If you’re interested in learning about the ways people learn and grow throughout their lives, You may be interested to know more about the types of jobs available in developmental psychology. This branch of psychology is quite broad, and there are a number of ways in which expertise in this area can be used vocationally. As medical advances increase the average lifespan, there will be even more need for those with an understanding regarding the later stages of life, according to the American Psychological Association. Let’s take a closer look at what developmental psychology entails and the kinds of careers you can pursue within the field.
Where Developmental Psychology Professionals Work
There are a number of settings and general types of job duties for those wishing to become a developmental psychology professional. Common places of employment may be hospitals, nonprofit agencies, schools, drug prevention facilities and residential centers. As the term “developmental” implies, experts in this field will be working in numerous capacities to improve the lives of people of all ages. They may be engaged in direct contact with clients in a counseling capacity, work as professors in a higher education setting or conduct psychological research that guides practitioners. The type of job you may find in the field of developmental psychology depends upon your level of education.
Jobs in Developmental Psychology
Fortunately, no matter what your level of higher education, there are numerous types of jobs available in developmental psychology. Those with a bachelor’s degree may work as a psychology assistant in a hospital or outpatient clinic performing diagnostic interviews, scoring patient psychological tests and training staff in the administration of such tests. Research coordinators are also Bachelor’s level professionals who administer and score tests, but in a research capacity, perhaps in a hospital or university.
Those with a master’s degree are qualified to become psychological coordinators, specialists or clinicians who assess and treat clients who are dealing with mental health issues, family dysfunction, substance abuse, domestic violence, factors associated with aging or other issues affecting development. Professionals with supervisory duties provide staff direction, give clinical support, evaluate employees, manage budges and oversee facility operations. School psychologists also usually have a master’s degree. They assess developmental,learning or emotional delays or disabilities in students and provide guidance to teachers or other school staff regarding child development expectations. School psychologists also engage in program development and placement of students into appropriate settings to meet their particular needs.
If you go on to earn a Ph.D or Psy.D., you may work as a clinical researcher, developmental psychologist or professor. Researchers lead studies on human behavior in order to understand appropriate norms that are to be expected throughout stages of the lifespan. Developmental psychologists assess and diagnose mental health issues, as well as help to determine the cause of developmental delays, in order to write and deliver treatment plans to assist clients in overcoming psychological or developmental obstacles. Psychologists may provide individual, group or family counseling themselves or may oversee the work of other practitioners. Professors will teach classes in the various aspects of psychology in order to academically prepare students for work in the field.
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The field of developmental psychology is a vast one with many opportunities for practice and growth, depending on your interests. These are the most common types of jobs available in developmental psychology, though many other options exist.