Psychology Master’s Degree Programs in Michigan
Whatever other qualities Michigan may have, and there are many, there’s just no escaping the history and impact of the automotive industry on the Wolverine State.
The jobs created by the burgeoning industry drew in a diverse array of immigrants from around the world. Their descendants, their traditions, and their perspectives continue to shape and influence all aspects of Michigan life today, from Detroit to Grand Rapids and all the way the UP.
For decades, that’s been a primarily blue-collar kind of life, one made harder by regional declines in automotive manufacturing. But psychology still plays an important part in the economy and culture of Michigan, under the surface and in unexpected places.
In fact, it can be argued that some of Henry Ford’s ideas about business and assembly line structure formed the foundations of modern industrial and organizational psychology theory.
Today, those ideas and other precepts of psychology are more important than ever to a state in transition. With a master’s degree in the field, you can be a part of the future of Michigan.
The Right Set of Schools Under the Hood Has Michigan Psychology Humming
Michigan has plenty of options for master’s degree seekers in psychology. More than 15 schools offer a master’s degree or doctorate in the field. There’s even one school that doesn’t teach anything else… the Michigan School of Psychology is a non-profit university on the outskirts of Detroit that only offers advanced psychology degree programs.
Such schools, together with a widespread and affordable state university system that has several professional psychology master’s degree programs, means you won’t have any problems finding an option to meet your needs in Michigan.
Stringent Licensing Laws in Michigan Makes it Important to Be Selective About the Program You Go With
If you’re on the long haul toward becoming a fully licensed psychologist in Michigan, a master’s degree is just one leg of the journey. You can, however, get a limited license to practice in order to gain the professional experience you need for full licensure at the doctoral level. You’ll need to ensure your doctorate is either APA-accredited or otherwise has the State and Provincial Psychology Boards’ National Register Designation for it to be accepted.
Life doesn’t get much easier for school psychologists, who can get certified with only 45 semester hours of graduate coursework, but who will need to get it at an approved program.
It pays to be picky if you are angling for a license in Michigan.
School Psychology Is In Demand in Michigan’s Diverse School Systems
Michigan has got some issues when it comes to the public school system, no question: when students end up suing the Detroit public schools because they weren’t taught to read, you can imagine what kinds of counseling and psychological fallout comes along with it.
Unfortunately, according to the Michigan Association of School Psychologists, there’s a critical shortage of credentialed professionals to meet those needs right now… so much so that the state extended a Critical Shortage Law allowing current school psychologists to continue working past mandatory retirement.
That’s a stopgap that won’t work for long, and the demand for new school psychologists is being met by schools such as Grand Valley State University, which has a NASP-aligned program in school psychology that also includes certification in applied behavior analysis… a two-for-one deal that is both educationally and professionally compelling.
An Emphasis in Clinical Psychology Can Take You Anywhere
As the most general and common specialty found in psychology master’s programs, a clinical psychology focus is sort of the Swiss Army knife of psychology degrees. You can go into everything from private practice to working in the medical industry to performing research to diving into child psychology.
You can get one of the best clinical psychology degrees in the state at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti, where a low cost of living and attractive in-state tuition rates combine to offer you a great value master’s.
The Stars Are The Limit in Michigan Industrial/Organizational Psychology Practice
Motor City still has a lot of automotive industry factors, so it’s not only a historical center for study and implementation of industrial and organizational psychology practices, but a current center for research and implementation of I/O programs.
But the industry, and local colleges, have also moved way past the factory floor. The Organizational Psychology program at Michigan State University in East Lansing not only emphasizes modern quantitative analysis methods, but is actively working with NASA to improve the teamwork and effectiveness of crews on long-duration space flights.
That’s just a snapshot of the kind of future Michigan is forging, and how psychologists are helping to forge it.