Careers in Psychology

B1-B9_MyersEx7eMods_APPB.qxp 9/21/07 12:58 PM Page 1 APPENDIX B Preparing for a Career Careers in Psychology in Psychology Jennifer Zwolinski Subfields of Psychology University of San Diego Preparing Early for Graduate Study in What can you do with a degree in psychology? Lots! Psychology For More Information As a psychology major, you will graduate with a scientific mindset and an awareness of basic principles of human behavior (biological mechanisms, development, cogni- tion, psychological disorders, social interaction). This background will prepare you for success in many areas, including business, helping professions, health services, marketing, law, sales, and teaching. You may even go on to graduate school for specialized training to become a psychology professional. This appendix describes the various levels of psychology education and some jobs available at those levels; psychology’s specialized subfields; and ways you can improve your chances of admission to graduate school.1 Preparing for a Career in Psychology Psychology is the second most popular major in the United States, second only to business (Princeton Review, 2005). More than 70,000 psychology majors graduate from U.S. colleges and universities each year. An undergraduate degree in psychology can prepare you for a broad array of jobs after graduation. For other jobs, you will need a graduate degree. The Bachelor’s Degree Psychology majors graduate with a valuable skill set that increases their marketability in many fields. About 42 percent of U.S. psychology majors go on to graduate school in psychology (Fogg & others, 2004). What happens to the rest? Most work in for- profit organizations after graduation, especially in management, sales, and adminis- tration. TABLE B.1 on the next page shows the top 10 occupations that employ people with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Clearly, psychology majors are marketable beyond the boundaries of psychology. Their sought-after skills and abilities include an ability to work and get along with others, a desire and willingness to learn new skills, adaptability to changing situations, and good critical-thinking and problem-solving skills (Landrum, 2001). There are some things that all psychology majors can do to maximize success in the job market. Employers that hire people with only a bachelor’s degree tend to favor individuals with positive explanatory styles and practical experience as well as a good education (Cannon, 2005). Betsy Morgan and Ann Korschgen 1Although this text covers the world of psychology for students in many countries, this appendix draws primarily from available U.S. data. Its description of psychology’s subfields and its suggestions for preparing to enter the profession are, however, also applicable in many other countries. B-1 B1-B9_MyersEx7eMods_APPB.qxp 9/21/07 12:58 PM Page 2 B-2 CAREERS IN PSYCHOLOGY TABLE B.1 TOP 10 U.S. OCCUPATIONS THAT EMPLOY PEOPLE WITH A BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY 1. Top- and mid-level managers, executives, administrators 2. Sales occupations, including retail 3. Social workers 4. Other management-related occupations 5. Personnel, training, labor relations specialists 6. Other administrative (record clerks, telephone operators) 7. Insurance, securities, real estate, business services 8. Other marketing and sales occupations 9. Registered nurses, pharmacists, therapists, physician assistants 10. Accountants, auditors, other financial specialists Source: Fogg & others (2004). (1998) offer the following helpful tips for increasing your chances of getting a job after graduation: 1. Get to know your instructors. 2. Take courses that support your interests. 3. Familiarize yourself with available resources, such as campus career services and alumni. 4. Participate in at least one internship experience. 5. Volunteer some of your time and talent to campus or community organizations, such as Psi Chi (the national honor society in psychology) or your school’s psychology club. Postgraduate Degrees A graduate degree in psychology will give you proficiency in an area of psychological specialization. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2004), psychologists with advanced degrees held approximately 139,000 jobs in 2000. Such jobs are ex- pected to increase 21 to 35 percent (depending on the subfield of psychology) through 2012 because of the need for psychological services in a variety of settings. The work settings for psychologists vary somewhat by type of graduate degree. As shown in FIGURE B.1, many psychologists with a doctorate work in universities and colleges; most people with a master’s degree work in other educational institutions (such as elementary and middle schools) and in for-profit companies. Among those seeking advanced training in psychology in the United States, 29 percent earn a master’s degree, 7 percent earn a doctoral degree, and 6 percent earn some other professional degree (e.g., law or health professions) (Fogg & others, 2004). The Master’s Degree A master’s degree in psychology requires at least two years of full-time graduate study in a specific subfield of psychology. In addition to specialized course work in psychology, requirements usually include practical experience in an applied setting and/or a master’s thesis reporting on an original research project. You might acquire a master’s degree to do specialized work in psychology. As a graduate with a master’s degree, you might handle research and data collection and analysis in a university, government, or private industry setting. You might work under the supervision of a B1-B9_MyersEx7eMods_APPB.qxp 9/21/07 12:58 PM Page 3 APPENDIX B: CAREERS IN PSYCHOLOGY B-3 FIGURE B.1 Work settings for psychology- For-profit companies degree recipients (Fogg & others, 2004). State or local government Not-for-profit organizations Universities and 4-year colleges Self-employed Federal government Other educational institutions 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Doctorate MA/MS BA/BS psychologist with a doctorate, providing some clinical service such as therapy or test- ing. Or you might find a job in the health, government, industry, or education fields. You might also acquire a master’s degree as a stepping stone for more advanced study in a doctoral program in psychology, which will considerably expand the number of employment opportunities available to you (Super & Super, 2001). Doctoral Degrees You will probably need five to seven years of graduate study in a specific subfield of psychology to get your doctoral degree. The doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in psychology culminates in a dissertation (an extensive research paper you will be required to de- fend orally) based on original research. Courses in quantitative research methods, which include the use of computer-based analysis, are an important part of graduate study and are necessary to complete the dissertation. The doctor of psychology (Psy.D.) may be based on clinical (therapeutic) work and examinations rather than a dissertation. If you pursue clinical and counseling psychology programs, you should expect at least a one-year internship in addition to the regular course work, clinical practice, and research. FIGURE B.2 lists by subfield the Ph.D.s earned in the United States in a recent year. Clinical psychology is the most popular specialty area among holders of doctorates in psychology. The largest employment growth areas for doctoral graduates have been in the for-profit and self-employment sectors, including health services providers, industrial/organizational psychology, and educational psychology. About one-third of doctoral-level psychologists are employed in academic settings (Fogg & others, 2004). In 2001, a total of 73 percent of new doctoral respondents and 55 percent of new master’s respondents indicated that their primary occupational position was their B1-B9_MyersEx7eMods_APPB.qxp 9/21/07 12:58 PM Page 4 B-4 CAREERS IN PSYCHOLOGY FIGURE B.2 Clinical 35% U.S. Ph.D.s by subfield, 2001 Counseling 12% Psychobiology 1% Community 1% Developmental 7% Other fields 1% Personality 1% Quantitative 1% Cognitive 5% Neuroscience 2% Clinical neuropsychology 2% Other health-service Educational 3% provider subfields 5% Experimental 3% Health 3% Other research School 4% subfields 5% Industrial/ organizational 5% Social 4% Source: National Science Foundation 2001 Survey of Doctorate Recipients. Compiled by the American Psychological Association. first choice. Most new graduates with a master’s degree or a Ph.D. are fairly satisfied with their current positions overall in terms of salary, benefits, opportunities for per- sonal development, supervisors, colleagues, and working conditions (Kohout & Wicherski, 2004; Singleton & others, 2003). Prescription privileges Many psychologists would like the opportu- nity to prescribe therapeutic medicines in order to expand the scope of clinical practice Subfields of Psychology and to meet the need for psychiatric services If you are like most psychology students, you may be unaware of the wide variety of in many parts of the United States. Psychologists in the U.S. military and in the specialties and work settings available in psychology (Terre & Stoddart, 2000). To states of New Mexico and Louisiana current- date, the American Psychological Association (APA) has 54 divisions (TABLE B.2). The ly have prescription privileges. following paragraphs (arranged alphabetically) describe some careers in the main specialty areas of psychology, most of which require a graduate degree in psychology.

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