PSY102 Week 7 Capstone Project
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Week 4 Module Report - Self Assessment
Vincent Hilleary
Lynn Lunceford
PSYC102 D002 Sum 17
Due Date: 02 Oct 17
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Each year, more than 1.5 million students begin their college degree at a community college. Of these 1.5 million students, nearly 80% say they intend to go on to earn a bachelor’s degree. Yet, only about one-fourth of these students end up transferring to a four-year college, and only about one-third complete their associate degree first.
Nevertheless, there are a number of career options for students with an associate degree in psychology. Sometimes, individuals will use their AA/AS degree to gain experience or as a steppingstone to their bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree.
Top job opportunities with an AA/AS psychology degree include some of the below-
Human Services Careers: Although some positions may require licenses or certifications, or a higher degree, students with an AA/AS degree in psychology should find a job working as a social service clerk or an assistant in welfare agencies, detention centers, or group homes.
Mental Health Careers: AA or AS graduates cannot diagnose illnesses, for instance, but they can find positions in mental health, including mental health technicians in a treatment center, counselor assistant, operator for a crisis hotline, or as a medical record keeper in a medical facility.
Business Careers: Employers covet students with an education in psychology. With an AA/AS degree, psychology students can find many opportunities in business, such as jobs in human resources, sales, and customer service.
Careers in Education: Many public schools, daycare centers, head start programs, and preschools hire individuals with a psychology background to work with students. Positions include, paraprofessional or teacher’s assistants, or jobs working with special needs students.
Other positions for students with an AA or AS degree in psychology include: Psychiatric nursing assistant, youth counselor, case technician, home care aide, and rehabilitation assistant.
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The average wage will vary depending upon geographic location, career field, and opportunity for advancement. According to Pay Scale (Dec. 2015), examples of the average hourly wage by job for individuals with an associate degree in psychology include:
Behavioral Health Technician – $14.50 / hr.
Pharmacy Technician – $13.35 / hr.
Community / Home Health Aiid – $11.00 / hr.
Office Manager – $11.98 / hr.
Certified Nursing Assistant – $11.07 / hr.
Although the most common career goal of most undergraduate psychology students is to become a psychologist or counselor, there are many career paths a student can pursue with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. However, it should be noted that the amount of direct client contact is limited for individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Many of the skills student’s learn within a bachelor’s psychology program will open numerous and often unexpected career opportunities, as well as provide training for many other types of jobs outside the field.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that in 2011-2012, there were 1.8 million bachelor’s degrees granted. Of the degrees awarded, six-percent went to psychology students. However, only about one quarter of psychology undergraduates end up working in psychology, or a closely-related field, and nearly three-quarters of psychology students who earn a bachelor's degree do not go on to pursue a graduate degree in psychology.
Many students who graduate with a bachelor’s degree in psychology enter the workforce as a specialist or technician in human and social services, or education. A few of the most common job titles in these areas include:
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Case manager
Rehabilitation specialist
Psychiatric technician
Human Resource manager
Business administration
Top- or mid-level management
School Counselor
Marketing or advertising manager
Laboratory assistant
Law enforcement and corrections
Career Counselor
A bachelor's degree, along with state certification, can also lead to a career as a high school psychology teacher.
Graduates with a master’s degree in psychology have the opportunity to work in a wide variety of sectors. Overall job outlook and the focus or specialty of your master’s degree will help determine the best path for your future. Many grads will choose to conduct research, work directly in the field as a therapist, or work outside the field with business executives, athletes, and attorneys, within the school system, law enforcement, or in public health agencies.
Although earning a master’s degree in psychology opens the door to numerous areas of practice, career options are still limited if you are interested in entering the field of professional psychology. However, a terminal master’s program (a type of degree that is designed to prepare students for professional practice within their specialty area) will clear the way to entry-level jobs in fields such as forensic psychology and mental health counseling.
Career options and salary vary by geographic location, sector, and specialty. An extensive list of careers, both inside and outside the field of psychology, for individuals with a master’s degree in psychology.
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References:
Kuther, T. L. and Morgan, R. D. (2012). Careers in Psychology: Opportunities in a changing world (4rd Ed.). Cengage Publishing.
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/subjects/what-can-you-do-psychology-degree/
https://careersinpsychology.org/50-best-jobs-psychologists/