Should I Consider Psychology as a Career Option?

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There are many factors that go into deciding on whether or not to pursue a degree in psychology. Getting a degree requires extensive education and training in order to be successful. Depending on which psychology career path chosen, it may be necessary to go beyond the scope of a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree and pursue a Master’s degree in this field of study.

Understanding Psychology as a Career

One of the factors that go into pursuing a psychology degree is the level of interest in studying how the human mind works. Most jobs as a psychologist involve continued study and interest in human behavior and relationships.

A psychologist should be someone who takes an interest in people. If a psychologist is not interested in the people he or she works with and would rather have a job in which they can isolate themselves (such as research), then pursuing a degree in this field would be a waste of time.

Another factor that goes into choosing a psychology career is the job potential. Many careers within the field of psychology are in high demand, make finding a job after graduation easier than in some other careers. There is a vast majority of jobs within the area of psychology that graduates can often make their choice of jobs offered based on their special interest. Employment of psychologists is expected to grow to about 12 percent over the next few years according to sources such as the BLS.

Earning a degree and pursuing a career as a psychologist can be interesting and rewarding, especially if the job is something that you enjoy doing and you love helping people solve their difficulties and become mentally healthy. Several types of psychology careers involve interacting with people and researching better ways to treat them beyond the scope of an office.

Another Reason to Pursue Psychology as a Career

Another reason to pursue psychology as a career is the income you can make. With advanced education, you can expect higher salary. For example, if a student decides to major in psychiatry, he or she will have to pursue education in the medical field and do internship just like any other physician. It can take around eight years to finish undergraduate work, continue into the medical field of study, and do internships under the supervision of another doctor or professor. This takes commitment and determination.

Psychology as a career can open many doors of opportunity in other fields that needs psychologists. A graduate can usually pick and choose their area of interest, whether it’s working in a hospital, school, the court system, child protective services, research, and many other areas of interest.

A good psychologist will be willing to learn how to test and determine data on the patients he or she works with. An analytical mind is helpful in succeeding as a psychologist. There are many types of tests that are given to patients in order to determine their mental state of mind. This data must be analyzed and recorded in the patient’s records. This data may also be important when determining the course of action to be taken with each patient. For example, a school psychologist will probably be asked to do testing on children who have special needs. This data will have to be analyzed and the results discussed with parents and school personnel, so a course of study can be determined that is in the best interest of the student. If there are psychological issues that interfere with learning, special accommodations and modifications can be made based in the data results of the student. It is important that this data be analyzed correctly, so the student is placed in the best school environment that will help him or her to succeed.

A psychology degree can be used as a background for continued study in graduate school. If the student’s area of interest involves obtaining a Master’s or Doctorate degree, the determination on which avenue to pursue in undergraduate work is crucial. A student who chooses this path must be aware of the further study that will be needed and determined to complete the degree necessary to obtain the field of choice.

A practical reason for choosing whether or not to get a psychology degree is finances. Each student will need to be prepared financially to pay for an undergraduate and/or graduate degree. This is where determination comes in. A student who is passionate about a psychology course of study will need to come up with a plan to pay for his or her education. This takes a lot of time and patience.

A student who is interested in the possibility of pursuing a career in psychology must determine if they have the right personality for the job. Working as a psychologist can be truly stressful and difficult at times. A psychologist will need patience and understanding with clients and must be a good listener.

If a student decides on the psychology career path, they will find themselves in a challenging and interesting career after the hard work pays off. If they are unsure about their career path and don’t have the personality traits to be a successful psychologist, it might be best to pursue a different career that they find more enjoyable and interested in.