Psychology Schools in Florida
Learn about psychology degrees in Florida and find out how you can have a career in the Sunshine State.
Finding Psychology Schools in Florida
By Kimberly Ross
If you want to pursue a psychology degree, Florida State University provides an abundance of traditional options in counseling, social work and psychology, as well as certificate programs, such as the Child Welfare Practice Certificate Program.
If you attend Florida State University, located in Tallahassee, here are just a few of the specialties you can consider studying:
- Art Therapy
- Clinical Psychology
- Counseling and Human Systems
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Rehabilitation Counseling
The school's psychology department, which established Florida's first psychology research lab, focuses heavily on research programs, receiving an average of $6 million in annual funding from various federal and state agencies. Additionally, students earning a clinical psychology degree at Florida State University will get practical training by working at one of the school's clinics, which serve the residents of Tallahassee.
For a less traditional program, consider Argosy University, which does an excellent job of providing students with numerous hands-on training opportunities in order to prepare them for their psychology careers.
Florida Job Market
A sampling of job search engines shows a higher concentration of open positions in Florida's larger cities, like Miami, Orlando and Tampa. While the cost of living in Miami is a bit higher than the national average, many of Florida's cities are about the same or lower than the national average, according to PayScale.com.
Wherever you decide to live and work in the state, here is a list of the mean annual salaries* you have the potential to earn with a psychology degree in Florida:
| Psychology Career | Mean Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Psychologist | $96,380 |
| Counselor | $35,520 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $39,700 |
| Social Worker | $49,250 |
Licensing Requirements in Florida
After you have earned a psychology degree in Florida, you will need to follow the state criteria for licensure. For any type of license, you will need a passing score on the national exam in the appropriate field, as well as on the state's laws and rules examination.
Applicants must have also completed an eight-hour course on Florida laws and a two-hour course on the prevention of medical errors. Read below for more information on the requirements specific to each field.
Psychologist
- A doctoral degree in psychology
- Completion of 4,000 hours of practical experience under the supervision of a licensed psychologist, half of which can be completed through an internship while completing a program accredited by the American Psychological Association
Mental Health Counselor
- A master's degree from an accredited mental health counseling program
- Two years of supervised experience in counseling
- Completion of a 3-hour course on human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome
Marriage and Family Therapist
- A master's degree with major emphasis on marriage and family health therapy
- Completion of a 2-year experience under the supervision of a qualified marriage and family therapist
Certified Social Worker
- A master's degree in social work with major emphasis on clinical practice or administration
- Three years of social work experience with two years under the supervision of a qualified social worker
Clinical Social Worker
- A master's degree in social work that includes 24 semester hours or 32 quarter hours in courses on the theory of human behavior and practice methods, as well as one course in psychopathology
- Completion of at least two years of social work experience under supervision of a qualified social worker
*Salary data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Salary may vary according to geographic location, years of experience and employer type.
Psychology Degrees USA
Did You Know?
- A museum on Sanibel Island, Florida, owns two million shells.
- Gatorade was created at Florida University and named after the school's mascot, the Gators.
- Located on French Reef in the Florida Keys, the Benwood is one of the most frequently dived shipwrecks in the world.
- Miami installed the first automated teller machine (ATM) for rollerbladers.
- Florida is the world's leading producer of grapefruit and ranks second in the world for orange juice production.