Colorado Technical University

bachelors, masters, doctoral degrees?

how many years would each take if i wanted to be a child psycologist, how many years of college do i need all together to get an acual liscence to practice? and do i have to get an associates degree first?

Public Comments

1. Associates *and* bachelors: 4 years. Ph.D. or Psy.D: 4-7 years. Then the licensing exam. So 8-11 years and then probably an additional 12 months to prepare for the exam.
2. You do not need an Associates degree to get a BS, though you can get one if you go to a community college before going to a four year university. You do not need to get a Master's before getting a PhD or a PsyD. A PhD usually involves about three years of coursework, a two day written exam at the end of the second year, and an oral exam at the end of the third year. Following that, you write your dissertation, which can take anywhere from one to five years. Most schools make you defend your thesis when you complete it (My school <Berkeley> does not require a dissertation defense). If you want to be a clinical psychologist, you will probably have to go through some clinical training, as well. For now, you should work on your spelling and grammar. They are horrific.