Child Therapy Education in Tennessee

If you're interested in becoming a child therapist and you live in the state of Tennessee, then you'll be happy to know that there are many wonderful educational opportunities just waiting to be taken advantage of by you! This is extremely important, because there is no other way to a successful career in the field of child therapy than through a solid education obtained at an accredited college or university. While there's no one specific degree or degree program that will guarantee success, it's up to you to find the one that most closely matches your needs, your abilities, and of course, your career goals.

If you're just starting out in terms of a formal education, then getting an associate's degree might be right for you. While associate's degrees on their own are not very useful in the field, they can provide a great starting point. Not only are they affordable to earn, since they are typically gained an inexpensive online colleges or community colleges in your local area, but they can also be completed in only about two years! Just make sure that if you enter into one of these programs, you do so with the intention of transferring the credits that you earn to an accredited undergraduate program.

An undergraduate program is truly the best option for those ready to springboard into the field. These degrees can be earned in about four years, or two years if you already have your associate's degree. You can choose to earn them in a variety of related fields, such as child psychology, general psychology, community psychology, applied psychology, child development, sociology, social work, and more. With this degree, you can easily qualify for entry level positions in the field, such as therapy assistant, therapy research assistant, and child therapy educator. If you couple a bachelor's degree with a certification in a specialized area, even more opportunities will open themselves up.

The majority of successful child therapists in the state, however, will have at least a master's degree. Master's degrees can be earned in anywhere from one to three years, depending upon your exact program and the amount of time you have to devote to it. With a master's degree, you can qualify for licensure by the state and can practice "real" therapy legally. You will also have the option of pursing a doctorate degree if you so desire. Also, it is important to note that if you have already pursued an undergraduate degree in the past and it is in an field unrelated to child therapy or even to psychology in general, you don't have to start over. A great many master's degree programs gladly accept those from unrelated educational backgrounds.

Once you have a master's degree, you can pursue a doctorate degree if you so desire. These degree programs are undoubtedly intense, and they can take as long as seven years to complete, so this definitely isn't a commitment to enter into lightly. However, with one of these degrees, you can earn the most high ranking, prestigious, and coveted positions in the field. Plus, you can expect to earn the highest salary possible.

Once you've decided which educational path is right for you at this point in your life and according to your own personal and career goals, then you just have to find a school. Make sure that the school, whether it's one you attend online or in person, is fully accredited. Otherwise, the degree that you earn will be virtually useless or, in other words, a big waste of your time, your money, and your effort.

Some top schools to definitely check out in the state include Argosy University, located in Nashville, which offers both online and traditional, as well as combination bachelor's degree programs, master's degree programs, and doctorate degree programs in clinical psychology, counselor education and supervision, general psychology, and mental health counseling; Austin Peay State University, which is an online school, that offers bachelor's degree programs, master's degree programs, and specialist degrees in community psychology, general psychology, industrial organizational psychology, and school psychology; Belmont University, located in Nashville, which offers bachelor's degree programs in general psychology and neuroscience; Bethel College, located in Mckenzie, which offers certification programs and bachelor's degree programs in general psychology, counseling psychology, human services, and neuroscience; and Bryan College, located in Dayton, which offers a bachelor's degree program in general psychology.