• Clinical Psychologists: This specialized area is concerned with mental problems or disorders. There are some clinical psychologists who deal with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, while others deal with personal issues such as those facing divorce or the death of a loved one.
• School Psychologists: Those in this specialization deal with students within the school system. They work with teachers and parents to build a healthy and supportive environment. In addition, school psychologists work with students that have gone through grief or other emotional challenges.
• Counseling Psychologists: This is normally the route that most students want to take when they enroll in a doctoral in psychology. These psychologists spend their days counseling patients on a wide area of social and personal issues. They also may work in hospitals, their own practice, or a rehabilitation center. Students interested in counseling will take classes on subjects like Maslow's hierarchy of needs and abnormal psychology.
• Research Psychologists: Some psychologists choose to work in the area of research and experimental psychology at a university or a business. They may study the behavior of people or animals and how they relate to their environment.

• Associate Degree: 2 years to complete
• Bachelor's Degree: 4 years to complete
• Master's Degree: 2 years to complete
• Doctoral Degree: 3 to 7 years to complete, depending on how many courses the student takes each semester and the amount of time it takes to complete their dissertation. The student has a choice of the PhD, which is a research degree that ends with a standard dissertation or the PsyD program, which does not have a typical dissertation, but concentrates on practical and clinical training and normally ends with several examinations.

Since there are degrees available at all levels in psychology, the requirements for each degree varies. Typically, in the associate and bachelor's degree, the students take general education courses such as math, history, English, biology, and communications. Master's and doctoral programs generally focus only on the area of psychology.

The associate degree in psychology offers the student general education during the first year and the second year is devoted to learning the various ways that the mind works. Courses include abnormal psychology, cognitive psychology, social studies, and behavior psychology. The associate degree can be transferred into the bachelor's degree, and therefore the student would only have two more years of study, which would include courses such as developmental psychology, statistics, research methods, and clinical science. Without an associate degree in psychology, the bachelor's degree generally takes four years.

The master's degree in psychology typically takes two years of full-time study or a little less depending on the university the student is attending. The master's degree deals with courses that are aimed at teaching the student how to administer and interpret psychological tests. Elective courses may include counseling psychology and school psychology. The goal is to give the student a taste of the different fields, which is important when considering a job or a doctoral degree. Certification is required at the master's level for those who want to counsel. They are required to take the Licensed Professional Counselor exam or the LPC. In order to take the exam, the student is required to complete specific courses, which differ by state, so it is advisable to find out the requirements in your state.

The doctoral degree is a full-time program, though some online degree options do allow part-time study. The student studies a variety of practical research as well as hands-on training. They also have a practicum they must complete and then the PhD ends with a standard dissertation. Those completing the doctoral degree need to sit for the state licensing exam by the American Board of Professional Psychology, while those that are interested in school psychology must sit for a separate exam given by the National Association of School Psychologists.

Almost every psychology student's career begins with the extremely popular Introduction to Psychology. This class exposes students to the various schools of psychological study and famous figures from the field. Students in undergraduate psychology programs will usually take at least one class from each psychological discipline. For example, most students will take child psychology, in which they study the developmental stages of children. This is a popular specialization option. Rehabilitation classes are also required of most curriculums. These degrees train future counselors in the particulars of helping criminals and addicts recover and reintegrate into society. Research is an important component of psychology. Therefore, students should expect to take a class in research methods early in their career. Also, basic biology classes are essential. Some schools offer biology classes that are tailored specifically to psychology students, with special focus on neurology.

In the master's psychology program, students take a core of foundational classes, along with electives that specialize their degree in a particular area of psychology. The core classes in the degree cover the broad, basic principles of psychology which apply to all psychological practices. For example, the course Principles of Learning discusses research on human motivation and the ability to retain information; the course Behavioral Physiology, on the other hand, approaches human actions from a physical perspective and examines the biochemical and neurological basis of feelings and memory.

It depends on the particular degree program you choose. The bachelor's in psychology degree will not require on-site training. The vast majority of work a psychology student participates in is reading, followed closely by lecture time. Undergraduate psychology degrees are among the easiest and most popular to be completed online, though by choosing this option students generally miss out on any research opportunities that are offered on their school's campuses.

Psychology master's and doctoral programs, on the other hand, usually contain a significant amount of clinical work, where students are required to assist in the running of psychological studies and observe people's behavior. This clinical work trains psychologists in the modes of interaction that are required between psychologists and their patients or subjects. Some master's degrees also require students to complete an original thesis in order to graduate. The thesis requires the development of a research project, which usually necessitates the on-site use of the college's equipment and patient pool.

There are a number of degrees that can overlap with psychology. Perhaps the most common of these is sociology, an area of study that is specifically dedicated to studying the ways in which people interact with each other. Psychological approaches and methods are often used in the sociological study and research. Psychology also deals significantly with neurological study, and many universities provide bachelor's degrees in neurology, or some specialized form of a medical degree with a focus in neurology. Neurology is the study of the brain and all of its processes. 

Many psychologists work as counselors of some kind -- whether for schools, private practices, or rehabilitation clinics. To meet the specialized demand for these qualified professionals, some schools offer a degree in counseling, which will usually require many psychology classes in and of themselves. A more rare degree is the degree in cognitive science, which uses an interdisciplinary approach to study the mind and the nature of intelligence. This area is sometimes offered as an area of specialization in postgraduate psychology programs. Another relatively rare degree that is becoming increasingly popular is the bachelor in psychobiology. Psychobiology is dedicated specifically to exploring how biological functions and environments affect people's psychological reactions and behaviors.

The discipline of psychology is unlike other more popular fields in that finding scholarships can prove very difficult. Substantial patience and tenacity is required to discover a full range of free money and grants available. Luckily, this article saves you a great deal of trouble in your scholarship pursuit. For the most accurate and up-to-date info, please head to the web link specified for each scholarship opportunity.

• NAJA Scholarship. This approximately $2,000 award is given each year to students who wish to concentrate on graduate studies in fields related to child psychology. Applicants must be permanent residents of one of the following states:  Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas. The deadline is February 1st.
• Tylenol Future Care Scholarship. This $5,000-$10,000 award is given to undergraduates and graduates pursuing careers in healthcare, including psychology. The deadline is May 31.
• PsycAdvocates Day 2011 Travel Award. This $500 award is given to psychology graduate students interested in attending PsychAdvocates Day, when members of the APA advocate on Capitol Hill for psychology, education, and public policy concerns. The deadline is June 30.
• Always Remember Never Surrender Scholarship. This $500 scholarship is given to college juniors or seniors majoring in Psychology, with plans to continue to grad school and study clinical or counseling psychology. Applicants must have a minimum 3.5 GPA; they must also compose a personal statement. The deadline is March 1.
• U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students. This generous award is given to financially at-risk students who are pursuing education in health related disciplines. Applicants must hail from backgrounds strictly defined as disadvantaged by the federal government.
• Mamie Phipps Clark Research Grant. This $1500 award is given to undergraduate and graduate members of Psi Chi. Applicants must demonstrate willingness to start a project themed on ethnic minorities. The deadlines are November 1 and February 1.
• Animal Behavior Society Research Grant. This $500-$2000 grant is awarded to graduate students in animal behavior and psychology. Applicants must be a member of the Animal Behavior Society. The deadline changes yearly.
• Kennan Institute Summer Research Scholarships. This $6400 scholarship is given to those who already hold an MA in Psychology or other social sciences and humanities disciplines. Applicants must provide a brief description of their ideal research project. The deadline is December 1.
• Benton-Meier Scholarship. This $2500 scholarship is given to two students who will enroll, or are currently enrolled, in a graduate program for neuropsychology. Applicants must demonstrate readiness for intensive study, as well as outline a budget. The deadline is June 1.
• NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. This $30,000 award is given to those who have intentions of graduate school studies in psychology and other disciplines. Applicants will need to submit three demanding essays. The deadline varies annually.
• APA TOPSS Scholars Essay Competition. This $250 award is given to high school students interested in psychology. Applicants must produce a 3,000-word essay in APA format, written to a specified prompt. The deadline is March 5.
• U.S. Army Health Professions Scholarship. This award pays for the complete graduate education of those interested in psychology and other health disciplines. In return for the award, successful applicants must devote one year of service to the U.S. Army for every year the award was received. The deadline varies annually.
• Epilepsy Foundation Behavioral Sciences Student Fellowship. This $3,000 award is given to undergraduate and graduate students, in psychology and other disciplines, who intend to concentrate on epilepsy. The deadline is March 21.
• Nat'l Association of School Psychologists Scholarship. This $5,000 award is given to deserving minority applicants. Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and be enrolled (or soon to be enrolled) in a school psychology program. The deadline varies annually.
• Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Scholarship. This $1,000 award is given to student members of the SSSS who are looking to focus on human sexuality. Applicants must stipulate a specific project (i.e. research or a thesis) along with a budget. The deadlines are February 1 and June 1.
• American School Health Association Scholarship. This $1,000 award is given to college juniors, seniors, or grad students focused on the health of youth (i.e., school psychology and counseling). Applicants must have a minimum 3.0 GPA. The deadline is April 2.
• Michael Sullivan Diversity Scholarship. This $500-$1,000 award is given to graduate students focused on projects relating to the study of diversity. The deadline is January 13.
• Psi Chi/Allyn & Bacon Psychology Awards. This $350-$1,000 scholarship is given to undergraduate members of the International Honor Society in Psychology. Applicants must submit a research paper for contention. The deadline is May 1.
• Hispanic College Fund Scholarship. This $2500-$5000 award is given to financially needed high school seniors or older of Hispanic descent whose education will lead to a degree in a health field. The deadlines are March 1 and March 15.
• The Institute of Transpersonal Psychology President's Diversity Scholarship. This award reduces the tuition of successful candidates by 25% every year. Applicants must attend programs sponsored by the ITP. The deadline is June 1.