Statement of Purpose to Become a Clinical Psychologist

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When I graduated from high school I, like many students, had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. I thought that going to college, without any idea of what degree to get, would be a waste of money and time; so I made the decision to hold off on college. Ten years later, and after much deliberation and research, I found my calling to be psychology. The first step in becoming a clinical psychologist is to obtain a bachelor’s degree. It doesn’t have to be in psychology, in fact you can get an undergraduate degree in anything and then apply for a master’s degree in psychology, but I want to know as much as possible about psychology before I get into my Ph.D. By adding a minor in sociology, which is the study of human social behavior and its origins, development, and associations, I am hoping to obtain a broader look at why people are the way they are. A bachelor’s degree in psychology, with a minor in sociology, is valuable because I would like to become a clinical psychologist. In order to become a clinical psychologist you must first start with a bachelor’s degree. As I mentioned before, this degree can be in anything, but it is highly recommended to get your degree in something relating to your chosen profession. This is because most graduate programs require that you have taken certain classes to get into the Graduate Psychology program. According to the University of Oklahoma, they require the following courses: biological psychology, cognition, learning, social, personality, and developmental psychology; introductory statistics; and experimental methods. If you do not take these courses, and are accepted into the program, then you will most likely be required to take remedial courses (ou.edu). Another important part in be... ... middle of paper ... ...Now, after all this work you finally can be a practicing clinical psychologist in the State of Oklahoma (ok.gov). The path to becoming a clinical psychologist is a long and arduous journey, but one that I believe is worth it. A bachelor’s degree in psychology is only the first small step in becoming a clinical psychologist. By obtaining a minor in sociology I will broaden my knowledge of humans and their social behavior. This, along with becoming a research assistant, will help me stand out when it comes time to apply to graduate school. When I have finally completed my master’s degree, doctoral degree, and all the tests and presentations required by Oklahoma, I will have the career I set out to get when I started at OU. That is why starting off with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and minor in sociology is valuable to my career choice of a clinical psychologist.

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