School Psych EdS vs PhD

[Aestheticism]

Hello Again,

I wanted opinions on which would be more wise in the long run (salary wise, career flexibility).

I love working with the special needs population in Elementary Schools and Higher Education. Maybe later down the line I would love to become a professor or dean of a program, or have my own learning center/daycare for disability children. I currently work in two departments, Disability Services and Academic Advising, at a college so I am getting experience now.

I know I want a doctorate but would it be wise to get my EdS in School Psychology and a PhD/EdD in Special or Higher Education? or Vice Versa? (MA in HigherEd or ESE) considering factors above.

*I plan to live in Florida or Texas in case this helps anything*

Thank you.

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[schoolpsy21]

I mean working as a school psychologist in an elementary school is a lot different than working in a college/university with special needs students. The former requires a specialist/doctorate degree in school psychology to work in any K-12 public school and involves mostly psychoeducational assessment work. The latter may only require a Bachelors (maybe a Masters in higher education) and involves no assessment work, moreso consultation and counseling work I would imagine.

 

[Aestheticism]

I mean working as a school psychologist in an elementary school is a lot different than working in a college/university with special needs students. The former requires a specialist/doctorate degree in school psychology to work in any K-12 public school and involves mostly psychoeducational assessment work. The latter may only require a Bachelors (maybe a Masters in higher education) and involves no assessment work, moreso consultation and counseling work I would imagine.

Well I know to become a professor/dean I need a doctorate. To open my own practice or work in schools I need a EdS or PhD.
I know the two are different which is why I stated "later down the line".

Just confused about whether to get the EdS or PhD in School Psychology. I am thinking to go: EdS School Psychology, EdD Higher Education

 

[deleted343839]

I love working with the special needs population in Elementary Schools and Higher Education. Maybe later down the line I would love to become a professor or dean of a program, or have my own learning center/daycare for disability children.

Here's the rub: it's very difficult to re-enter academia after being out in the clinical/applied world for a while. It's easy enough to teach as an adjunct, but you'll make very little money at it and you'll have no chance of entering administration. So if you're interested in a full time academic career - something that could potentially lead to tenure or a dean or program director type of job - you need to aim at a Ph.D.

But. My advice to you is to stop being so preoccupied with the specific degree program and first decide which career will suit you best. You are putting the cart before the horse by focusing so much on the specific degree. After all, a graduate degree is training for a career. You will begin to focus or specialize before your degree is even awarded, especially if you pursue a doctorate. Right now your interests are still very scattered, which is fine at this stage of your education, but it's why you are having a hard time choosing the next steps in your education. It does not make sense to pick a program while your interests are still all over the map. Once you have a clearer idea of the kind of career you'd like to pursue (or at least a narrower range of careers), you should have less trouble deciding on a degree program.

You can't do it all. Or rather, you can't do it all well. Try to develop career interests along one primary path. You don't have to decide that path today. Give yourself some time to figure out what you want to do. Academic advising? Running a learning center? Being a professor? Private practice? All great careers, but very different steps to arriving at each one. So decide on that part first. Don't model yourself after people who have had very unusual turns in their careers. They got lucky.

No, you cannot keep all these options open indefinitely. That's the unfortunate reality that we all have to live with. And while you might be able to "go back" for further training, remember this: academia is a narrow path and you can jump that ship any time. But the opposite is not true. Most of us who have lived out in the applied/clinical world for some time are no longer welcome in academia. Choose wisely!