Psychology Major

Are you fascinated with why people do what they do? Then if you’re considering psychology as a major, you might be on the right track.

What is psychology? For an excellent article that describes psychology, go to this American Psychological Association link to learn more: http://www.apa.org/topics/psychologycareer.html
It also discusses different types of jobs that psychologists hold, the job outlook, and more.

Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD?
For psychology majors, there are three main options—a Bachelor’s Degree, a Master’s Degree, and/or a PhD. What one wants to do in the field is largely dependent on the degree one has.

What can you do with a Bachelor’s Degree in psychology?
According to the BLS-Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Opportunities directly related to psychology will be limited for bachelor’s degree holders. Some may find jobs as assistants in rehabilitation centers or in other jobs involving data collection and analysis. Also, one may find employment in occupations, (i.e., human resources), that value the transferrable skills that psychology majors develop

Those who meet state certification requirements may become high school psychology teachers. However, if you decide on this option, you should be able to teach another subject as well, since not all high schools offer psychology.

What can you do with a Master’s Degree in psychology?
According to the BLS-Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Master’s degree holders in fields other than industrial-organizational psychology will face keen competition for jobs because of the limited number of positions that require just a master’s degree.”

Master’s Degree holders may find jobs as psychological assistants or counselors, providing mental health services under the direct supervision of a licensed psychologist (Note: in the state of Texas, one can set up an independent private practice if one is also a Licensed Professional Counselor).

Also, those who hold Master’s Degrees can often teach in community colleges, although the competition for those jobs is keen. Still others may find jobs involving research and data collection and analysis in universities, government or private companies.

What can you do with a PhD. in psychology?
According to the BLS-Occupational Outlook Handbook, “Job prospects should be the best for people who have a doctoral degree from a leading university in an applied specialty, such as counseling or health, and those with a specialist or doctoral degree in school psychology. Psychologists with extensive training in quantitative research methods and computer science may have a competitive edge over applicants without such background.”

LSC-North Harris offers a variety of psychology courses that will transfer to many universities. You can find the list of core psychology courses on p. 80 of the 09-10 catalog at http://www.lonestar.edu/lscs-catalog.htm, and a complete listing of all psychology course offered at one time or another in the LSCS system, starting on p.291 of the 09-10 catalog.

Please feel free to contact me for more information and assistance with educational planning. You can also contact Dr. Don Stanley, psychology professor, and chair of social and behavioral sciences—281.618.5523.