This piece, written a few years after the onset of the Great Recession, was ghostwritten for an online university, intended to function as third-person counseling.
One of the set requirements for the online-only bibliography was the inclusion of the search terms used to locate the supporting statistics.
One of the set requirements for the online-only bibliography was the inclusion of the search terms used to locate the supporting statistics.
Should Students Pursue an Online PhD in Psychology?
Picking a career, and the
educational path to support it, is one of the most important decisions you’ll
make in your life, and requires serious thought, so don’t just dive into
something that may not be your cup of tea, or that you may lose interest in
after awhile. Think about what you enjoy doing, the kind of challenges that get
your blood flowing and your mind working, and what you really care about
spending your life and your energy on. Do some research on the different
subjects that you think may hold the key to your future, and talk to people in
the fields you’re considering, to make sure you have an idea of the daily tasks
and challenges, and the opportunities available.
If you’re driven to help people
improve their lives and their overall health, and you’re interested in the
workings of the human mind and how it effects people’s behavior, success,
happiness, and the quality of their family and social relationships, Psychology
may be the ideal pursuit for your life’s work.
The last few years have created a tremendous amount of upheaval in our society, and many of those impacted by the rise in unemployment, falling incomes, and home foreclosures need help smoothing over the rough edges of these emotional challenges, and professional human services can help them develop the coping skills to get beyond these issues and rebuild their lives. Practitioners of Psychology and the mental health specialists they support and supervise are on the front lines in this battle, and can have a life-changing impact on the lives of the folks they serve, dealing with trauma, stress, depression, and domestic problems.
The last few years have created a tremendous amount of upheaval in our society, and many of those impacted by the rise in unemployment, falling incomes, and home foreclosures need help smoothing over the rough edges of these emotional challenges, and professional human services can help them develop the coping skills to get beyond these issues and rebuild their lives. Practitioners of Psychology and the mental health specialists they support and supervise are on the front lines in this battle, and can have a life-changing impact on the lives of the folks they serve, dealing with trauma, stress, depression, and domestic problems.
For people who choose
Psychology, a PhD is the highest level of achievement in expertise in the
subject, and not only positions you as a top achiever and a person most likely
to succeed in the field, but also will make you one of the highest paid and
most employable professionals.
Pursuing this degree online
has a lot of advantages. With rising fuel costs, commuting to a facility is
getting more expensive every year, and the time spent traveling can make a huge
dent in your studies, not to mention being away from family and working in an
environment that can be distracting. Keggers are fun, but they don’t improve
test scores, and the campus lifestyle can have a negative impact on the
performance of a serious student. And if you have children, the trouble and
expense of child care while you commute to school can greatly increase the cost
of your education.
While you think about all of
that, here are some facts to consider:
·
In an economy where the
unemployment rate has been holding steadily above 8%1, holders of
doctoral-level degrees have an unemployment rate of only around 2.5%.2
·
Holders of PhDs earn a
median income over $80,000.00 annually.2
·
Healthcare and
healthcare support are the fastest growing of all of the major occupational
fields, projected to grow more than 25% in the decade 2010-2020, and so will
provide increasing opportunity for years to come3.
·
From April 2002 to
April 2012, the national average price of a gallon of gasoline has increased
from $1.41 to $3.994 – more than doubling the cost of driving to a
college campus.
·
Tuition at traditional
four-year universities rose 8.3% for the 2011-2012 academic year, to an average
of almost $10,000.00 per year.5
1. Source: Bureau of Labor
Statistics (http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm)
Search: National Unemployment
Rate.
2. Source: Bureau of Labor
Statistics (http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm)
Search: Education Income
Chart.
3. Source: Bureau of Labor
Statistics (http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_table_101.htm)
Search: Education Income
Chart.
4. Source: Energy Information
Administration
Search: Gasoline Price
History.
5. Source: College Board
Search: Tuition Cost
Increase.