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[chicandtoughness]

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[Chalupacabra]

I transferred into a master's program with only a handful of psych courses and am about to start my PhD. I was never in a form second bachelor's program, I just enrolled as a non-matriculated student and took a handful of courses I knew any program would want, but it was a fairly similar path otherwise. You're looking at a long haul no matter what if you want to get a doctorate, so I'd try to do it in the cheapest, most efficient way possible. Getting that second bachelor's isn't likely to do much for you, especially if this master's program has research built into it (presumably an online program does not).

The only exception I would say is if the master's program you're looking at is particularly expensive and/or poorly funded, especially in comparison to what you're doing now for school. Whatever classes you'll need to get into a doctoral program are likely to be covered between what you've got so far and the classes you'll take in an MHC program, and if at the end of your program you don't get into a PhD your first try (which happens quite frequently) you'll be able to be licensed and work regardless.

 

[bmedclinic]

Hi there!

I'm aiming to get into a PhD program in Counseling Psychology or perhaps a PsyD, My main interest in practicing, not research, but the stipended PhD is much more alluring than a PsyD and I don't hate research at all - in fact, have done quite a bit of it.

My first bachelor's degree was in Business Administration some years ago. I have been working in business development since. Recently I decided to go for a career change. I started a second bachelor's in Psychology and am about 1/4th of the way through. Then, two months ago, I got accepted to a great master's program in Mental Health Counseling. The PhD programs I am interested in do not require an undergrad degree in psychology.

Should I go ahead and finish the 2nd bachelor's degree in psychology IN ADDITION to the master's degree? (The second bachelor's is an online / distance learning program from a reputable state university.) Or is it okay to drop the 2nd bachelor's and just finish the master's with good grades? There is a research and internship aspect built into the master's program and I'm not worried about GPA.

I figured I would learn most of the psychology principles from my bachelor's in the master's program anyways, so no need to double up.... but would dropping the 2nd bachelor's look bad?

I'm surprised you havent already gotten this answer.. but my answer would be to do the mental health counseling masters degree IF (and really, only if) you aggressively go after research experiences. Because if you dont, you'll have a masters degree and no shot of getting into a phd/psyd program.

Also, with no intention of being a total dick- the phrase "I dont hate research at all" makes me cringe. Most phd people I know either LOVE research and statistics (dorks like me!) or they're good enough that they can tolerate doing it begrudgingly without complaining for 6 years. If you're not in one of those two camps, I'd advise going to a non-research heavy psyD program. People that "dont hate research" washed out of my program (balanced evidence based phd program) if they somehow managed to get in at all.

Good luck!

 

[chicandtoughness]

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