Psychologist

5 stops · self-paced · a common path, not the only one

1. 📍

   You are here

   Today — wherever you're starting from

2. 🎓
   EducationNext stop →

   Earn a bachelor's in Psychology — this is required before graduate school

   Psychology is one of the few fields where the bachelor's alone won't get you practicing — treat undergrad as the required first step, not the finish line.

   ⏱ ~4 years · 💵 varies — community college first is cheapest

3. 🤝
   Get experience

   Get research or clinical volunteer experience during undergrad

   Research or clinical volunteer hours are what get you into competitive grad programs. Email professors about lab spots early — this is the real differentiator.

   ⏱ ongoing · 💵 often unpaid or entry pay

4. 🔨
   Build skills

   Apply to doctoral programs (PhD for research, PsyD for clinical practice)

   PhD = research/academia (often funded); PsyD = clinical practice (usually self-funded). Doctoral programs are long (4–7 yrs) and selective — plan for the marathon.

   ⏱ ~2–4 years · 💵 tuition varies — aid often available

5. 🤝
   Get experience

   Complete a supervised internship and residency after your doctorate

   After the doctorate you still do a supervised internship and residency before practicing solo. It's paid, but it's another year or two.

   ⏱ ~2–4 years · 💵 tuition varies — aid often available

6. 📜
   Get certified

   Pass your state's licensing exam to practice independently

   The state licensing exam (EPPP) is the final gate to practicing independently. Pass it and you can open a private practice or specialize.

   ⏱ weeks–months of prep · 💵 exam & license fees

7. 🏁

   Psychologist

   Your destination