Psychology is a word that can mean almost anything. Since its roots in the late nineteenth century, the areas in psychology have grown from understanding the structure of the mind to dream analysis to behavior modification to a wide array of disciplines, including, but not limited to: educational psychology, parapsychology, comparative psychology, and neuropsychology. Students interested in psychology may feel overwhelmed at the outset of their undergraduate career. Some programs allow students to choose which path to take with the broad field of psychology, such as distinguishing between a clinical and experimental approach, or a basic and applied approach. But what do these words mean? And how can students in programs with general psychology majors prepare themselves for graduate careers?
Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychology is one of the most recognized areas of psychology. Clinical psychologists, or clinicians, are licensed to see clients. They "assess and treat mental, emotional and behavior disorders" (American Psychological Association, 2003, p. 3). These psychologists may work in practices or in hospitals. Though many spend much of their time seeing and treating clients, many also perform clinical research, such as determining the causes of schizophrenia, or finding favorable outcomes in post-partum depression treatment options. Students interested in this branch of psychology should take classes in abnormal psychology and counseling skills. In graduate school, students must complete both a practicum and an internship to help train them for independent practice. Counselors can be licensed with a masters degree, but a doctorate can give more freedom and experience in research.
