Psychology Master’s Degree Programs in South Carolina
South Carolina is a model of contrasts that are reflected as much in the unique opportunities for psychology professionals as in the diversity of its population and economy. From the sandy shores and warm waters of the state’s most popular resort towns of Hilton Head Island and Myrtle Beach to bustling urban destinations like Columbia, Greenville, and Spartanburg to historic towns like Charleston, known as much for its beautiful shorelines as it is for its renowned architecture and its fondness for low country cuisine (Frogmore stew, Charleston red rice, and shrimp and grits anyone?), it’s quite easy to find everything from metro destinations with major manufacturing operations to quiet coastal towns with swiftly aging populations in South Carolina.
Wherever in South Carolina you choose to call home, a master’s degree in psychology is the jumping off point to exciting professional opportunities in everything from clinical and counseling psychology to industrial/organizational psychology to healthcare and more. From a struggling mental healthcare system working to reverse course, to a pro-business environment focused on the needs of a growing workforce, there’s no shortage of opportunities for psychologists in the Palmetto State.
A Career in Psychology Starts with a High-Caliber Master’s Degree
Choose a career in clinical psychology in South Carolina and you’ll need a doctorate to forge ahead with state licensing. However, earn a master’s degree in psychology from an APA-accredited program and you’ll not only be prepared for study at the doctoral level, you’ll also be poised for practice in other areas of psychology.
For example, earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in psychology through a program approved by the South Carolina Department of Education and you’ll be well on your way to certification as a school psychologist here.
If you’re interested in a career as an addictions counselor, marriage therapist, family therapist, or mental health counselor, a master’s degree will also satisfy the educational requirements to become licensed through the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation.
South Carolina is a prime spot for post-secondary education, and its selection of master’s degree programs in psychology doesn’t disappoint. For example, the Citadel offers an MA in Psychology, while the University of South Carolina Columbia’s doctoral offerings also include an integrated master’s program. USC Columbia is home to world-class research facilities like the McCausland Center, focused on collaborative and externally funded research in high-resolution brain imaging studies, and the Institute for Mind and Brain, a leader in cognitive neuroscience research.
Addressing the Needs of South Carolina Industry Through Applied Psychology
A business friendly environment, supported by a talented workforce and a strategic location along the eastern seaboard, makes South Carolina a hot spot for business. It’s here that major players like Walmart, BMW, General Electric, Boeing, and Google choose to do business and establish operations.
Some of the nation’s largest manufacturing operations call South Carolina home, creating a need for industrial/organizational and engineering psychologists who can study diverse workforces to ensure that worker health, safety, and quality of life is upheld as being as important as the bottom line.
The Value of Psychologists Increases as South Carolina’s Mental Healthcare System Does an About-Face
South Carolina’s mental healthcare system is nothing to brag about. In fact, according to Mental Health America, South Carolina ranked 43rd in the nation for access to mental health services in 2016.
South Carolina’s largest players are paying close attention and instituting changes, including a $1 million allocation to the state Department of Mental Health for crisis stabilization units, the planning of community crisis response and intervention services through the DMH and the state Department of Health and Human Services, and a toll-free crisis line staffed with about 40 clinicians around the state.
Clinical and counseling psychologists who can help implement the state’s efforts to improve the psychological well-being of its residents are an important element of reversing the course of declining mental health services.
Counseling and Clinical Psychologists Address the Complexities of an Aging Population
The senior population in South Carolina is growing– quickly. By 2030, the senior population here is projected to double.
This dramatic shift in demographics means a rising demand for everything from senior centers and meal delivery programs to psychological services to help the elderly come with issues such as depression, anxiety, and dementia.