M.Ed vs MSc counselling psych

[psych12344]

Anyone know the difference between an M.Ed vs an MSc in counselling psych? Also can you get a PhD in clinical psych with either?

[psychology_student_]

1 hour ago, psych12344 said:

Anyone know the difference between an M.Ed vs an MSc in counselling psych? Also can you get a PhD in clinical psych with either?

I'm assuming you're talking about programs outside of America given your spelling of 'counselling', but since I'm 'Murican I can speak to what goes down here in our 'Murican context. In  the US context those two degrees are mainly just semantic differences or differences in what departments they're housed out of.  MSc would almost certainly always have a thesis or thesis-like component to it and M.Ed can also easily have such independent research requirements.  All just depends on what programs you're speaking about. 

And yes you can certainly get a PhD in clinical psychology upon earning a degree in either of those master programs.  Some people will say the MSc would be more favored versus the M.Ed, but honestly it's simply all about research fit when it comes to being accepting into a PhD psychology program (counseling or clinical).

[psych12344]

2 hours ago, personallycentered said:

I'm assuming you're talking about programs outside of America given your spelling of 'counselling', but since I'm 'Murican I can speak to what goes down here in our 'Murican context. In  the US context those two degrees are mainly just semantic differences or differences in what departments they're housed out of.  MSc would almost certainly always have a thesis or thesis-like component to it and M.Ed can also easily have such independent research requirements.  All just depends on what programs you're speaking about. 

And yes you can certainly get a PhD in clinical psychology upon earning a degree in either of those master programs.  Some people will say the MSc would be more favored versus the M.Ed, but honestly it's simply all about research fit when it comes to being accepting into a PhD psychology program (counseling or clinical).

Interesting! I believe I was slightly mislead then as I was told that an M. Ed  doesn’t qualify for a psych PhD . Thanks so much!! 

[topsailpsych]

Just chiming in as someone who completed an MEd in Counseling Psych, then applied to Clinical PhD programs and got rejected from every single one.  Clinical and Counseling programs historically have had different core philosophies regarding the purpose of the programs (this has become slightly less true over the last 5-10 years, but the people on the admissions committees still tend to believe in these old philosophies).  It's very challenging to move from a Counseling program into a Clinical program (not impossible, but very, very challenging).  So before you begin your Master's program I would think hard about what you want out of a training program - do you want a medical model with a focus on treatment of disease and research on specific interventions for those diseases, or do you want a more comprehensive focus on the whole person and how they interact with their environment (career, family, impacts of oppression and marginalization)?  If you want the former - apply for master's programs in clinical psych and turn down your offers from the counseling programs. If you want the latter, pursue the master's - the MEd vs MSc doesn't really matter, just whichever program better aligns with your goals best - and then look at PhD programs in Counseling Psych, not clinical. 

I wasted a full cycle by applying for almost exclusively clinical programs, not knowing the significant uphill battle I was facing.  In the end I got only one interview last cycle and was waitlisted before receiving my final rejection.  This cycle I focused on almost exclusively counseling programs and have been running myself ragged with interviews like crazy and have received multiple offers from amazing programs.  I don't want you to waste an application cycle (and all the fees that go into that) like I did.

[psychology_student_]

On 2/27/2019 at 8:04 PM, psych12344 said:

Interesting! I believe I was slightly mislead then as I was told that an M. Ed  doesn’t qualify for a psych PhD . Thanks so much!! 

It certainly wouldn't technically exclude you.  However, if what you're studying or researching in your potential M. Ed doesn't fit with what your clinical psychology program you're wanting to apply to is doing then that would probably exlcude you.  All about fit

[lewin]

It's not just about the degree but which department you're studying in. Departments of education and psychology often have very different philosophies about epistemology and methodology. You'll get different training. If you want to do a PhD in psychology, whether it's counselling or clinical, do your masters in a psychology department.

[Clinpsyc01]

On 2/27/2019 at 6:51 PM, psych12344 said:

Anyone know the difference between an M.Ed vs an MSc in counselling psych? Also can you get a PhD in clinical psych with either?

I know a few people who did MSc in counselling at Canadian schools (McGill, Alberta, Western) and went on to do clinical PhDs. None of them applied to counselling with the intention of going into clinical psych, though. They all planned on doing counselling PhDs initially, but found it was not a good fit for them. 

Edited March 1, 2019 by Clinpsyc01

[psych12344]

4 hours ago, topsailpsych said:

Just chiming in as someone who completed an MEd in Counseling Psych, then applied to Clinical PhD programs and got rejected from every single one.  Clinical and Counseling programs historically have had different core philosophies regarding the purpose of the programs (this has become slightly less true over the last 5-10 years, but the people on the admissions committees still tend to believe in these old philosophies).  It's very challenging to move from a Counseling program into a Clinical program (not impossible, but very, very challenging).  So before you begin your Master's program I would think hard about what you want out of a training program - do you want a medical model with a focus on treatment of disease and research on specific interventions for those diseases, or do you want a more comprehensive focus on the whole person and how they interact with their environment (career, family, impacts of oppression and marginalization)?  If you want the former - apply for master's programs in clinical psych and turn down your offers from the counseling programs. If you want the latter, pursue the master's - the MEd vs MSc doesn't really matter, just whichever program better aligns with your goals best - and then look at PhD programs in Counseling Psych, not clinical. 

I wasted a full cycle by applying for almost exclusively clinical programs, not knowing the significant uphill battle I was facing.  In the end I got only one interview last cycle and was waitlisted before receiving my final rejection.  This cycle I focused on almost exclusively counseling programs and have been running myself ragged with interviews like crazy and have received multiple offers from amazing programs.  I don't want you to waste an application cycle (and all the fees that go into that) like I did.

How about EdDs in counselling psych? I have heard of a few clinical psychologists who had that degree and were able to get licensed providing they fulfilled their governing college's requirements.

[topsailpsych]

18 minutes ago, psych12344 said:

How about EdDs in counselling psych? I have heard of a few clinical psychologists who had that degree and were able to get licensed providing they fulfilled their governing college's requirements.

Interesting.  I've never heard of that before, but I've only looked at APA accredited programs, and they don't accredit any EdD programs at all.  It sounds like you're interested in licensure.  What sort of work are you interested in after you complete your degree and are you looking at programs in the US or Canada?

[psychology_student_]

23 minutes ago, topsailpsych said:

Interesting.  I've never heard of that before, but I've only looked at APA accredited programs, and they don't accredit any EdD programs at all.  It sounds like you're interested in licensure.  What sort of work are you interested in after you complete your degree and are you looking at programs in the US or Canada?

It all depends on states, but in some American states with an EdD you can become a licensed "counselor" but not a "psychologist"

[psychology_student_]

4 hours ago, lewin said:

It's not just about the degree but which department you're studying in. Departments of education and psychology often have very different philosophies about epistemology and methodology. You'll get different training. If you want to do a PhD in psychology, whether it's counselling or clinical, do your masters in a psychology department.

Sort of, but I mean most counseling programs are in departments of education so...yeah, if you wanted a PhD in psychology with a counselling concentration then you'd want the masters in the education department.  Regardless, yes you should just find a degree/program/department that best fits what it is you're wanting to do and how/if said program can get you there.

[psych12344]

45 minutes ago, topsailpsych said:

Interesting.  I've never heard of that before, but I've only looked at APA accredited programs, and they don't accredit any EdD programs at all.  It sounds like you're interested in licensure.  What sort of work are you interested in after you complete your degree and are you looking at programs in the US or Canada?

Canada