Black Intelligentsia Libraries
The New Way Of Thinking
Psychologist
Do people sometimes irk you?  Ever wonder why people act or behave the way they do?  We are taught to appreciate the differences in people and personalities, for the better we understand these differences the more patience we acquire.  If you love Science and Math, are intrigued by Social, Behavioral, and Medical Sciences, and wish to become an expert in human behavior, then you should become a Psychologist.

Psychologists are scientists who study, analyze, and investigate the human mind, human behavior, and mental processes by observing, interpreting, recording, assessing, and experimenting with how people relate to one another and the environment.  They provide therapeutic treatments to clients who experience a wide variety of mental, emotional, and behavioral symptoms.  Working at clinics, hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, community and mental health centers, independent practices, universities and medical schools, public and private schools (nursery school through college), government agencies, private research organizations, prisons, and mental institutions, Psychologists collaborate with Physicians, Psychiatrists, other Psychologists, Nurses, Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, and education professionals to provide holistic, comprehensive medical and counseling services to patients.

Issues addressed by Psychologists include:  depression, schizophrenia, adjustment to physical illness, challenging behavior, brain injuries, autism, anxiety, neurological disorders, addiction, eating disorders, social/interpersonal problems, personal and family relationship difficulties, divorce, learning disabilities, deaths of loved ones, domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, job stress, the effects of childhood sexual abuse, war trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychosis, etc.

The duties of a Psychologist include but are not limited to:  designing and analyzing surveys to help patients identify and address personal problems (marital problems, job stress, etc.); providing individual, family, or group psychotherapy; designing and implementing behavior modification programs, treatment, and intervention programs; offering therapy for mental health problems; interpreting psychological tests and laboratory experiment results to determine individuals' personalities, interests, performance, aptitude, and intelligence; developing psychological theories to explain the reactions of people to their environment; helping emotionally- and mentally-disturbed people adjust to life, to understand and cope with their problems; studying problems of motivation and morale in the workplace; keeping detailed records of clients to monitor clients' treatment progress and therapy outcomes; providing consultation to health and human services, management, education, law, and sports professions; writing legal reports and acting as expert witnesses; conducting and staying current with research; and teaching at universities.

High school students interested in becoming a Psychologist benefit from taking Psychology, Geography, World History, Sociology, Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, Trigonometry, Biology/Anatomy, Chemistry, and Physics.  Students entering Psychology Bachelor's of Science programs from high school with no previous Psychology training should expect a period of 4 years to complete said program.  Psychology graduates must then complete a doctoral degree in Psychology (Ph.D., Psy.D., or Ed.D.) program, an internship, at least two years of professional experience, and pass the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology in order to gain licensure and practice as a Psychologist.

Specialties in Psychology include:  Clinical (mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders); Health (effects of psychological factors on health and illness); Neuropsychologists (the brain and behavior); Counseling (advise people on how to deal with their problems); Forensic (psychological principles in the legal and criminal justice system); Industrial-Organizational (apply psychology to the workplace); School (education-related issues); Social (behaviors shaped by social interactions); and Developmental (study psychological progress/development throughout a lifetime).

To accommodate the increasing number of children in schools (assessing and counseling those with special needs, learning disabilities, and behavioral issues) and the need to replace workers who retire, employment of Psychologists is expected to grow 22 percent over the next decade.  The best prospects will be for Industrial-Organizational Psychologists, helping companies reduce workplace stress and boost worker morale.
Job Description
Median Salary & Range
​Median Salary:  $75,620

Salary Range:  ~$38,450 - $168,020+
College Majors & Attainment Routes
​The normal routes to becoming a Psychologist have been to first major in Psychology, Psychological Sciences, Behavioral Sciences, or Liberal Studies (Social and Behavioral Sciences concentration).

​Coursework may include classes in Neuropsychology, Statistics, Research Design, Social Psychology, Psychopathology, Psychotherapy, Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy, Ethics, and labs.  In Clinical Psychology programs, students treat clients under the supervision of a licensed Psychologist.

Firms and government agencies typically seek advanced degrees (Master’s or Ph.D.) in Psychology for jobs in research, and a Ph.D. is generally required of teachers at universities, which requires four more years of college after earning a Bachelor's degree.​  Clinical Psychologists need to earn either a Ph.D. in Psychology or a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in order to practice.  Some places allow Psychologists to practice with only a Master's degree, with the mandate that they work under the supervision of a Doctoral level Psychologist.  Working a successful internship as an undergraduate student can only enhance one's chances of being accepted into a Psychology Doctoral program, which are all highly-competitive.
Colleges That Provide Above Majors
Colleges and universities that have Psychology and related majors are:  Alabama A&M University (Huntsville, Alabama); Alabama State University (Montgomery, Alabama); Oakwood University (Huntsville, Alabama); Stillman College (Tuscaloosa, Alabama); Talladega College (Talladega, Alabama); Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Alabama); Philander Smith College (Little Rock, Arkansas); University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (Pine Bluff, Arkansas); Delaware State University (Dover, Delaware); Howard University (Washington, DC); University of the District of Columbia (Washington, DC); Bethune-Cookman University (Daytona Beach, Florida); Edward Waters College (Jacksonville, Florida); Florida A&M University (Tallahassee, Florida); Florida Memorial University (Miami Gardens, Florida); Albany State University (Albany, Georgia); Clark Atlanta University (Atlanta, Georgia); Fort Valley State University (Fort Valley, Georgia); Morehouse College (Atlanta, Georgia); Paine College (Augusta, Georgia); Spelman College (Atlanta, Georgia); Kentucky State University (Frankfort, Kentucky); Dillard University (New Orleans, Louisiana); Grambling State University (Grambling, Louisiana); Xavier University of Louisiana (New Orleans, Louisiana); Bowie State University (Bowie, Maryland); Morgan State University (Baltimore, Maryland); Alcorn State University (Lorman, Mississippi); Jackson State University (Jackson, Mississippi); Tougaloo College (Jackson, Mississippi); Lincoln University (Jefferson City, Missouri); Bennett College (Greensboro, North Carolina); Elizabeth City State University (Elizabeth City, North Carolina); Fayetteville State University (Fayetteville, North Carolina); Johnson C. Smith University (Charlotte, North Carolina); Livingstone College (Salisbury, North Carolina); North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, North Carolina); North Carolina Central University (Durham, North Carolina); Saint Augustine's University (Raleigh, North Carolina); Shaw University (Raleigh, North Carolina); Winston Salem State University (Winston Salem, North Carolina); Central State University (Wilberforce, Ohio); Wilberforce University (Wilberforce, Ohio); Cheyney University of Pennsylvania (Cheyney, Pennsylvania); Lincoln University (Lincoln University, Pennsylvania); Benedict College (Columbia, South Carolina); South Carolina State University (Orangeburg, South Carolina); Fisk University (Nashville, Tennessee); Knoxville College (Knoxville, Tennessee); Tennessee State University (Nashville, Tennessee); Huston-Tillotson University (Austin, Texas); Prairie View A&M University (Prairie View, Texas); Texas Southern University (Houston, Texas); Hampton University (Hampton, Virginia); Norfolk State University (Norfolk, Virginia); Virginia State University (Petersburg, Virginia); Virginia Union University (Richmond, Virginia); Bluefield State College (Bluefield, West Virginia); and West Virginia State University (Charleston, West Virginia).
Available Scholarships