Have you always want to work in the field of psychology? Are you interested in pursuing a specialization? If you would like to study what drives athletes and motivates athletes to perform better, working as a sports psychologist could help you tap into your talents are you also pursue your passion. Sports psychology is a subset of the field of psychology that specifically focuses on how people are affected by playing recreational and professional sports, and how to alter the mindset in a way that will help professional athletes improve their performance on the field, track, or court. Sports psychologists can work with amateur athletes, professional athletes, performing artists, politicians and also business professionals who want to alleviate the stress of daily life.
Starting the Educational Path Online
If you would like to be a Sports Psychologist, you will need to learn about conducting psychological research and also about counseling athletes based on the knowledge you gain through research. You will need to get accustomed to making your college experience your career as you study to be a psychologist, but a good portion of the college experience can actually be completed online.
If you would like to study while you are working a full-time job, you can start by enrolling in an online Bachelor’s degree program with a concentration in Psychology. There are a wide range of different undergraduate programs majoring in Psychology that are offered by fully accredited schools and highly reputable. As long as the school you choose is accredited, you should have no problem transferring your credits to earn an graduate and doctoral degree.
Once you earn your Bachelor’s, you will need to dedicate an additional 2 years full-time to earning your Master’s degree in Psychology or Behavioral Health. Be sure to choose the right concentration based on what future you would like to pursue in Sports Psychology. Many different schools offer online M.S. programs or hybrid programs to professional students.
Doctoral Programs in Psychology
Once you earn your Master’s, you will need to decide how you would like to earn your PhD. To the surprise of many, there are PhD advanced degree programs offered by online universities. While you will complete a majority of the classwork online, near the end of your PhD. program you will be expected to complete a dissertation, attend dissertation workshops, and also complete a residency so that you can work face-to-face with peers in the field.
Sports psychology has made the list of top 10 careers trending in Psychology. If you would like to help individuals improve their performance on the field or improve their mental health, this could be the field for you. Map out the best formal educational path, and then put your heart to it.