Education · 1 of 5

The path

Long, and almost entirely supervised. You cannot shortcut the hours.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 11 and 12

   Strong grades, plus statistics if your school offers it. Psychology is a science degree before it is anything else.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree

   4 years

   Psychology or a close field. Get into a research lab early. Doctoral programs care about that more than your major.

3. 3

   Doctoral program

   5 to 7 years

   A research doctorate or a practice doctorate. Coursework, assessment training, supervised clinical placements and, in a research program, a dissertation.

4. 4

   Predoctoral internship

   1 year

   A full-time paid year at a hospital, clinic or counseling center, assigned through a national match. It is required for the degree.

5. 5

   Supervised hours and the exam

   1 to 2 years

   Most states want a postdoctoral supervised year, then you pass the national licensing exam and any state law exam before you may call yourself a psychologist.