Psychology
Career and
Major Information
Related Career
Titles
Web Sites
Salary
Information
An Associate of Science Degree in Psychology at Walters State Community College is designed to fulfill the requirements for the freshman
and sophomore years of a transfer degree into a bachelor’s program at a
four-year college or university. The curriculum is not specific for any
particular school; students will need to consult a faculty advisor for more
information about an individual school’s program. The departmental link for
psychology is:
http://www.ws.edu/socialsci/psychology.asp
Career and Major Information:
Psychologists
study the human mind and human behavior. Research psychologists investigate the
physical, cognitive, emotional, or social aspects of human behavior. Psychologists
in health service provider fields provide mental health care in hospitals,
clinics, schools, or private settings. Psychologists employed in applied
settings such as business, industry, government or non-profits provide
training, conduct research, design systems, and act as advocates for
psychology.
Like other
social scientists, psychologists formulate hypotheses and collect data to test
their validity. Research methods vary depending on the topic under study.
Psychologists sometimes gather information through controlled laboratory
experiments or by administering personality, performance, aptitude, and
intelligence tests. Other methods include observation, interviews,
questionnaires, clinical studies, and surveys.
Psychologists
apply their knowledge to a wide range of endeavors, including health and human
services, management, education, law, and sports. In addition to working in a
variety of settings, psychologists usually specialize in one of a number of
different areas.
Clinical
psychologists—who constitute the largest specialty—most often work in
counseling centers, independent or group practices, hospitals, or clinics. They
help mentally and emotionally disturbed clients adjust to life and may help
medical and surgical patients deal with illnesses or injuries. Some clinical
psychologists work in physical rehabilitation settings, treating patients with
spinal cord injuries, chronic pain or illness, stroke, arthritis, and
neurological conditions. Others help people deal with times of personal crisis,
such as divorce or the death of a loved one.
Counseling
psychologists use various techniques, including interviewing and testing, to
advise people on how to deal with problems of everyday living. They work in
settings such as university counseling centers, hospitals, and individual or
group practices.
School
psychologists work in elementary and secondary schools or school district
offices to resolve students’ learning and behavior problems. They collaborate
with teachers, parents, and school personnel to improve classroom management
strategies or parenting skills, counter substance abuse, work with students
with disabilities or gifted and talented students, and improve teaching and
learning strategies.
Industrial-organizational
psychologists apply psychological principles and research methods to the
workplace in the interest of improving productivity and the quality of
worklife. They also are involved in research on management and marketing
problems.
Developmental
psychologists study the physiological, cognitive, and social development
that takes place throughout life. Some specialize in behavior during infancy,
childhood, and adolescence, or changes that occur during maturity or old age.
Social
psychologists examine people’s interactions with others and with the social
environment. They work in organizational consultation, marketing research,
systems design, or other applied psychology fields.
Experimental or
research psychologists work in university and private research centers and in
business, nonprofit, and governmental organizations. They study behavior
processes using human beings and animals, such as rats, monkeys, and pigeons
(Occupational Outlook Handbook 2004-2005).
Related Careers:
|
Customer
Service Representative |
Employment Agency Counselor |
|
Case
Worker |
Hospice Coordinator |
|
Community Relations Representative |
Mental
Health Coordinator |
|
Probation
Officer |
Youth Corrections Officer |
|
Community
and Social Services Worker |
Human
Resources Personnel |
|
Cottage Parent |
Sales
Representative |
Web Sites:
Psych job
listings in geocities
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Flats/5353/classes/psychjobs/
Social
Service.com
http://www.socialservice.com/userlogin.cfm?cfid=760299&cftoken=3282807
Jobs with the
US Department of Health & Human Services
http://www.dhhs.gov/jobs/index.html
FAQ's for
Counseling Psychology "What's the difference between clinical &
counseling psychology?"
http://www.counselingpsychology.net/cpfaq.html#counvsclinical
Careers in
Psychology
http://www.psywww.com/careers/
Careers in Social Work
https://www.socialworkers.org/students/default.asp
Requirements for being a School Counselor
http://www.collegeview.com/college/ask_experts/choosing_mj/counsel.html
Student
information from the American Counseling Association
http://www.counseling.org/AM/Students.htm
Psychology
Careers
http://www.apa.org/students/brochure/
American
Psychological Association
http://www.apa.org
American Counseling
Association
http://www.counseling.org/
National Association of Social Workers
http://www.naswdc.org/
American
Psychological Society
http://www.psychologicalscience.org/
Occupational
Outlook Handbook 2004-2005
http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos056.htm#top
Salary Information:
Median annual
earnings of wage and salary clinical, counseling, and school psychologists in
2002 were $51,170. The middle 50 percent earned between $38,560 and $66,970.
Median annual
earnings of wage and salary industrial-organizational psychologists in 2002
were $63,710. The middle 50 percent earned between $48,540 and $81,880.
Salary figures
quoted are based on national figures. Local or regional salaries may be lower.
Citation: Bureau of Labor
Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook,
2004-05 Edition, Psychologists, on the Internet at
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos056.htm
