(The following article, adapted from a presentation by Janet Matthews of Loyola University in New Orleans, at the Southeastern Psychological Association (SEPA) on April 1, 1994. It was printed in the Fall, 1994 i Psi Chi Newsletter.)

Because of its long history, clinical psychology has often been viewed by undergraduate students as the major career direction for those who are interested in employment in the human services. However, despite the increasing number of available clinical psychology programs, admission rates continue to be rather small. Many of the programs in clinical psychology are highly selective in their admission procedures. It is not unusual for students who have very good credentials to be rejected by the majority of programs to which they apply. This presentation addresses programs in the areas of counseling psychology, professional counseling, marriage and family therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and art therapy.

I hope that this information provides a general overview of some of the alternative programs for students interested in careers in human services. Although there are only a limited number of openings in clinical psychology programs, there are a variety of other options and career choices available in related fields

COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY
Let's start with counseling psychology. Like clinical psychology, these programs require completion of the doctoral degree. The American Psychological Association (APA) with new programs being added regularly and previously accredited programs being reviewed on a regular basis accredits these programs. A list of these programs is provided annually in the December issue of the American Psychologist. According to the December 1993 issue, there were 63 such programs.

Students from traditional psychology departments tend to notice several things about these counseling programs when they go to the list. One point is the degree offered. Most of these programs culminate in the PhD degree. Three of these programs (Boston University; Columbia University, which also offers the PhD; West Virginia University) offer the EdD degree. Many psychology students are unfamiliar with this degree and do not know whether or not it will lead them to their desired career goals. One program, University of Pittsburgh, offers the Psy.D in addition to the PhD in its program. Thus, a starting point in evaluating the suitability of these programs to your needs is to read the program goals and see if they are appropriate for you.

Another point, which often confuses students who are reading the description of these programs, is the variety of department names where the programs are located. Some examples include:

• department of psychology
• department of psychology and education
• department of counseling and counseling psychology
• department of developmental studies and counseling
• department of education
• department of social, organizational, and counseling psychology
• department of educational psychology and leadership studies
• department of human services and applied behavioral science

What about admission criteria for these programs? Just like clinical programs, these criteria will vary somewhat by program. Some will be more selective than others. I have found, however, that these programs, as a group, are more likely than clinical program to place strong emphasis on your practical experience. What does this difference in emphasis mean in terms of your probability of admission? First, if your program offers a field experience in which you can spend time in a mental health facility, you really need to take this course. If your program does not offer this course, then it is important for you to obtain such experience in some other way. One option is to volunteer for such community programs as crisis lines. I tend to advocate this type of experience because they typically provide you with both training prior to beginning work and supervision while you are working. Many of these crisis lines also provide the type of flexible hours that integrate well with students' class schedules. You can often do your volunteer work during evening and weekend hours.

Another option for gaining experience is to obtain either a summer job or part-time work as an aide in a psychiatric hospital. The requirements for these positions vary with the facility and some facilities will require a college degree for employment. If you are planning to take some time away from school between your undergraduate studies and the start of graduate school, such a job could assist you in admission to a counseling psychology program. Keep in mind, however, that these are doctoral programs that are going to require that you conduct research for a thesis and a dissertation and that they are going to expect quality undergraduate grades and GRE scores for admission. Traditionally, these programs have not been quite a competitive as clinical programs and thus have gained popularity in terms of applications. Advanced students in some of these programs obtain predoctoral internships in clinical settings, and studies have indicated that graduates of many of these programs are indistinguishable from clinical psychologists in terms of their employment settings five years after they graduate.

PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING
Professional counseling programs may offer a terminal master's degree or a doctoral PsyD. degree program. They tend to be designed to enable their graduates to obtain a credential as a licensed professional counselor or similar title depending on the state in which they are located. Like counseling psychology programs, they are located in a range of academic departments such as psychology, education, and counselor education. Because of their orientation of training practitioners, they tend to place less emphasis on the "basic science" side of the training but rather focus on the applied skills their graduates will need to function effectively. Practical experiences, called by such names as "practicum" or "externship", are a major part of the degree program.

What are you trained to do when you complete such a program? The answer to that question will vary somewhat depending on your state of residence and the specific program. In general terms, you may work in a psychiatric facility or in a private practice setting. You probably will need to work in a setting where someone else can qualify for reimbursement from insurance companies. Although you may do some psychological assessment, the nature of this assessment may be limited by the laws of the state. You are most likely to be doing intellectual, educational, and vocational assessments. In terms of therapy, your work may involve individual, couples, family, or group work. Some programs have a specialty focus, such as schools or mental health services, while others are more generic in nature.

OTHER TYPES OF COUNSELING PROGRAMS:
The other fields listed below require only a Masters Degree, which means two to three years past the Bachelors degree.

• Marriage and Family Therapy Closely related to these counseling programs are the programs which train marriage and family counselors. Some states credential these individuals under the licensed professional counselor provisions while others have a separate credential for marriage and family therapists/counselors. As the name implies, the specialty here is working with dysfunctional relationships. Like the counseling programs, these training programs are offered in a range of departments including home economics.

• Social Work Social workers are trained in a variety of ways, so one must look for a program that matches their interests. They are trained to do many kinds of individual counseling. They may be trained to work in school settings (school social workers), medical settings (e.g., counseling cancer patients), gerontology setting (e.g., counseling the elderly), and many others. In New York State the only master's level degree that can work in private practice and receive insurance reimbursements.

• School Psychology These individuals are trained to work in the schools as a facilitator between children, teachers, parents and administrators to create the best possible learning atmosphere for children. They are trained extensively in psychological testing and assessment, but also extensively trained in individual counseling. On needs to like problem solving and attention to detail for this occupation.

• Counseling There are a variety of other masters level counseling programs. One would need to look for one that matches their interests and has a strong track record of employment for their graduates. One can specialize in school counseling at either the elementary or secondary level. At the secondary level the program is Guidance Counseling that most of us are familiar with. Individuals can also pursue student personnel services, which is a term used for individuals who do counseling, student advising and program planning at the College level. There are also programs specifically focused on drug and alcohol counseling (look under that name), rehabilitation counseling (counseling patients who are recovering from events like stroke or spinal cord injury).

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
The next area is occupational therapy. I find that this title is often used synonymously with recreational therapy. In some facilities the job description includes occupational and recreational activities. It may even include elements of creative arts therapy such as art therapy and music therapy. There are, however, specialized programs leading to the master's degree in occupational therapy. There is also a national examination leading to certification in occupational therapy after you have completed a certain amount of supervised work experience. The required courses will vary depending upon the program to which you apply, but generally they want a solid liberal arts background. If you plan to focus on work in psychiatric settings, it would be helpful to have completed undergraduate courses in such areas as abnormal psychology and theories of personality.

What do occupational therapists do in the job setting? Let me describe the work of an occupational therapist with whom I worked and perhaps that will give you an idea of whether or not this is a possible career for you. She was employed in a VAMC. She was part of the treatment team for several programs within the department of psychiatry, including an inpatient program and a partial hospitalization program. She provided input on the strengths and weaknesses of patients who were admitted to these programs. She conducted formal evaluations in such settings as the crafts room and recreational activities. Patients were observed not only in terms of the final product they created but also in how they approached the task. She also evaluated how they handled a range of group activities. Her input was valuable in developing individual treatment plans for these patients.

CREATIVE ARTS THERAPY
To illustrate the relationship of creative arts therapy to occupational therapy, I will briefly make some comments about art therapy, however, there are also programs in music therapy. The brochure for the art therapy program at Emporia State University describes this specialty as "a human service profession that combines elements of art, art education, and psychology to provide opportunities to explore personal potentials and pathologies through visual and verbal expression." Art therapy, as a discipline, is relatively new. The American Art Therapy Association was founded in 1969. Among its activities are the accreditation of master's degree programs in art therapy and the certification of art therapists. Art therapists use their understanding of imagery and symbolism to tap creative potentials in patients. In order to enter most of these programs, you must have a background in both art and psychology, Because art therapists are expected to be versatile, they must have a background in a range of media in addition to some art specialty. Since art therapists also work with emotionally distressed individuals, admission requirements in this field tend to include both abnormal psychology and theories of personality. Other frequently recommended courses are developmental psychology and psychological testing. Art therapy master's degree programs tend to take two years to complete. In order to be accredited by the American Art Therapy Association, they must include at least nine semester hours of internship in addition to practicum experiences. Similarly, there are also programs in music therapy.

EDUCATION RELATED FIELDS
There are a number of specialty areas in education that often appeal to psychology majors. These specialty areas require a masters degree and train individuals to work with children with special learning needs. They work predominantly in a school setting, however they are likely to work one-on-one with children or with small groups of children. They can work at either the elementary or secondary level. Such programs are: special education, reading specialist, math specialist, school librarian, or English as a second language.

MEDICALLY RELATED FIELDS
The programs described here require only a masters degree, but they will require someone who has a strong background and liking for science since advanced science courses will be required. Students wanting to enter these programs will also need a strong science background at the undergraduate level. They will expect you to have had lab courses in biology, chemistry, and/or physics. Such fields are: Physical Therapy - Physical therapists are most likely to be employed in a hospital or medical center setting. Some physical therapists are also employed in outpatient medical settings. They may be asked to develop individual programs for people who have a range of physical problems and are of any age. Some physical therapists specialize and therefore work with only one age group. For example, they may work in a children's hospital or a department of pediatrics, centering their work with children. Others may become affiliated full-time with a specific type of program such as chronic pain or rehabilitation following traumatic brain injury. Genetic Counselors- These individuals are also likely to work in a hospital or medical setting. They are highly trained in both genetic and counseling. They "counsel" patients and families concerning the diseases that may be present and inheritable in their family, thereby helping families to evaluate their risk in present or future pregnancies. Speech and Language Therapists - These individuals may work in school settings, clinics or medical settings. They may work with children who have speech or language problems, work with adults who have speech or language problems as a result of injury or stroke, or they may work with deaf individuals to increase the speech and language competence. A strong liking for biology and anatomy is necessary.

BUSINESS RELATED FIELDS
Some students combine their interest in psychology with an interest in business. Some of these individuals pursue an MBA (Masters in Business Administration). The most common mix with psychology is Human Resources. These individuals are trained to work with employee benefits and also work within and industry to increase employee satisfaction. A related area is Human Resource Development, which focuses more on employee growth, development and satisfaction.