Humanistic Psychology Programs

Humanistic psychology is a subspecialty of psychology officially recognized in 1961 by the American Psychological Association that houses the work of Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, and a variety of other well known minds in the psychological community. Its approach is to look at mankind as inherently good and avoid the pathological principles behind the human experience.

Walden University

Featured Programs:
BS in Psychology - Graduate School Prep

Southern New Hampshire University

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

Humanistic psychology set sail as a viable pathway for one's educational career in the 1970's. That's when many degree specific programs arose at the university level. The humanistic psychological approach has much in common with existentialism and endorses the viewpoint that answers are found within oneself. It is very personality focused.

Useful Humanistic Psychology Resources

• Association for Humanistic Psychology
• Society for Humanistic Psychology: Division 32 of the American Psychological Association
• University of West Georgia Psychology Programs

Capella University

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

Post University

Featured Programs:
BA in Psychology (Online)

Humanistic Psychology Methods of Operation

Methods of operation for this particular field of psychology are to focus on counseling and therapy. Applied behavior analysis, clinical psychology, and societal contributions, such as religion, law, politics, and legal, all take a central role in the humanistic psychologist's arsenal.

Nevertheless, these professionals are not limited in where they spend their time. While there is a high concentration in counseling-based professions, others make their home in industrial-organizational psychology, community psychology, and even sports psychology. Working with subjects outside of the traditional medical model of psychology is an important part of the humanist approach.

Kaplan University

Featured Programs:
BS Psychology (Online)

Northcentral University

Featured Programs:
MA in Health Psychology (Online)

Careers in Humanistic Psychology

Humanistic psychology professionals work one-on-one with patients at the clinical level. Their expertise is also sought after in the fields of healthcare and occupational health. The approach is inward-outward psychology, but it can make an impact at a cultural level and foster understanding for individuals with different backgrounds.

Many humanistic psychology degree earners work for themselves in private practice. The entrepreneurial minded psychologist can earn six figures without much difficulty. Those working for clinics and health care or counseling focused organizations typically earn in the $60,000-$75,000 window per year.

Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Featured Programs:
MA in Applied Forensic Psychology (Online)

Humanistic Psychology Education and Training

To find employment as a humanistic psychologist, one will typically need a Ph.D or Doctor of Philosophy specializing in the field. Many states also require supervised practice for a minimum of 1 year and passage of a state-sponsored licensing exam. Opportunities for undergraduates are few, though they can lead to networking connections, which may prove invaluable as one moves closer to attaining a doctorate.

As with most fields of psychology, this field can be rigorous and competitive, and one should experiment with associates degree and certificate training programs before deciding if it is the right career path for them.