How Long Does It Take To Become A Therapist
How long does it take to become a therapist?
Therapists can perform many different roles. There are physical therapists, occupational therapists, massage therapists, speech therapists and even other kinds, depending on the specialized training of the person performing the job. Therapy is linked to treatment, which is the attempt to remedy a particular health problem, and can be conceived as treatment in the medical field or psychotherapy among psychologists, although there are certainly skeptics. So how long does it take to become a therapist?
Before determining the length of time involved in becoming one, why do you desire this profession? In as much that we are usually guided by the prospective income from the practice of any job, you will perhaps ask how much does a practicing therapist earn?
The world seems to need many therapists, thus making the market for the job hot and highly in demand. The salaries can vary and the pay depends on several factors, and not only is the pay usually pretty good, the job can really be very rewarding. The different factors affecting the salary range are educational level, training, experience, and field of specialization. For a starter in the job, a therapist may initially receive $30,000 per annum, but the salary of the more experienced therapists can reach the six figure range. For example, wealthy individuals children often use therapists, and they can receive hundreds, or even thousands of dollars an hour in some circumstances!
Now comes your question on how long does it take to become a therapist. First, you have to be a degree holder, and go to a university to earn your undergraduate diploma. For your undergraduate degree, most typically choose a science-based course which can take you four years of full-time university studies, and usually yields the highest chance of making it to the next step. There are exceptional cases where three years is acceptable, provided you can find a university that does not require the completion of a degree, although this is rare in this day and age, and is highly improbable. Neither here nor there, you have to complete the therapy prerequisite subjects.
This given number of years is based on a continuous regular schedule, which can be longer or shorter, depending upon the number of subjects taken and passed during a school term. You probably recall that graduating with a degree is measured by the completion of the required credits or units and thus, taking more subjects, if the school allows for overloading, will make your path to be a therapist shorter. In some countries where summer classes are allowed will also shorten the length of years. Working students take longer time to finish the course as they take lesser subjects per semester or term. There are some countries where some universities are on a trimester scheme and studying at these can also shorten your period of study.
After four years in the undergraduate level, you will have to advance to your post graduate course which can take you another three years of intensive schooling. Thus, it may take you seven years of academia in order to be qualified to be a therapist. Believe it or not, the challenge does not stop in getting your post graduate diploma, as youu have to pass a licensing examination.
How long does it take to become a therapist involves several years of study. You have to complete a bachelor’s degree then proceed to your post graduate course where you can take your master’s degree and even pursue the doctoral level. The doctoral degree will add another two to three years schooling, which can total up to ten years. Good luck newly minted Dr. XYZ!
