MA in Child Development

[rshaikh]

Hi everyone. I have just completed my undergrad in psychology from the University of Toledo (Ohio), and I would like to pursue a career in child psychology (don't want to do phd). I got admitted to the MA in Child Development program at California State University, Sacramento. However, I am not sure if I should accept admission as I am not sure if I will be able to do much with this degree. As I am not sure about what kind of jobs will I get, because there are many licensing requirements in different states to practice as a psychologist which require doctoral degrees. This what the program website states "The MA program prepares graduates for a variety of life goals, including working directly with infants, children, adolescents, and their families. It provides preparation for future employment as counselor, social worker, community college instructor,  research assistant, private non-profit worker, and child care program administrator, as well as for additional study toward a doctoral degree in child development, developmental psychology, or related field". So should I go forward with this program or do something else, I don't even know what else I can do??

[PsyDuck90]

What do you mean by a career in child psychology specifically? If you want to be a clinician, than an MA level degree would have to be either a mental health counseling or social work degree. If you want to be a child psychologist, then you need to do a doctorate, as "psychologist" is a protected term. 

[rshaikh]

Thank you for your response. So should I still pursue this program? What kind of job opportunities are available after completing this program? Can I still work with children?

[PsyDuck90]

I would start off by figuring out what specifically the end game is and then work backwards. What are your actual career goals? What would you like to be doing in your day to day? You can "work with children" in so many capacities, from working as a school aide, doing ABA, or being a clinician. It's hard to say whether or not a program is a good fit if you aren't sure what it's fitting.