Msw or psyd? PLEASE HELP AN UNDERGRADUATE!

[EmilyKate]

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I am new to this but am looking for some advice as I am graduating from the University of Delaware this spring with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology.

I am interested in family counseling/therapy as well as developmental pyschology (working with children, definitely). I am also interested in intervention research and studies in low income areas.

I have been stressing over and over about whether I should be looking into Clinical PSYD programs or simply an MSW Ior a PHD, i suppose). I was considering going for the MSW and then continuing on (but this has been rejected by many). I am assuming one of the benefits to the PSYD over the MSW is the amount of money one would make but what are the other benefits? For what I want to do, is it silly for me to spend all the money and time on a PSYD program when I can just go for the MSW and start practicing?

I was also wondering if anyone knew of any good clincally focused programs in either MSW or PSYD that were focused on children/family. My GPA is around a 3.8 overall and a 3.7 in psychology. I have not taken the GRE and may not (depending on which program I choose). I have been involved in research since my sophomore year fall semester (so...it will be 6 semesters of research by the time I graduate) and I am currently interning at the Child Mental Health Center in Delaware (a state run organization).

Thank you so much for your help everyone!

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

An MSW and a doctoral degree (Ph.D. / Psy.D / Ed.D) are two very different animals. The breadth and depth of knowledge, scope, and purpose are all different. With a doctoral level degree you'll have much more exposure to assessment, research, stats, etc.....though the road is much longer and you may or may not want to go through all of that if your primary goal is a private practice.

I think the MSW is a pretty flexible MS level degree (if you find a program that has the right balance between clinical/administrative focus), and as long as you find training placements that meet your areas of interest, you'll be good to go.

They also have Ph.D. is social work, but from my understanding they are more academic/research/policy, and not really about advanced training.

 

[EmilyKate]

Thanks for your advice. Also, I am a bit confused. When you apply for a PSYD or PHD program, do they expect that you have already received your masters (and if so, what does the masters have to be in if your looking into clinical/counseling psyd programs?) Or...do the PSYD programs provide the masters as well? Thanks!

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Most people are coming in with a B.A./B.S., though some may have a M.A. / M.S.. There are some programs that require a Masters, but most don't.

 

[Neuropsych2be]

Doctoral level training is not only longer and more complex than master's level training, but it is on a different level. I ahve worked for many years with an MS in clinical psychology. I used to think that the difference between a MS and Ph.D. prepared person was two years of school and a disserattaion. I now realize how wrong I was. Doctoral level training is significantly different that master's level training. A doctoral level professional psychologist is fluent in research and is able utilize and integrate theory-based interventions with higher order skills that master's level clinicians just don't have. Being in a Ph.D. program has made me conceptualize things on a very different level than when I was working at the master's level. I now think about things more deeply and comprehensively than before. I am not saying tha MSW's or M.Ed or MS level counselors are bad or poorly trained. I am very proud of the work I ahve done at the masters level. However, if you want the highest level of training available, go for a Ph.D. or PSy.D.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Neuro makes a good point about the theoretical underpinnings. I think there is a much greater focus on theory and the supporting research, which may not initially be evident in practice, but when more complex cases and situations arise.....the additional knowledge can be utilized.

 

[WannaBeDrMe]

Neuro makes a good point about the theoretical underpinnings. I think there is a much greater focus on theory and the supporting research, which may not initially be evident in practice, but when more complex cases and situations arise.....the additional knowledge can be utilized.

So agreed. I went to a pretty well-reputed MSW program with a specialization in clinical, well-published staff with big research dollars, leaders in their particular little area of the field, etc... and it was all fluff. I was incredibly disappointed.

Beyond that, the colleagues were not of a like mind. There were very FEW people who had the depth of interest I kept throughout the program. For those people, doing the busy work to pass the fluff time was all they desired on the road to their letters and license.

There are great master's level clinicians out there... but there are also some who have been practicing for decades and have no more current knowledge than what is gathered from their required CEU's. They never got in the practice of expanding scope so they never had anything to nurture and grow once they left their programs.

That's just my disappointed opinion... additionally, my brain is fried so that might not even make sense. Just know that I think you should seriously evaluate what you are looking for in advanced training and speak to current students in your programs of interest to see if those needs have the potential to be met...

Good luck.

 

[biogirl215]

but there are also some who have been practicing for decades and have no more current knowledge than what is gathered from their required CEU's. They never got in the practice of expanding scope so they never had anything to nurture and grow once they left their programs.

In fairness, this could probablty be said for some doctoral-level clinicians as well..

 

[WannaBeDrMe]

In fairness, this could probablty be said for some doctoral-level clinicians as well..

very true. psych docs too.