Majoring in Psych? Career Options for Psychology Undergraduates
Author: Betsy Morgan
So you've decided to major in psychology - or maybe you haven't decided yet. Spending some time and energy now thinking about what you want to do early in your college career can have enormous payoffs once you graduate. This guide will help you lay out some of the questions and answers involved in planning a career with a psychology degree.
While this book was designed with psychology majors in mind, almost all of it is applicable to other social science majors as well. It's meant for the majority of you who will NOT go to graduate school and who will define the answer to the question “What can you do with a psychology degree?”
The Third Edition has been thoroughly updated to include the latest options for today's students.
Table of Contents:
1. Should I major in psychology?
What does it mean to major in psychology?
What is the benefit of psychology versus any other degree?
So, what is psychology?
Why should I be a psychology major?
What if I really want to be a counselor/therapist?
Will I be able to get a job?
Will I make any money?
What if I already know what I want to be “when I grow up”?
2. How can I be sure?
If I am thinking of psychology as a major what can I do to make certain it is right for me?
What issues or questions should I be considering?
What else might help me now as I plan my psychology major?
A four year timeline.
What if I have declared a psychology major late in my academic career--what good is a timeline?
What do I do if I decide that psychology is NOT the best major for me?
3. What careers areavailable?
What kinds of jobs are “right” for psychology majors?
Profile of a human services worker.
Profile of a parole officer.
Profile of a human resources recruiter.
4. How do I explore careers?
Where do I start?
Resources:
Instructors.
Career Services.
The Library.
Professional or associations.
Alumni.
Your family and friends.
Local professionals.
The Internet.
5. How do I enhance my employability?
So why should I care about my "marketability”.
What are some steps to optimize my opportunities?
Get to know your faculty.
Get to know and use resources that can assist you.
Volunteer some of your time and talent to campus or community organizations.
Participate in at least one (if not more) internship experience.
Take coursework that supports your plans.
What if I have special considerations?
6. Will I make any money?
What do I need to know about my income potential as a psychology major?
What type of starting salary can I expect?
What are starting salaries with a master's degree or a doctorate in psychology?
What if I am offered a salary that is less than what I believe I deserve?
7. Should I go to graduate school?
What are the key issues to consider? Am I an attractive applicant?
What kind of graduate schools are there to consider? Or master’s vs. PhD vs. PsyD, what gives?
What if I’m still not sure about whether or not I want to go to graduate school?
Will it hurt my chances to take a year or more off (e.g., not go to graduate school right away)?
8. How do I prepare for graduate school?
What steps are involved in applying to graduate school?
Graduate school preparation timeline.
How do I maximize my chance of getting into graduate school?
Why is research experience so important? What about relevant experience?
What about application essays and interviews?
9. How do I do a job search?
How do I get started in conducting a successful job search?
How do I target and research possible employers?
How do I design a resume?
What about my references?
What categories of information should I use in my resume?
Is a cover letter important?
I have a job interview! How do I prepare?
10. I have my job, now what?
What should my first objectives be in my new job?
How do I become effective in my specific work assignments?
How do I know if I am "on track" with the direction of my career?
How do I keep from making my work my life?
What should I do to allow for job change opportunities?
New interesting book: Savory Baking from the Mediterranean or Dim Sum
Successful Writing at Work: Concise Edition
Author: Philip Kolin
This user-friendly, compact text emphasizes the most necessary, useful skills and strategies for successful workplace writing. Based on the successful parent text, Successful Writing at Work, 7/e, the Concise edition maintains a practical approach, an abundance of realistic situations and problems, real-world examples, and detailed guidelines for drafting, editing, and producing professional documents and graphics.
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