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Psychology is one of the most sought after courses in this present day. This is because of the numerous opportunities that it affords those who delve into it. Not only does it provide a wide educational background that can be useful in diverse professions, but it also opens the doors to fascinating professions in understanding human behavior. Some of these professions include research and writing, statistical analysis, critical thinking and logical reasoning skills. This comprehensive guide will help you discover more about what you can do with a psychology degree and the potential careers available for you to explore.
EXPLORE PSYCHOLOGY DEGREES BY SPECIALTY
Interested in getting a psychology degree, but curious as to what the field looks like? The following data charts provide an overview of the academic and professional industry for psychology graduates. The numbers can provide a heads-up on what prospective students and psychology professionals can expect.
Clinical psychology is the branch of psychology that can look at and treat mental health issues and illnesses and other behavior related issues.
Counseling psychology is a specialty that pays particular attention to providing guidance for people who are faced with emotional, social, vocational, educational, health-related, developmental, and organizational challenges.
School psychology is a field that applies psychological principles to meet students’ behavioral, health, and learning needs in a concerted effort with educators and parents.
Financial Aid & Scholarships for Psychology
Tuition fees could be a major hurdle to getting a degree in psychology. Fortunately, monetary assistance options are available for students who intend to take up this career-path.
Psychology Student Resources
We have provided the following resources which guide students on how to make the most of the opportunities available for them when they chose a degree in psychology.
Psychology is quite an extensive discipline with a wide variety of careers. The following are examples of career opportunities that can psychology graduated can explore.
PSYCHOLOGY DEGREES BY THE NUMBERS
Are you interested in learning more about the psychology field and degree options? We have listed options below as insight into the field and gathered our most helpful information from psychology degree graduates.
Psychology Degrees Earned by Level (2013-14)
Compared to other levels, a number of students seem to seek admission into bachelor’s in psychology. This turn out drops significantly as students climb the academic hierarchy to second and third degrees. The higher up in degree level you go, the more valuable this student will become in a competitive industry.
Psychology Graduates by Gender (2013-14)
Women in psychology outnumber their male counterparts in the profession at all degree levels. In fact, at the Ph.D level, 75% of students are female.
Girls: 79.5% Boys: 25: 25.3%
Girls: 79.5% Boys: 20.5%
Girls: 76.7% Boys: 23.3%
The Growing Popularity of Psychology Degrees (1970-2014)
The number of students that enroll for a degree in psychology keeps increasing with every passing year. This is because psychology is now being recognized as a science in the (STEM) discipline.
Top Psychology Programs: 2017-18
It is a tedious task to figure out which among the various psychology degree program is the best. Aside from the fact that each student has his or her own distinctive notion of what makes a particular program right for them; there is also need to compare programs. However, a lot of students deem several major factors to be important when attempting to make decisions on which school to choose. Such factors include tuition, student-to-faculty ratio and graduation rate. We have considered these components and more in our grading for the 2017/2018 session.
Find Psychology Programs Near You
Geographical location and proximity are important factors to consider when picking between different psychology degree programs at various locations. For students to save cost, something local would be ideal. Those who aspire to be employed in a certain area after graduation could also look for schools located near the target location.
PSYCHOLOGY DEGREES OPTIONS
There are many different academic levels where psychology can be studied. Dependent on the student’s end goal and dedication to the course of study, there can be many advantages to pursuing the highest level.
Associate Degree Level
The Associate’s degree can be completed in just 2 years. The advantage is the fast track and the students ability to be able to transfer credits into a higher level degree.
Associate of Art (A.A.) in Psychology
This degree will require students to take classes in humanities, arts, and other social sciences to meed the needs of this degree.
Associate of Science (A.S.) in Psychology and Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S)
The A.S. will have a more math and science focus and require more of these types of classes to complete the degree.
The A.A.S. psychology degree provides a more in depth look of actual skills and applied work that can be transferred into an industry. Unfortunately, this degree doesn’t offer much growth if you choose to want to go further.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychology
This doctorate program is unique because it places importance on mathematical, scientific, and theory. Therefore, graduates are more suitable for careers research and maybe teaching.
Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)
This Psy.D. focuses more on applied topics that can be put to work. This degree is suitable for graduates who will want to eventually be able to treat patients.
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Psychology
The Ed.D.degree is to some extent a fusion of the two degrees above. It places importance on both theoretical and applied principles of psychology.
Master of Arts (M.A.) in Psychology
Aside from the additional coursework in humanities or social science topics, the M.A. will teach many of the same areas that the M.S. covers.
Master of Science (M.S.) in Psychology
This M.S. in Psychology is comparable to the M.A. but in this degree there will be a stronger focus on the sciences.
Education Specialists (Ed.S.) in School Psychology
This degree is a great fit for students who are interested in a career in education and school psychology. This offers courses involved more specifically on education.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Psychology
The B.A. in Psychology is designed to be a great degree to understand psychology. There will be many arts and humanities focused courses to complete this.
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology
Compared to the B.A., the B.S. will focus more on math and science related courses. This is the degree students often choose if moving onto a Master’s program or graduate study.
WHERE DO PSYCHOLOGIST WORK
Due to the wide field of work in the field, there is also a plethora of work locations for psychologists. There are opportunities everywhere. Below are some examples below of public and private sector work:
Elementary & Middle & High Schools
The elementary and secondary schools offer a large selection of work for psychology work. This is because at this stage is where it starts to learn about the stages of development and growth of the young human brain.
Psychologists also occupy many positions in the government sector. Since the government provides key financial support for research in regard to psychology, government branches are often where you can find many psychologists working. With the private practice industry being highly regulated, psychologists in the public government sector are a necessary role.
Hospitals, Clinics & Other Healthcare Facilities
Mental health issues are largely treated in hospitals or healthcare settings. With the mental health and illness being treated in these facilities, there will be many psychologists working in these healthcare and hospital settings.
Colleges & Universities
Higher learning institutions provide another option for graduates of psychology programs. Psychology training and research takes a large role in higher education.
Businesses & Nonprofits
Effective management of workers is an important element in the operation of any business organization. This is the reason why business organizations and entrepreneurs require the services of a psychologist to help better understand how to serve their employees.
The first thing that comes to mind when psychology is mentioned is a private organization where a psychologist render psychological services to his/her customers in the form of either a clinical counselor or a school psychologist.There are however, very few psychologist who set up private organizations as many prefer to seek employment in other settings.
Psychology Careers At A Glance
A psychologists is an individual who learns and studies and connects the human and the mind. Due to this topic being complex, there are a variety of career choices and specializations for graduates of psychology. The two differences is one area is more geared for applied techniques and practice and the other is more focused on research and academics. There will always be high demand within this industry given the brain and the mind and behavior will always offer more to discover. With more mental issues and disorders being prevalent in individuals everywhere, the need for applying these concepts to patients and being able to treat is going to be in high demand.
HOW TO CHOOSE A PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE PROGRAM
There is need for prospective psychology students to plan and execute the proper degree they choose to move forward with. The choice of what plan to follow will dictate what career will lay ahead of them.
In depth Research of the Career
The first step is to completely understand the various fields available for psychologists. Reading and discussing with experts in the field can give one an idea of will will come.
Create the End Goal For Obtaining This Degree
To make sure the student is in the right program, the student needs to make sure they have their end goal in mind. Each area of psychology whether it be teaching, treating patients, or research will have a different plan and path.
Find Out Which Degree Offers The Right Concentration/Specialty For You
The final goal determines one’s area of specialization in a certain field. For instance, a research-driven goal calls for a focus surrounding research.
Make Sure Your Program is Accredited
You will want to make sure the degree program and school is accredited. It will be important to earn a degree from an accredited institution in order for that degree to hold value.
Research How The Program Prepares Students For A License
Research how the program will prepare one for a career and license. If applicable psychologists usually obtain license to practice with the general public. Students should pick a school and degree program that will prepare them for a career as well as assist in facilitating the license for them.
Research What Programs Have the Financial Assistance Needed
To ease the financial burden that comes with higher education, it is necessary to search for schools that offer the best scholarship and financial assistance options.
Decide Which Program Will Feed Your Academic and Career Growth
Decide which program offers academic growth that offers internships and opportunities while in school as well as research how that will contribute to success after the program. This goes for academic success as well as career growth and opportunities.