Psychology Degrees

The Advantages To Earning A Psychology Degree

Earning a psychology degree gives students a versatile educational background based in understanding the human mind necessary to treat mental health and behavioral disorders and issues. Psychology degree programs offer students knowledge related to human growth and development, biology, biochemistry, behavior, neurology, statistics, and personality. Most psychology programs offer students the combination of classroom studies and clinical experiences working in clinical experiences directly with patients and conducting research.

Many colleges and universities have developed innovative online degree programs to extend instruction beyond campus locations. As many students manage work and family responsibilities in addition to educational obligations, online programs are often the most convenient means for students to expand education necessary for personal and professional success. Most online classes feature groups of 25 students or less and offer students a more personalized degree. Online programs also provide students with increased flexibility in course scheduling and 24 hour access to course materials and instruction. Students enrolled within online courses also have increased access to instructors and classmates via one on one Internet chats. Online programs are often one of best paths to gaining the skills and knowledge necessary to propel educational and career goals.

What Students Learn Within A Psychology Degree Program

Psychology programs offer students the skills and education necessary for a variety of career options. Most mental health workers are required to complete bachelor degree programs to qualify for employment though psychologists are required to complete a minimum of a master’s degree to gain licensing necessary for employment. Most students begin studies within associate degree programs to gain a basic understanding of the field. Courses within psychology programs at an associate level include: English composition, public speaking, research and academic writing, introduction to philosophy, statistics, human biology, cross cultural communication, comparative criminal justice systems, studies in world literature, introductory French, French composition, French conversation, French literature survey, world geography, contemporary global problems, international relations, comparative foreign policy, world history, history of global Christianity, history of modern Asia, history of Latin America, history of the Middle East and the Islamic world, history of Russia and the former Soviet Union, global leadership and cross cultural issues, multicultural psychology, worldviews, world religions and culture, introductory Spanish, Spanish conversation, Spanish composition, Spanish literature survey, literature of the U.S. beginnings to the Civil War, literature of the U.S.: civil war through the 21st century, British literature: Middle Ages through the 18th Century, British literature: 19th Centry through the 21st Century, African American literature, Shakespeare, Western civilization, Ancient political philosophy, introduction to psychology, engaging the visual arts, U.S. history, developmental psychology, marriage and family, theories of personality, research methods, a clinical experience, and music, creativity and culture. Graduates who complete associate’s degrees may advance to entry level employment or continue studies within bachelor degree programs.

Bachelor degree programs offer students an expanded understanding of the field of psychology as well as specialized courses. Bachelor degree courses include: introduction to cultural diversity, introduction to computing, expository writing and reading, persuasive writing and reading, analytical writing and reading, introduction to political science, introduction to sociology, economics, U.S. history, Western civilization, introduction to philosophy, college Algebra, mathematical analysis, classical to medieval literature, biology: cells and tissues, biology: growth and heredity, general physics, general psychology, approaches to personality, preprofessional general psychology, developmental psychology, introduction to social psychology, physiological psychology, psychology of learning, abnormal psychology, physiological research, cognitive psychology, psychological testing and assessment, experimental psychology, computer assisted data analysis, history systems psychology, sensation and perception, psychological problems of modern youth, industrial psychology, death and dying, psychology of sexual behavior, drugs and human behavior, educational psychology, neuropsychology, and a clinical experience. Graduates with bachelor degrees often advance to employment or master’s degree programs.

Master’s degree programs offer students the ability to specialize skills and expand knowledge. Master’s level courses include: applied statistics for psychology; foundations of professional psychology; ethics and standards of professional psychology; advanced research methods; testing, measurement, and assessment; lifespan development; masters research and thesis; chemical and psychological dependency counseling; psychopharmacology; group counseling; advanced addiction counseling; co-occurring disorders and treatments; rsearch design in applied behavior analysis; advanced principles of applied behavior analysis; behavioral measures and interpretation of data; implementing behavioral change; clinical applications; qualitative analysis; learning and behavior; foundations of psychopathology; cognitive psychology; and an internship experience. Master’s degree graduates may advance to licensing programs required for employment or continue studies within doctoral degree programs.

Doctoral degree programs qualify individuals as experts in the field of psychology. Most doctoral level courses include: cognitive psychology; statistical design in research; intelligence testing assessment ; clinical practicum; psychopathology; multivariate statistics; personality assessment; behavior therapy; research in clinical psychology; developmental psychology; psychoanalytic psychotherapy; assessment lab; psychological measurement and scaling; physiological psychology; professional and ethical issues; assessment and intervention; cultural diversity in psychological services; social psychology; history and systems; history and systems; cognitive and affective bases of behavior; quantitative methods, qualitative methods, and a clinical experience. Most graduates from doctoral degree programs advance to instructor or research positions within colleges and universities.

Prospective Jobs For Graduates With Psychology Degrees

Graduates with psychology degrees gain a broad educational foundation to build lasting careers upon. Employment for graduates who complete psychology degree programs is based upon factors like level of education, areas of specialty, related work experiences, and geographic location. Most associate’s degree graduates work as mental health assistants, social services clerks, nursing home workers, paraprofessional counseling assistants, drug counseling assistants, or patient admission representatives. Graduates who complete their bachelor’s degrees often advance to employment as mental health case managers, social services case managers, mental health counseling assistants, social workers, marketing or sales representatives, or with some additional training, psychology teachers. Graduates with master’s degrees often work as counselors, directors of mental health facilities, marriage and family therapists, career counselors, school counselors, researchers, or vocational school instructors. Graduates with doctoral degrees often work as directors of private or public mental health facilities, marriage and family therapists, researchers, or college and university instructors.

Salary Range For Psychology Degree Graduates

Graduates who complete psychology degrees have varied earnings based upon their level of education, area/s of specialty, geographic location, work experiences, and organization of employment. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports median annual salaries for clinical therapists, counselors, and school psychologists range from $48,700 to $82,800 annually. Graduates with associate’s degrees who work as social services clerks generally earn $29,827 annually. Graduates who work as social workers generally earn $31,040 to $52,080 annually upon completing their bachelor’s degree. Graduates with master’s degrees employed as marriage and family therapists earn $36,300 to $48,970 annually. Doctoral degree graduates who gain employment as college and university instructors generally earn $41,600 to $83,960 annually.

Career Outlook And Advancement Opportunities For Psychology Degree Graduates

Graduates who complete psychology degree programs gain a versatile educational basis necessary for long term career success. The demand for mental health professionals is expected to increase as psychological and mental health services within schools, mental health centers, substance abuse treatment clinics, social services agencies, and private companies increase. The U.S. Department of Labor and Statistics reports overall growth for mental health professionals will vary by specialty and increase at an average rate in over all growth by 12 percent through 2018 in comparison to other occupations. Graduates who specialize in clinical, counseling, and school psychologist professions can expect job growth to increase by 11 percent through 2018. Industrial organizational psychologists will increase by 26 percent at a faster than average rate through 2018.

Graduates who complete advanced degrees, gain work experience, and specialize training in fields like industrial-organizational psychology, geriatric psychology, educational psychology, substance abuse treatment, crisis prevention and management, and clinical psychology are expected to find increased employability in comparison to graduates with less training and experience. Many graduates who complete associate or bachelor degree programs begin employment within entry level positions and continue education in order to advance to positions with greater responsibilities and higher salaries. Graduates with master’s degrees often begin employment as marriage and family therapists and advance to private practices after gaining relevant work experience, continuing education, and securing funding. Many graduates with doctoral degrees may begin employment as members of group practices and advance to instructor positions or start their own consulting firms.
