I am currently just about halfway through an MS in experimental psychology, with a research emphasis in religion. I have always known that I wanted to teach for my career - and have time to do things like write books and record music. Basically, I have a few hobbies.
At first I figured I would go for the "holy grail" in academia, which is a tenure-track position at a research university. I could do research in religion in several areas: clinical, social, developmental. But I have begun to rethink that. I'm not crazy about the idea of killing myself with research, research, research (I'm very bad at math and statistics, so much so that I suspect I might have a mild learning disorder in just that area) and having my teaching take a back seat, and from what I understand, professors are researchers foremost and the teaching is something that is on the side.
My advisor (who is also the department chair) told me that I should look into clinical psychology, because this would allow me to work at a clinical practice on the one hand, and teach a few adjunct classes at a university on the side (or at a community college or small teaching college). He said that clinical psychologists get more jobs in academia than social psychologists, and that basically social psychology is completely glutted right now with researchers wanting to get a job at a university. The clinical way means I could focus on my teaching without feeling like I'm being weighed down with the expectation of research. It would also give me the flexibility to record music and write on the side if I want to do those things as well.
The university I'm at has a PsyD program that will transfer a few of my Master's credits, and the other thing about it is that it is funded. My advisor told me that I could not only teach classes at this university but also continue publishing research with him (I've already published one thing with him), and the program is trying to get more heavily into research. The program is currently being reviewed for APA accreditation and will probably achieve this at the end of this year (though no guarantees). I am married with one kid and another kid is on the way, so it's attractive to me not having to move across the country again.
Of course, I will be applying to many social, developmental, and clinical programs, but this will be the only PsyD program I will apply to. I am wondering whether my plan makes sense, or if I'm shooting myself in the academic foot by considering a PsyD? As I said above, my primary goal is to teach.
One last note, as if this weren't long enough. There is one thing I'd like to do other than teach, and that is international work (foreign service, WHO, etc.). It seems to me that having a clinical doctorate would give me a possible career here as well.
At first I figured I would go for the "holy grail" in academia, which is a tenure-track position at a research university. I could do research in religion in several areas: clinical, social, developmental. But I have begun to rethink that. I'm not crazy about the idea of killing myself with research, research, research (I'm very bad at math and statistics, so much so that I suspect I might have a mild learning disorder in just that area) and having my teaching take a back seat, and from what I understand, professors are researchers foremost and the teaching is something that is on the side.
My advisor (who is also the department chair) told me that I should look into clinical psychology, because this would allow me to work at a clinical practice on the one hand, and teach a few adjunct classes at a university on the side (or at a community college or small teaching college). He said that clinical psychologists get more jobs in academia than social psychologists, and that basically social psychology is completely glutted right now with researchers wanting to get a job at a university. The clinical way means I could focus on my teaching without feeling like I'm being weighed down with the expectation of research. It would also give me the flexibility to record music and write on the side if I want to do those things as well.
The university I'm at has a PsyD program that will transfer a few of my Master's credits, and the other thing about it is that it is funded. My advisor told me that I could not only teach classes at this university but also continue publishing research with him (I've already published one thing with him), and the program is trying to get more heavily into research. The program is currently being reviewed for APA accreditation and will probably achieve this at the end of this year (though no guarantees). I am married with one kid and another kid is on the way, so it's attractive to me not having to move across the country again.
Of course, I will be applying to many social, developmental, and clinical programs, but this will be the only PsyD program I will apply to. I am wondering whether my plan makes sense, or if I'm shooting myself in the academic foot by considering a PsyD? As I said above, my primary goal is to teach.
One last note, as if this weren't long enough. There is one thing I'd like to do other than teach, and that is international work (foreign service, WHO, etc.). It seems to me that having a clinical doctorate would give me a possible career here as well.
