Why I Chose a PhD in Counseling Psychology

Joyce Li is a Counseling Psychology PhD student in her second year at UAlbany. In this Q&A, she shares how she chose her program among many options to give insight for those considering counseling-related career paths. 

What made you choose a PhD in Counseling Psychology?  

During my undergraduate career, I joined the Diversity and Intergroup Relations Lab, directed by my Social Psychology professor, Dr. Zou. I quickly grew to love the process of conceptualizing ideas, collecting and analyzing data, and interpreting the results. I was very interested in the Social Psychology research examining attitudes and behavior surrounding racial prejudice and discrimination, and I discovered that Counseling Psychology research can explore similar themes but within a clinical and mental health context. Around the same time, I joined my university’s peer counseling and crisis intervention hotline. I have always enjoyed having one-on-one conversations with other people and exploring their life stories from a place of openness and compassion. Ultimately, I felt like a PhD in Counseling Psychology was the ideal way for me to blend my passions for social justice research and for individual human connection. 

Why did you decide to pursue a PhD as opposed to a master’s? 

Getting a PhD in Counseling Psychology will allow me to be highly trained in conducting and analyzing research, which helps to inform clinical practice. Counseling Psychologists with a doctorate can also perform various assessments (such as for mental health conditions and cognitive abilities), provide therapy, offer career guidance, and teach in academic settings. Also, when I learned that most PhD programs in Counseling Psychology are fully funded with tuition remission and a living stipend, I felt more financially comfortable spending 5-6 years pursuing the degree.

For counseling-related degrees, what is the difference between a master’s degree, a PhD and a PsyD?

For people who are interested in practicing therapy but not necessarily in research, a master's degree may be a good choice, for example:

• Mental Health Counseling (MS): may focus more exclusively on counseling.
• Social Work (MSW): counseling is an option but with an increased emphasis on broader social and societal contexts.

Doctoral programs include more research training, for example:

• Counseling Psychology (PhD): the focus is on research, therapy, and assessments, and the split between research and clinical training is usually close to even. Emphasizes social justice and well-being, and more likely to work in college counseling centers providing therapy and performing career counseling.
• Clinical Psychology (PhD): there is more emphasis on specific mental health disorders, may be more likely to work in hospital settings. 
• Clinical or Counseling Psychology (PsyD): may tend to focus more on clinical training than on research and usually prepares students to become practitioners; however, these degrees can be more expensive than PhDs.

What do you plan to do long-term after graduating?  

I am not certain yet as to which career path I will pursue after graduation in 2028! The good thing is that this degree opens many opportunities. Generally, people decide to go into research, academia, or clinical work after graduation, and any of those areas could be fulfilling for me. Careers are available in so many different settings – universities, hospitals, veterans’ affairs, prisons, community clinics, and private practices. I am just beginning my clinical work this year, so I will likely have a better idea of my preferences soon.

What advice would you offer to a prospective student interested in Psychology-related fields who isn’t sure which graduate degree they need?  

Try to find people with the different degrees that you are considering and ask them to share their experiences about why they chose the paths that they did and what their current careers look like! Additionally, you can look for experiences in research (such as being a research assistant in a lab) or counseling (such as volunteering at a hotline) to better explore what is a good fit for you, and search online to learn more about different graduate degrees.