What Can You Do With a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology?
While earning a graduate degree is required for many psychology jobs, the fact is that approximately 75% of students who earn a bachelor's degree in psychology do not go to graduate school. According to one study, only about 25% of psychology undergraduates end up working in a field that is closely related to their major.
Learn more about what you can do with a bachelor's degree in psychology.
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Despite these numbers, it is important to remember that having a bachelor's degree in psychology is great preparation for careers in a wide variety of fields. Psychology undergraduate programs can vary considerably in terms of goals, but there are some very useful skills that these programs tend to focus on including:
- Communication skills: In addition to gaining a solid understanding of how people communicate, psychology majors also learn how to read, write and present information to others.
- Research skills: Psychology undergraduate spend a great deal of type researching, analyzing and synthesizing complex information.
- Interpersonal skills: Understanding the needs of other people, solving problems in a group and interacting well with others are skills valued by virtually all employers.
As you plan for your future career, start by making yourself aware of the many different options that are available. By carefully planning your future and being aware of the different opportunities that are out there, you can find a career that is perfectly suited to your educational background, skills and personality. Learn more about ten different entry-level career options in this article on what you can do with a bachelor's degree in psychology.
Tips for Writing a Last-Minute Paper
Have you ever scrambled to write a last-minute paper?
Find great tips for writing last-minute papers.
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I'll admit that I have on several occasions. While procrastination obviously is not the best way to approach an assignment, there are steps you can take to craft a winning paper without losing your cool. About.com's Guide to Homework/Study Tips, Grace Fleming, offers these five tips for writing a last-minute paper that can help you focus your efforts and get your paper done as quickly as possible.
You can also check out some great ideas for psychology papers and these psychology paper topics if you are still struggling to come up with a topic.
Superego - Psychology Definition of the Week
Definition: According to Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory of personality, the superego is the component of personality composed of our internalized ideals that we have acquired from our parents and from society. The superego works to suppress the urges of the id and tries to make the ego behave morally, rather than realistically.
Interested in psychoanalytic theory?
- The Conscious and Unconscious Mind
- The Id, Ego and Superego
- The Life, Work and Theories of Sigmund Freud
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Classic Psychology Experiments
Psychology's history is filled with fascinating studies and experiments that helped changed the way we think about ourselves and human behavior. Some of the most famous examples include Milgram's obedience experiment and Zimbardo's prison experiment. Explore some of these classic psychology experiments to learn more about some of the best-known research in psychology history.
Read more...What Is the Average Psychology Salary?
Have you ever wondered what the average salary is in the field of psychology? Whether you are still exploring different psychology careers or are interested in moving into a more advanced position in your field, potential earnings are an important consideration.
How much do psychologists earn? Learn more about some of the average psychology salaries.
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Because there is so much diversity in psychology careers, earnings and salaries vary greatly depending upon factors such as specialty area, the degree held and the sector of employment. According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Outlook Handbook, median earnings for psychologists in 2002 were $51,170. The lowest 10 percent earned under $30,000, while the highest 10 percent earned over $87,000. Click the following link to read more about the earnings and salaries for psychologists.
More Information:
Boost Your Learning With These Psychology Podcasts
If you an auditory learner, then downloading and listening to psychology podcasts can be a great way to expand your knowledge of different topics within psychology. If you are looking for psychology podcasts that you can download and listen to on your MP3 player, be sure to check out this collection of available psychology podcasts available for download through iTunes or other sites from around the Web: Psychology Podcasts
Discover some great psychology podcasts.
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In addition to listening to existing podcasts, creating your own podcasts can actually be a great way to study. Learning new information and then teaching it to other people can make your studying more effective. Another idea might be to develop a psychology podcast as a class project.
More Information
How to Start a Podcast Club - About.com's Guide to Homework / Study Tips, Grace Fleming, offers some great advice on how to establish your own psychology podcast club at your school.
How to Create Your Own Podcast - About.com's Guide to Radio, Corey Deitz, explains how to make your own podcasts.
Behavior Analysis - Psychology Definition of the Week
Definition: Behavior analysis is a school of psychology based upon the foundations and principles of behaviorism. According to division of the of the American Psychological Association (APA) devoted to this area of psychology, behavior analysis "...promotes basic research, both animal and human, in the experimental analysis of behavior; it encourages the application of the results of such research to human affairs, and cooperates with other disciplines."
Learn more about behavior analysis.
Have You Considered a Career In School Psychology?
Finding the right career involves carefully considering your needs, interests and personality traits. Since psychology is such a broad and varied subject, there are literally hundreds of different career options that can vary considerably in terms of working conditions, job demands, salary and other characteristics. One career choice that you might want to consider is the rapidly expanding field of school psychology.
School psychologists with in educational settings to help children cope with a range of issues.
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School psychologists work within the educational system to help children with emotional, social, and academic issues. The goal of school psychology is to collaborate with parents, teachers, and students to promote a healthy learning environment that focuses on the needs of children.
School psychology is still a relatively young profession. The National Association of School Psychology (NASP) was established and formally recognized as a doctoral specialty by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1968. In 2002, U.S. News and World Report named school psychology one of the top ten "hot professions." Many school psychologists in the field are retiring, creating a demand for qualified school psychologists.
A few of the duties that a school psychologist might perform on a regular basis include:
- Helping students with behavioral problems
- Evaluating students experiencing academic difficulties
- Developing academic or behavioral plans for students
- Aiding students with crisis situations
Learn more about what it takes to become a school psychologist.
Sign Up for the Free Psychology Newsletter
Have you signed up for my free psychology newsletter yet? This weekly newsletter showcases the news, site updates, features, reader polls and discussions from the About.com Psychology site. After signing up for the newsletter, you will receive the latest edition of the newsletter right in your email inbox. The newsletter can be a great resource for students, educators or psychology enthusiasts interested in learning more about the wide world of psychology.
Get the latest updates by subscribing to the free psychology newsletter.
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Quotes by Famous Psychologists
"When I look at the world I'm pessimistic, but when I look at people I am optimistic." - Carl Rogers
"A great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices." - William James
"Self-belief does not necessarily ensure success, but self-disbelief assuredly spawns failure." - Albert Bandura
"The great question that has never been answered, and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my thirty years of research into the feminine soul, is 'What does a woman want?'" - Sigmund Freud
Are your interested in reading more quotes from other great thinkers in psychology? You can find more than 100 quotes by famous psychologists in this random psychology quote generator.