Child Psychology Programs

Child psychology is a popular psychology subspecialty that studies the emotions and behaviors of children during various stages of development. Child psychologists can work in wither applied or research settings, and may also focus on parent, teacher, or community education.

Walden University

Featured Programs:
BS in Psychology - Graduate School Prep

Southern New Hampshire University

Featured Programs:
BA in Psychology/Child & Adolescent Development (Online)

Child psychology career professionals work with children to understand their growth and human development from physical, mental, emotional and social perspectives. Jean Piaget was the first to suggest that children were not actually miniature versions of adults, but human beings whose minds worked in a completely different fashion.

It is the role of the child psychologist to further understand those differences and to help parents, educators, and even the court system determine how those differences work in the development of the child.

Capella University

Featured Programs:
MS in General Psychology (Online)
MS in Child and Adolescent Development

Post University

Featured Programs:
BA in Psychology (Online)

Child psychology pros also examine the age-old question of nature versus nurture. In other words, what has the most significant impact on the child's life in terms of human growth and development? Is a child more affected by genetic coding, or does the environment he is raised in have a greater impact on the person he becomes?

Often, the answers rely on both scenarios, but a child psychologist doesn't work only to find those answers. He also works to develop a plan of action that best shapes the child and empowers caretakers on the path to adulthood.

Kaplan University

Featured Programs:
BS Psychology (Online)

Northcentral University

Featured Programs:
MA in Health Psychology (Online)

Useful Child Psychology Resources

• APA Society of Clinical and Child Psychology
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health from the NIH
• Occupational Outlook Handbook for Psychologists (BLS)

Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Featured Programs:
MA in Applied Forensic Psychology (Online)

Child Psychology Job Description

The two most common areas where you will find a child psychology are in the school and court systems. Those who work directly with children offer counseling services that aid in development. Child psychologists are not medical doctors, so they will not prescribe medication, but they can help their subjects to cope with medicines. The two things the professional in this area of child psychology does more than anything else are listening and advising.

For those who wish to take a less hands-on approach, research fields are also popular in the employment sector of this field. By studying child development and experimenting to learn more about the way the child develops, research specialists are integral to the profession by the way they help shape direct services.

Schools and courts are able to use the findings and recommendations of a child psychologist to determine the best path for the good of the child, whether that means working with juvenile delinquents or those with learning disabilities and other impairments to education.

Child Psychology Qualifications

The prerequisites for working in the field of child psychology vary from state to state, but the one basic requirement to earn one's footing as a professional is a master's degree. Testing and supervised clinical experience may also be required, and for those working directly within the field of education, a teaching certificate and classroom experience may also be needed.

Those who complete their doctorate program (PhD or PsyD) are the most marketable and generally earn close to 50% more than a master's degree graduate through the course of a lifetime.

Child Psychology Salary Details

Child psychology pay scales vary widely depending on which area of the profession that one works. Salaries may be dictated by school funding, years of experience, and the highest level of education reached. Most employers require a master's degree at minimum, though the most successful candidates complete their doctoral programs.

On the low end, a child psychologist may expect to earn around $30,000 to $45,000 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Doctorate graduates usually earn anywhere from $80,000 to $100,000 in annual salary.