A career in psychology can be the key to working for yourself or have a career at a hospital, community center or other places in need of psychologists. The path to these careers start with a Master of Arts in Psychology that can prepare you for a doctoral program or a job as a psychology associate. Western Carolina University offers a Master of Arts in Psychology with a concentration in Clinical Psychology.
The M.A in Psychology’s Clinical concentration is a 50-semester hour program that will prepare you for either doctoral studies or eligibility for licensure in North Carolina as a Licensed Psychological Associate. The two-year Clinical Psychology program emphasizes coursework in assessment, research methods/design and statistics, evidence based psychotherapy (cognitive and behavioral modalities), and psychopathology (abnormal psychology), with additional courses in neuropsychology and advanced general psychology. All students are required to complete an empirical master's thesis under the supervision of our excellent faculty.
Psychologists can be found running their own practice, working in school systems or mental health organizations, conducting research, working as educators and in other fields in need of qualified psychologists. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states the average salary for clinical and school psychologists is $74,030 and the average salary for psychology postsecondary educators is $76,390.