In some academic fields, students with bachelor’s degrees apply to master’s programs first, and then apply to PhD programs after obtaining their master’s degree, often at a different school. However, in psychology, students can (and often do) apply directly to doctoral programs. Because of this trend, students need to decide before applying to programs whether they want to pursue a master’s degree or a PhD in psychology.
One of the most obvious differences in programs is the length of time to complete the degree. Master’s programs generally take 2-3 years to complete, while doctoral programs generally take 4-6 years. However, there are many more differences between the two types of degrees than just the length of time you will be in school and the degree you leave the program with.
Program Funding Differences
The funding situation is very different between master’s and doctoral psychology programs.
- Almost all psychology doctorate programs cover tuition as well as a provide a stipend for students
- Master’s programs will typically not pay a stipend, and may also not cover tuition (although scholarships or teaching assistantships may be available to some students)
Getting Your Master’s “Along the Way” in Doctoral Programs
At most institutions, you will obtain a masters degree on your path to a doctorate degree. You could hypothetically leave a doctoral program with just your master’s degree (this is called “mastering out”). However, these programs will have accepted you with the expectation that you would continue. Dependent on the institution, you may be burning some bridges if you leave with a masters degree. You can still always choose to leave, though; you can’t actually be forced to continue with your doctorate degree if your goals change.
Career Options in Psychology
Your career options will be much more limited with just a master’s degree than a PhD, although how limited depends on your field. In social and personality psychology, for instance, you may struggle to find positions that require a master’s degree, but in more practice-oriented fields of psychology, such as industrial and organizational psychology, you may have many options.
Jobs for Master’s Degrees
There are three main career paths for job applicants with a master’s degree in psychology.
- Industry or Government: If you decide to work in industry or government and are comfortable with statistics, you will generally qualify for for data analyst positions. Many organizations also hire employees with psychology expertise in human resources, as well as in training and employee development.
- Research Analyst: If want to work at a university or research institution, you will likely be able to contribute to research design but not lead projects, and you will work under the supervision of a researcher with a PhD.
- Teaching: With a master’s degree, you will be qualified to teach at most community colleges. You can also switch into teaching at the K-12 level. Many states have an accelerated teaching certification paths for people with degrees in areas other than education, and many school districts pay a premium for teachers with master’s degrees. At the high school level, you would likely be teaching psychology or statistics classes.
Jobs for Doctoral Degrees
Be aware that some doctoral programs expect your career goal to be a professor (“going academic”), and you may meet resistance if you have different career goals. However, there are other routes than straight academia.
- University Academic Positions: Doctoral degrees are typically required for these positions, whether that is as a research professor or a teaching professor. Your doctoral program should prepare you to be as competitive as possible when applying to open positions.
- Research Scientist: A PhD is usually required to lead projects at institutes or non-profits that conduct independent research. If you are are already working in a psychology field with just a bachelor’s or master’s degree, you may reach a point at which you are unable to progress in your career path without a doctoral degree. For example, you may need a PhD to reach a supervisory position.
Also, government jobs, whether at the city, state, or federal level, have higher pay scales for employees with doctoral degrees. However, in many cases, the salary difference is not substantial, so this should not be your only reason for choosing to obtain a doctoral degree.
When to Consider Master’s Programs
If you are unwilling to commit to 4 to 6 years as a student, or think you could be happy working in one of the previously-mentioned career paths that require only a master’s degree, consider applying to master’s only psychology programs. If at some point you decide to pursue your PhD after obtaining your master’s degree, you can apply to doctoral programs.
For master’s degree students, if and when you consider applying to doctoral programs, contact each program to discuss how they treat students who already have master’s degrees. Every program will differ in its policies, requiring anything from you repeating all coursework, getting a master’s degree through their program, or allowing you to proceed directly to pre-dissertation work. Make sure you only apply to programs that have terms you find acceptable.
You also may need to apply directly to master’s programs, which are generally less selective, if you don’t have research experience or didn’t make high grades as an undergraduate. That way, when you do well in your graduate work, doctoral programs will have more confidence that you are capable of PhD-level work.
When to Consider Doctoral Programs
With very few exceptions, getting a PhD is your only route to becoming a tenure-track research or teaching professor at a university. If you are confident that this your career goal, you should apply to doctoral programs (unless your grades as an undergraduate are low). Similarly, if your goal is to become a PhD-level research scientist capable of leading research projects, a PhD will also be required.
If you are still uncertain about your decision, consult professors you trust to give you advice on where and how they see you succeeding as a master’s or doctoral student. They may have an outside perspective that gives you the confidence to make your final decision on graduate school in psychology.
