Is a terminal master's in clinical psych worth it for getting into a PHD program
- Thread starter Mellitus
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I'd say no...unless your undergrad GPA is terrible and you abselutely need to supplement it with a new masters program GPA. It would be much better worth your time and money getting a good research position (working/volunteering in a psych lab) and also some clinical experience on the side (volunteering at a hospital, mental health hotline, etc etc).
Well..i'd say that would make it more difficult lol. It would have to depend on your current position (are you in a job that will look good on your application), past research experience, GRE scores, and the rest of your application (letters of rec, statement of purpose, etc etc).
I'd still lean towards no though...I think most good PhD programs will not let any of your masters courses transfer over. Also, take into account that some programs prefer students with masters and some see it as more of a negative. So it depends on what PhD program you will eventually want to go to.
Aren't most of these counseling psychology programs and don't they generally show preference to counseling/counseling psychology students?
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I got my masters in Clin Psyc and while I really enjoyed the program, if I had to go back I would have chosen to do a masters in Experimental Psyc. The experimental psyc program gives you a more solid foundation in research and stats which I believe to be more helpful if you want to obtain a Phd eventually. I could have taken several electives related to clinical psyc if I had gone this route anyway.
However, I will say that if you think you might want to be a clinician and want to be eligible for licensure at the masters level, you would want to go for the Clin Psyc masters or Counseling Psyc masters. My program left you only two classes shy of being eligible to sit for licensure (both of which classes were offered just not as a requirement of our curriculum). You could become an LCPC with this degree in my state.
However, I will say that if you think you might want to be a clinician and want to be eligible for licensure at the masters level, you would want to go for the Clin Psyc masters or Counseling Psyc masters. My program left you only two classes shy of being eligible to sit for licensure (both of which classes were offered just not as a requirement of our curriculum). You could become an LCPC with this degree in my state.
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How can a masters degree in psych be terminal?
For me it was worth it. I had pretty good stats (3.53 GPA, 1310 combined GRE), but only an honors thesis as far as research. I lived in a rural area with no place to go to get more research experience, and due to my personal situation, did not want to move somewhere for a year to work in a lab. I got into a fully funded Master's program (Experimental), which gave me research / publication opportunities, as well as more contacts in the field overall. It worked - I'm starting a PhD program in the fall.
Yeah exactly. It really comes down to your current opportunities like Lisa. It can be a great option if you can't do anything else, but i'd see it as more of a "last resort"
Do you mean "what can you do with a terminal masters degree in psych?".
Basically become a CRC (clinical research coordinator), or some other terrible job where you are destined to be the slave of PhDs and MDs, with awful pay and unsatisfying work. Obviously if people want to go the therapy route without getting a PhD an MSW is the way to go, not a masters of clinical pysch.
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As someone who has a terminal masters in clinical psych prior to entrance into my Phd program, I'd agree with Lucid's assessment. Most my cohort from my MA program has pretty ****ty jobs and no way to move up.
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No I mean a terminal degree refers to the highest level of education in that field. A masters in psych is not terminal. A PhD is the terminal degree for clinical psych.
Often times, when people say they are getting their "terminal master's degree" it means they are purely going to get a masters in psychology with no plans on getting a PhD.
In PhD programs you get your masters along the way, but it's not terminal because you keep going.
I understand what you mean, that "technically" there is no such thing as a terminal masters in psychology, because there is always the PhD option...but if you only plan on getting your master degree it is often referred to as "terminal". It's really just a semantics issue.
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