Now that you know what a developmental psychologist is, you may be curious about how to become one. If you’re a high school student interested in pursuing this career path, you should speak with your guidance counselor about your career aspirations and your plans to earn a developmental psychology degree.
It may be possible to add courses to your schedule that reflect your aspirations, such as classes in psychology and child development. It is also a good idea to take all of the math and science classes you can, including statistics. You’ll also need strong communication and critical thinking skills, so don’t neglect the humanities, either.
After high school, the first step in your journey to become a developmental psychologist is to earn an undergraduate psychology degree. At this stage in your academic career, there is no need to be overly concerned about choosing a specialized degree, because you will begin to specialize during your graduate education.
However, if you already know which specialization you’d like to pursue, you might decide to earn a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health Science, rather than a general psychology degree. You could choose a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Health Science degree program with a specific focus, such as an emphasis in childhood and adolescent disorders. The curriculum will vary from school to school, but in general, you can expect to study topics such as the following:
- Physical, cognitive and socioemotional development in humans throughout life
- The causes and development of abnormal cognitive and behavioral patterns and disorders
- The assessment, diagnosis and treatment of childhood and adolescent disorders
- Theoretical counseling models
- Group developmental stages, therapist–patient dynamics and ethical standards
Your school may also offer coursework on professional ethics in behavioral health science. For instance, you might explore ethical concepts, related legislation and current trends in the field.
Another option for your undergraduate degree is a general psychology degree. Pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology can give you foundational knowledge in the field that you can use as a springboard for your graduate work.
During your studies, you may learn about the following topics:
- Foundational principles of psychology
- The causes and nature of human behavior, as expressed through scientific measurements and theories
- Stages of child and adolescent development
- Group and social factors that affect human behavior
- Principles of cognition and neuropsychology
Regardless of whether you choose to pursue a general psychology degree or a behavioral health science degree, you may be expected to complete a capstone course during your senior year. A capstone course is your opportunity to demonstrate everything you’ve learned during the previous years by completing a major project.
By the time you reach your senior year, you may already have a general idea of what you’d like to focus on in your career. For instance, perhaps you’d like to focus on child development. It’s a good idea to choose a capstone topic that aligns with your emerging professional interests.
After you’ve earned an undergraduate degree in behavioral health science or psychology, it’s time to enroll in a graduate program to begin working toward your graduate-level developmental psychology degree. A master’s degree provides a steppingstone toward a doctoral degree. It also allows you to further develop your research and writing skills and sharpen your professional focus.
Master’s degree programs involve additional study beyond your time in your undergraduate degree, and online, on-campus or evening classes may be available. If you decide to work while earning your degree, it may take longer to complete a master’s program but flexible program offerings makes it achievable. Look for a degree program that aligns with the standards of the American Psychological Association.
Some master’s degree programs require the completion of a master’s thesis. This is a lengthy research paper (about 40 to 80 pages) that explores a specific topic in the field. Unlike a doctoral dissertation, a master’s thesis does not require original research.
However, not all master’s degrees require a master’s thesis. Instead, you might complete a professional capstone course that involves a different kind of project. For instance, you may develop and present comprehensive ideas for original research.
After earning your master’s degree in psychology, you’ll be ready to apply to a doctoral degree program.
At most graduate schools, doctoral students begin by taking the required courses for their degree. Next, they must pass a rigorous exam to achieve “all but dissertation” (ABD) status. At this point, they officially become doctoral candidates, rather than doctoral students.
Once the doctoral candidate has achieved ABD status, they begin working on their dissertation. Do note that at some graduate schools, the dissertation process is built into the coursework, meaning that students can begin working on their dissertations while taking classes. In some cases, this may help to accelerate the process of earning this terminal degree.
A doctoral dissertation itself consists of an original research project accompanied by a lengthy paper explaining the research, methodologies, studies, results and analysis. On average, a psychology dissertation is between 80 and 150 pages long. Writing a dissertation is an opportunity to conduct an in-depth exploration of a topic in which you have a strong professional interest.
While you work on completing your research and dissertation, you’ll benefit from the close guidance of your dissertation advisor and other dissertation committee members. They will help you refine the focus of your research and provide general feedback as you proceed with your work.
