Discussion Question

Answer this main question:

Clinical counseling / juvenile Behavioral Counselor

As you probably gathered from your exploration in the unit studies, professions in psychology carry a wide range of requirements and responsibilities, including professional credentialing, academic preparation, training, and licensure. While you are pursuing your master's degree, your courses will offer many opportunities to select topic areas for research and writing. The time you have spent thinking about your particular professional interests will enable you to select topics that will make the best use of your work in future courses. This discussion asks you to identify what you will need to pursue these interests-both the competencies you will need in your field, and the licensing and certification requirements you will need to practice.

To prepare for the discussion, pull together what you have learned from your career exploration, the reading in the Sternberg text related to your strongest interests, your investigation of licensing requirements, and any professional organizations in your area of interest. Use this discussion to clarify for yourself what you will need in two specific areas: professional competencies and licensing requirements.

In your initial post, respond to the following questions:

• Competencies: What skills and abilities are most critical to success in your specialization? What strengths do you already bring to this area? What insights did you gain from the Sternberg text related to your career vision?

• Requirements: What particular license, certification, or other requirements will you need to pursue the kind of career you envision? What professional organizations govern your specialized field? What questions do you have that you have not yet been able to answer?