ability to find out the percentage of students who received an APA accredited internship vs. non-APA non-accredited internship for any APA accredited PhD or PsyD program. Go to the program’s website and again look for the link that says “Student Admissions, Outcomes and Other Data.” If a school does not list this information, it is not APA-accredited and should be viewed with caution.

The third factor to consider is what career path you would like to follow. On the one hand, if you want to conduct research both in graduate school and beyond, you should probably go for a PhD. On the other hand, if your career goals lean toward more practical work (e.g., being a therapist) with no real intention of conducting research in graduate school or upon graduation, you should probably get a PsyD. There is an important caveat to this distinction, however. You might be a person who wants to conduct research in a particular area (e.g., ADHD ) because you feel the research experience will help you understand a particular mental health issue. Moreover, you might hope to graduate and get a job working with individuals who reflect that research area, but you have no plans to continue your research work. In this case, a PhD is probably for you.

In presenting these important factors to think about if you are choosing to be a PhD or PsyD, we of course understand that each individual has unique circumstances that must be taken in account. Still, we hope that presenting these factors gives you some food for thought as you consider your ultimate career path in clinical Psychology.

Please note that the comments of Dr. Golding, Dr. Lippert, and the others who post on this blog express their own opinion and not that of the University of Kentucky.

Jonathan Golding, Ph.D. and Anne Lippert, PhD

Jonathan Golding, Ph.D. , is a professor of psychology at the University of Kentucky. Anne Lippert, Ph.D. , is a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Kentucky.

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Should I Get a Master’s or PhD in School Psychology?

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Psychology is a diverse field that offers multiple career paths, many of which are in high demand due to the toll the COVID-19 pandemic has had on people of all ages.

School psychology is an excellent option for someone interested in working with children and making a difference in their lives. Currently, the profession is facing a shortage of qualified school psychologists due to the pandemic and a general lack of awareness about the field. However, school psychology has consistently ranked among the 100 Best Jobs in U.S. News and World Report based on many factors including a good work-life balance and upward mobility potential.

Read on to learn more about working as a school psychologist, the educational requirements to become one, and how Northeastern University can get you started.

What Is School Psychology?

According to Amy Briesch , associate professor and director of School Psychology (PhD) at Northeastern, says “school psychology is very hard to put into a box.” Your responsibilities can vary based on your state and district, but ultimately, the main objective is to support student academics and mental health.

Mental Health Support

School psychologists are different from school counselors. School psychologists study how mental health concerns, like anxiety, can negatively affect student behavior. From there, they can diagnose and address the issue. School counselors do not have the training or expertise to tackle these challenges.

School psychologists provide one-on-one and group counseling to students. They work to improve students’ communication and social skills, assess their needs, reinforce problem-solving, coping skills, conflict resolution, etc. They also focus on preventative work and provide classroom interventions if needed.

Academic Support

School psychologists are trained in evidence-based interventions across academic areas (e.g., reading, math) to help students in need. They work to motivate students, monitor their progress, conduct psychological and academic assessments, and manage classroom behavior. They also provide consultation to teachers on the best methods for struggling students.

Master’s vs. PhD in School Psychology

If school psychology sounds like the right career for you, it’s essential to determine the educational requirements required to get hired and succeed in your field. Explore the differences between a master’s and PhD below.

Master’s in School Psychology

If you’re interested in working in a school, a master’s degree is required to work as a licensed school psychologist in most states.

After earning your bachelor’s degree, you’ll need to find an accredited program to get your master’s, like the Master of Science (MS) and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) in School Psychology offered at Northeastern. This is a three-year, fully accredited program through the National Association of School Psychologists and the Massachusetts State Department of Education.

Your curriculum will likely include some, if not all, of the following courses:

Introduction to Cognitive Assessment
Behavior Management
Child and Adolescent Psychopathology
Understanding Culture and Diversity

The program requires 62 semester hours and a one-year internship or practicum consisting of at least 1,200 hours, half of which must be completed in a school setting.

NASP-accredited programs, like Northeastern’s , ensure students have the necessary requirements to obtain licensure, meaning they can move directly into the field upon graduation.

Once you’ve completed your degree and obtained your initial license, the final step is applying for your professional license. This requires a passing grade on the Praxis II exam (which is a degree requirement at many institutions, such as Northeastern), as well as three years of experience working in the field.

PhD in School Psychology

Public schools are not the only settings in which a school psychologist can work. Private schools, universities, and clinical settings also hire school psychologists but typically require that they hold a PhD or doctoral degree.

A PhD program provides ample opportunities for students to explore individual interests. Northeastern’s School Psychology Doctoral Program (SPDP) prepares school psychologists to work in various settings, such as schools, universities, clinics, and hospitals. Coursework in this program focuses on research and fieldwork to help students develop skills in research, intervention, assessment, and consultation. While this additional degree isn’t required to become a school psychologist, it may be the perfect option for those looking to break into psychology research.

If you want to work in a public-school setting, there is no major advantage to having a doctoral degree in school psychology. In fact, school psychology is the only subdiscipline of psychology where graduates can use the title of psychologist without a doctoral degree.

However, if you’re interested in research as well as the flexibility of working in other settings such as universities or clinics, you’ll want to pursue a PhD.

Whichever you decide is best for you, Northeastern University’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences offers accredited programs for every step of your journey to becoming a school psychologist.

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Masters vs PhD – Differences Explained
Types of Doctorates

The decision of whether or not to pursue a Masters or PhD (or both) after you complete your undergraduate studies is not necessarily a straightforward one. Both are postgraduate degrees but are different in terms of the academic experience and the career paths taken afterwards.

In short, a Masters degree involves a year of study, primarily through taught lectures and a final dissertation research project, whilst a PhD (also referred to as a doctorate degree) is a three-year commitment of independent research on a specific subject.

There’s more to it than that, however – read on for more information.

What Is a Masters Degree?

A Masters degree is the next level of education after the completion of an undergraduate degree, commonly known as a Bachelors.

These degree levels are often referred to in terms of cycles so that a Bachelor’s is a first-cycle degree, a Masters is a second-cycle and finally, a PhD is the third-cycle of higher education (and the highest).

Masters degrees demand an intense period of study, usually centred around a core series of lectures and taught modules, coupled with coursework assignments and exams, followed by the completion of a contained research project usually taking students 3-4 months to complete.

These types of degrees are attractive to recent graduates who want to delve deeper into their specific field of study, gaining some research experience and more specialised knowledge beyond what an undergraduate degree can offer.

Equally, some pursue a Masters degree program in a subject that is only tangentially related to their Bachelors degree, helping them gain a broader depth of knowledge.

These degrees also serve as a significant stepping stone for those already in employment who want to progress their current career development and earn a higher salary. They can also be an excellent method for helping in changing careers completely by learning new skills and subject knowledge.

What Is a PhD Degree?

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the highest academic degree that can be awarded and is the third and final cycle in the progression of higher education.

A doctoral degree is earned on the basis of producing a significant, independent and novel body of work (a Thesis) that contributes new knowledge to a particular research topic.

These are research degrees that are a significant investment of a candidate’s time, resources and energy and are all but a pre-requisite for anyone considering a career in academia, such as eventually becoming a professor.

There are some exceptions to this, such as those with a medical background who may earn an MD (Doctor of Medicine), which is the equivalent of a PhD.

Doctoral degrees can also have a significant positive impact on career development outside of academia, especially in fields such as engineering, business and finance that have a high demand for highly qualified and capable people.

A graduate student engaged in PhD study is commonly known as a PhD student, PhD candidate or doctoral student.

What are the Benefits of a Masters Degree?

There are several reasons one might consider doing a Masters degree rather than a PhD in their graduate education. These include:

It takes approximately a third of the time to do compared to a doctorate degree and costs less too.
It’s a good way to differentiate yourself from those that hold only an undergraduate degree without having to commit to a substantial research degree.
The end goal is more career-focused as opposed to research-focused. For example, it is practically an ‘easier’ route to changing or progressing your career if that aligns with your professional goals.

What are the Benefits of Doing a PhD?

You may continue on into a doctoral program after a Masters or you may even dive straight in after completing your undergraduate studies. So, what are the advantages of completing this third-cycle?

You’ll have developed a wealth of transferable skills at graduate school, such as effective communication of complex concepts, multi-tasking time-management and the ability to adapt to and solve unexpected problems.
A doctorate helps to establish you as an expert within your chosen subject area; your work will hopefully have furthered the knowledge in this.
It will open up career paths and teaching positions within academia that may otherwise be very difficult to get a hold in (although these career paths will still be very competitive).
You can add the title ‘Dr’ in front of your name!

Which Degree Is More Impactful: A Masters or a PhD?

On paper, the answer should be clear: A doctorate degree is the highest degree you can earn, so has more impact than a Masters, which in turn has more impact than a Bachelors.

The reality is that the size of the impact (if any) really depends on the subject area and the career path you choose (if the measure of impact is how it positively improves your career prospects, that is).

For someone with aspirations of becoming a professor, a PhD will be of greater value than a Masters alone.

Equally, it’s also possible that someone with a PhD entering a different field or one that doesn’t require a PhD may find that their degree has no bearing on their career or in some cases may even be seen as a ‘negative’ with a concern of the person being ‘over-qualified’ for a position. There are many scenarios in which professional experience would be more valuable to an employer than a doctorate degree.

Check out the links below to our interviews with Prof. Debby Cotton and Dr Nikolay Nikolov to read their experiences of when a going through a PhD program has had a clear benefit (Prof. Cotton) and when it hasn’t been helpful (Dr Nikolov).

Do You Need to Have a Masters to do a PhD?

This really depends on the university, department and sometimes even the project and supervisor.

From a purely application process perspective, some institutions may formally require you to hold a Masters degree relevant to the subject of the PhD project before you can enter their doctoral program.

In another scenario, most universities are unlikely to accept candidates that were awarded below a 2:1 (in the UK) in their undergraduate degree but may consider someone who has ‘made up’ for this with a high-grade Masters.

Lastly, some universities now offer PhD programmes that incorporate an additional year of study in which you would complete a Masters degree before carrying directly on into a PhD project. As you’d expect, even if a university doesn’t formally require you to hold one, a Masters degree can help separate you from other applicants in being accepted on the project.

Check out our detailed guide to doing a PhD without a Master’s .

Why Do a Masters before Your PhD?

Even if you don’t need to have one, it could still be beneficial to begin your postgraduate study by doing a Masters first before you embark on your doctorate journey.

As mentioned previously it’ll help you stand out from applicants that don’t have one, but beyond that, it’ll give you a taster of what research life could be like, especially if you stay at the same university and department for your PhD.

The one-year commitment (in the UK at least) of carrying out a Masters first, and in particular your research project, will help you better understand if this is truly something you want to commit the next three or more years to.

You’ll learn some of the skills of independent research, from performing detailed literature searches to more complex, analytical writing.

At the end of it, you should be in a stronger position to consider your options and decide about whether to continue into a PhD at graduate school.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Masters Degree?

In the UK, a full-time Masters degrees take students one calendar year to complete: The programme of study usually starts in September, the final research project the following April and final project viva around August. Part-time degrees are usually double the time.

How Long Does It Take to Get a PhD?

In the UK, most PhD projects take 3-4 years to complete , as reflected by the majority of funded projects offering stipends to cover living expenses of about 3.5 years.

For many reasons, projects may end up taking longer to complete, however. This might be because of difficulties in collecting enough data, or if the project is being done part-time.

Which One is More Expensive to Do?

As you’d expect, as a PhD takes three times as long to complete as a Masters degree, it will cost you more to do as far as university fees are concerned.

Another thing to consider is that many PhD projects come with some level of funding equivalent to a low salary, which may cover the cost of tuition fees and living expenses, whilst it is usually more difficult to obtain funding for Masters study.

Conversely, a Masters graduate may progress into a higher (versus PhD funding) salary sooner whilst a PhD student will endure three years of a comparatively low income.

A Masters vs a PhD: Conclusion

If you’re considering continue further graduate study after your undergraduate degree, the question of doing a Masters vs a PhD is likely to come up. They are both considered an advanced degree, each with their own advantages.

There are benefits to doing either of these graduate programs or even both of them; your decision here can be easier if you have an idea of the career you want to follow or if you know you have a love for research!

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Masters vs PhD ROI in DOD?

I’m looking to start an I/O program next year (have to get money stuff in order) and I can’t decide if I would get more ROI out of an I/O PhD or a Masters if I’m trying to stay in Talent Management/Human Capital business roles.

Background: 8 years of progressive talent acquisition into talent management experience. Currently the manager for all Talent Operations at a small government contractor. I have a bachelors in business admin, a masters in Human Resources management and an MBA - none from top schools. Carried a 3.74 and 3.8 respectively in my masters programs.

I want to make sure I don’t go too far if a PhD would be prohibitive but I don’t want to stunt myself if a masters isn’t enough.

Side question- does it matter that I’ve never been in a psych research program?

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IMAGES

Masters Vs PhD: The Difference Between Masters & PhD/Doctorates 2022
Masters vs PhD: Which is Right For You?
PhD vs Master’s
Master’s vs. Ph.D.: What’s the Difference and Which One to Choose
Masters vs PhD
Master's vs. Doctorate in Psychology: Exploring the Main Differences

VIDEO

Master's vs. PhD: Navigating the Educational Landscape
Choose the Right Masters Degree!
Best Ways To Make The Most Of Your Psychology Degree
Why I Chose PsyD over a PhD
Is it EASIER to get a PsyD or PhD?
Is a PhD harder than a Masters or Bachelors? Not what you think!

COMMENTS

Should I get my Masters, PhD, or PsyD? : r/ClinicalPsychology
Between MSW and masters of clinical psychology (MCP) I'd recommend a MSW as there is more money to be made typically and the level of supervision is lesser then MCP. In terms of money, doctoral degrees make more if you are doing assessments as it's mostly reserved for those with terminal degrees like PhD, MD, PsyD.
Xpost: Psychologists of Reddit did you choose a master's or phd or
A PsyD allows you to be called a psychologist without having to do research. However, this almost closes all doors to academia (almost, not all). A master's can be good to get you more experience or the abilities to get a therapy/counseling job if you want clinical. You could also get market research jobs etc.
Masters first or straight to a PhD? (and other relevant questions)
For clinical Master's programs, it's around 50%. The amount of debt you incur as a Master's level therapist is frequently lower or non-existant compared to that of a Ph.D. 10-year completion rates for Ph.D. programs is around 50% for those who actually get in, which is substantially lower than that of Master's programs.
Has anyone ever regretted getting a PhD in clinical psych?
What will is getting you to look up the professional surveys on income. Someone is the max on that. So… between $60k-$900k. Outside of me, there are people on SDN who make less than $40k/yr, and some that can make $40k in 2 weeks. 2) Learn the CPT codes used in psychology. This is easily found on APA sites via google.
MS vs PhD: Which Psychology Degree Should You Get?
Learn the differences between MS and PhD in Psychology programs, and how to choose the right one for your goals. Compare coursework, time, research, and licensure requirements for each degree.
Masters vs. Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
Finally, a Ph.D. (a Doctor of Philosophy degree) can be obtained in the same domains as a Master's degree, and puts greater emphasis on research than a PsyD. Source: Komsomolec/pixabay. The time ...
Masters Vs PhD in Psychology
Masters Vs PhD in Psychology - Must-Know Differences ...
Masters vs. PsyD vs. PhD in Clinical or Counseling Psychology
Compare the differences between these three training routes in psychology, including research emphasis, costs, quality, accreditation, and licensure. Learn about the pros and cons of each degree and how to choose the best fit for your career goals.
School Psychology- Masters Vs. PsyD/PhD
Psychology [Psy.D. / Ph.D.] School Psychology- Masters Vs. PsyD/PhD. T120. Oct 4, 2011. This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you. #1. Hey everyone, I noticed a similar thread to this, but I'm new here so forgive me if I am posting out of place.
Master's vs PhD
A master's degree is usually 1-2 years, while a PhD is 3-7 years. A master's is often for a career outside of academia, while a PhD is for research. Learn more about the differences, structure, costs, and application process of master's and PhD degrees.
Master's vs. PhD, Psychology : r/gradadmissions
A Master's degree in pure psychology is often not a very useful degree, in my opinion. I know folks who are lab managers for doctoral level researchers with this degree, but it's a research degree that doesn't really get you far enough to let you do actual research. A PhD in pure psychology is a research degree that really trains you to be an ...
PsyD vs. PhD Programs: Key Differences and Similarities
Learn how PsyD and PhD programs in psychology vary in academic focus, duration, structure, and career outcomes. Compare the pros and cons of each degree and find out which one suits your goals and interests.
Masters versus PhD
Money Masters degrees and PhD are both expensive, but in different ways. Masters degrees usually involve paying a large sum for tuition. In contrast, for the majority of PhD students, tuition is ...
Masters versus PhD
Prestige Avoid applying for a PhD instead of a Masters because you are drawn to the status you believe it will bring you. First, keep in mind that PhDs in Psychology earn relatively small salaries ...
Scouties Careers in Psychology
First, only a PhD degree is focused on research. Both a Master's and PsyD are more interested in applied issues. This may seem confusing, since a PsyD is a Doctorate degee, but this is the nature of a PsyD degree. Second, the time frame for completing each of these graduate degrees differs: MSW: 2 years, MA: 2 years, PsyD: 4-6 years, and PhD: 5 ...
Debating between PhD in Clinical or Counseling Psych (+open to ...
A user asks for advice on choosing between PhD programs in Clinical or Counseling Psychology, and shares their background and goals. Other users reply with their experiences, opinions, and suggestions.
Master's vs PhD : GradSchool
Your job experience will help you decide. PhD is longer, but usually fully funded and with a stipend, master is shorter but most likely you have to pay out of your pocket. My suggestion would be, enroll in a PhD and if you decide you want to go to industry just master out after a couple of years.
Choosing Between a PhD and PsyD: Some Factors to Consider
Learn the differences between PhD and PsyD degrees in clinical psychology, such as training, funding, and career options. Find out how APA accreditation and tuition costs can affect your salary ...
Masters vs PhD : r/psychologyresearch
2. Also im hearing that PhD is just as hard as getting into med school which im not sure if its accurate or not. 3. Another thing is would the route of just becoming a clinical Psychologist with a masters decrease my salary by a lot and what what be the salary estimations of Masters in Clinical Psychology vs PhD in Clinical Psychology.
Should I Get a Master's or PhD in School Psychology?
Master's in School Psychology. If you're interested in working in a school, a master's degree is required to work as a licensed school psychologist in most states. After earning your bachelor's degree, you'll need to find an accredited program to get your master's, like the Master of Science (MS) and a Certificate of Advanced ...
Private Practice Income- Masters vs Doctorate
A user asks if they should pursue a doctorate in clinical psychology or start working with a master's degree in mental health counseling to achieve their goal of $100k in private practice. Other users share their opinions, experiences, and advice on the pros and cons of each option.
Masters vs PhD
Learn the key differences between Masters and PhD degrees, including the academic experience, career paths and benefits of each. Find out if you need a Masters to do a PhD and why some people choose to do a Masters first.
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