Psychology Master’s Degree Programs in Delaware
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Delaware may be among the smallest states, but no one would ever doubt its importance. The First State got its reputation as a leader by being the first to ratify the U.S. Constitution, and it remains a leader in commerce and government. More than 50 percent of all publicly traded companies in the country are registered in Delaware, including 63 percent of Fortune 500 companies. It’s also a major location for government agencies and the residence of many federal employees.
But the state is grappling with an economy and a society in transition. Delaware was a slave state, but it fought on the side of the Union in the Civil War. Like the rest of the country, the echoes of that internal conflict continue to sound in Delaware, and perhaps more loudly than elsewhere as a result of its sundered role.
Delaware was the only state in which wages and the overall standard of living dropped in the past decade, a state of affairs that has an inevitable human cost… one that only trained psychology professionals can address.
The Right Education Makes The Difference in Delaware
Delaware may be the First State, but it’s running a little behind in terms of selection in psychology graduate schools… you basically have the University of Delaware to look at if you’re going for a master’s degree in the field. Even then, the master’s degree is not available as a stand-alone degree, but only as a component of the Ph.D. track. Fortunately, the school is a top pick, even nationally, making the grade on Kiplinger’s Best Value Public Schools list. That means you can at least get a great psychology education at a great price in Delaware.
With just the one program available in-state, neighboring states help to broaden the field of options, offering online and blended programs that combine distance based study with a few on-campus intensives.
Licensing in Delaware Takes The Right Education From the Right School
Practicing psychologists in Delaware need to earn a doctorate degree in order to become licensed. A master’s is a critical step in that process.
Marriage and family therapist licensing in the state is available with a master’s degree, but on the whole, the licensing qualifications are very accommodating.
On the other hand, there is no educational requirement for counselors to practice in Delaware, and you can become a school psychologist with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an APA-accredited school. Earning a master’s has become common among career changers with an undergraduate degree in another area.
Clinical Psychology Has Strong Support in Delaware Academics
UDel takes an interdisciplinary approach in their psychology graduate education, and collaboration is a major component of the clinical science program. You can get a jump on working with local and regional communities as a clinical psychologist through research collaborations with agencies like the Pennsylvania Center for Anxiety Treatment and the Delaware Department of Children.
It’s a practice area that you’ll find in strong demand among Delaware residents should you decide to set up shop in the state after graduation.
Veteran’s Affairs and Counseling Are Major Concerns in Delaware
Delaware is right on the doorstep of the seat of federal government in Washington D.C., and the incessant demands for new office space from the Department of Defense has resulted in the Department of Veteran’s Affairs setting up shop in Dover. More than 3,000 federal employees are based in Delaware, many of them at the VA, and even more residents work in D.C.
With the longest running war in American history ongoing, there’s an unprecedented demand here for counselors and psychologists capable of working with returning veterans.
Social Psychology Is More Relevant Today Than Ever
Racial tensions and declines in the state’s industrial base have led to incidents and conflicts that social psychologists are keen to head off.
At the Delaware Department of Transportation’s northern maintenance facility near Newark in 2017, workers noticed a funny trend: black and female employees, regardless of qualifications or tenure, seemed to always end up on the crews doing the grimiest, hottest, hardest work, while white employees worked the power equipment.
The realization came to light on the heels of an incident in which a white employee at the facility displayed a Confederate flag on his truck. Clearly, trouble was brewing, and an intervention from expert social psychologists was long overdue.