Please help! Difficulty making the smart decision!

[Violeta8]

Hello everyone,

I really need help in deciding what to do. I am in a quandary about what to do. I am about to graduate with my PhD in General Psychology and I have been receiving a lot of negative feedback about this degree. I have been told that I can't do a thing with this degree. My objective was to teach and get into research at some point but now I think I won't even be able to do this.

Many are saying that if I got a license to counsel others, I would be better off. I have looked into my options (those options being an LMHC or LMSW.) However, I am concerned about what I would be making at the end of all this schooling and what jobs would be available to me? Which of the two options coupled with my PhD would be the most beneficial to me?

Thank you in advance for your valuable input.

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[singasongofjoy]

If you get a PhD in an area that allows you to get licensed at the doctoral level, then LMHC/LMSW are moot. But if you want to look at job flexibility at the master's level, in my experience LCSWs have a wide range of options open to them. Pay scale depends on a lot of factors, like geography and the type of work you do. You can probably find an average in your state by looking online. Counseling others can be both rewarding and exhausting, so consider which path you take carefully and make sure it's one you'd be interested in doing for a long time - don't rush into getting additional schooling just because you're worried about the pay. It's true that a BA in psychology won't allow you to do much directly psychology-related service provision that pays really well, but lots of folks with bachelors in psych go on to do cool things in other fields and make good money without going to grad school. Taking pay out of the equation, what types of things do you see yourself doing as a potential job/career that interest you, whether or not what you typically think of as psych-related?

 

[theSteppenwolf]

I'm confused. I thought he was graduating with a PhD in general psychology not a BA. If it is indeed a Ph.D, I would think doing a clinical respecialization program might be his best bet.

 

[PsyDr]

Is this an online school? Most reputable phd programs would have helped you create a solid publication and funding history, which would help in early career.

The traditional advice is to look into a respecialization program.

 

[Ollie123]

Is this from a reputable institution or an online/prof school/other shady institution? I ask just because I'm not aware of any school actually offering a PhD in general psychology.

There is nothing to prevent you from teaching or doing research if you can find a job. However, these will generally require you to have extensive qualifications and not just a degree. If this was one of those degree programs where you basically just took classes and ran a half-baked "project," I agree its going to be a longshot finding any kind of meaningful employment in academia. On the other hand, if it was a legit institution and you have a dozen publications in decent journals, have taught undergrad courses there, etc. then I doubt the degree title would hold you back much.

A respec program may be a good option, but depending on the program and where you actually are it is possible they won't recognize your PhD as being legitimate which would impact your ability to "respecialize." The options you mentioned are both possibilities, but they are certainly slightly different paths. Neither one is "better" than the other, it just depends on your goals, interests, etc.

 

[smalltownpsych]

Is this an online school? Most reputable phd programs would have helped you create a solid publication and funding history, which would help in early career.

The traditional advice is to look into a respecialization program.

My thoughts exactly as far as the online school. Those programs are just riding the easy money student loan bubble.

 

[erg923]

What has your line or area of research been with in this program? Hopefully you have been able to carve out somewhat of a specialization or area of expertise? The very idea of program likes this makes little sense to me, since the whole point of a doctoral degree is to obtain specialty knowledge/expertise within a broader field (psychology, economics, mathematics). Hence why graduate programs in the field of psychology are specialized and are appropriately labeled as such (social psychology, behavioral neuroscience, clinical psychology, industrial/organization psychology, etc.).

I hate to ask or suggest the obvious, but what do graduates of this PhD program in "general psychology" typically do after they graduate? Where are they employed? What kind of money do they make? Did you really not asked these questions at your interview for this program?

 

[smalltownpsych]

When I google PhD in General Psychology, the hits all look like online programs to me. Looks to me like the OP was taken. All of these sites have a disclaimer about "this degree does not lead directly to licensure", but they say that you can work as a consultant or researcher or teacher. All true in a way, but extremely misleading, you can work as a teacher or a research assistant with a bachelor's degree, but you are not going to be a university professor conducting and publishing research with this degree, that's for sure.

 

[deleted343839]

When I google PhD in General Psychology, the hits all look like online programs to me.

My thoughts exactly.

I have been told that I can't do a thing with this degree. My objective was to teach and get into research at some point but now I think I won't even be able to do this

How have your mentors in this program advised you to go about finding an academic job? Or have they?

 

[smalltownpsych]

Hello everyone,

I really need help in deciding what to do. I am in a quandary about what to do. I am about to graduate with my PhD in General Psychology and I have been receiving a lot of negative feedback about this degree. I have been told that I can't do a thing with this degree. My objective was to teach and get into research at some point but now I think I won't even be able to do this.

Many are saying that if I got a license to counsel others, I would be better off. I have looked into my options (those options being an LMHC or LMSW.) However, I am concerned about what I would be making at the end of all this schooling and what jobs would be available to me? Which of the two options coupled with my PhD would be the most beneficial to me?

Thank you in advance for your valuable input.

Some states might possibly accept your education as satisfying some or possibly even all of the education requirements for a LPC or LMHC. Then you would still need to get the supervised experience requirements. You would need to research the state requirements and figure out the specifics.

 

[MAClinician]

Is this a degree from Walden University?