A PhD requires extensive schooling. You must first get a bachelor’s degree, and depending upon the program you wish to attend, you may have to get a master’s degree before finally enrolling in a doctoral program. Some doctoral programs may allow you to apply without a master’s but not many. PhDs typically take from four to seven years to complete. As a PhD candidate, you will focus on becoming an expert in the field as it is the highest obtainable degree.
Dissertations are the culmination of a doctoral education. Dissertations are lengthy research papers that the candidates work on during their education. PhDs are especially focused on research; all PhD candidates must conduct original research to be written and presented in the dissertation. Research utilization is doubly important in an experimental doctoral program as experimental psychologists, by nature of the job, conduct research daily.
You can do many things with a PhD in experimental psychology, but to directly apply your degree you will conduct research. This research will be done to test theories, tests and techniques in the field. According to the APA, research is conducted in many settings: businesses that focus on research, federal government, health care organization, nonprofit organizations and academic institutions are just some of the industries that utilize experimental psychologists. Another career option is to teach at the university level. Teaching in a university also goes hand-in-hand with conducting research. As faculty are expected to publish papers, many universities provide professors with the resources to carry out extensive research projects. You can also work in private practice, however, an experimental psychology program may not focus on how to conduct therapy, so additional training may be required.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of 2009, psychologists earn an average of $84,220 a year. The industry employing the largest number of psychologists is the federal government with universities and colleges coming in second. The highest paying industry is offices of physicians with an average salary of $109,550, second is educational support services at $91,980 and third is research services at $91,260.
While PhDs are considered the highest degree, there are other ways to advance your career and knowledge once you have one. You can gain experience in the field which will only serve to increase your knowledge and credibility. You can attend workshops and training seminars in different techniques to become more familiar with them. There are also numerous certifications available in academia that you can pursue, such as anger management, conflict resolution, psychoanalysis, forensic, clinical health certification and so on.