Is Psychology a Good Career to Pursue?

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The Greatest Human Interest

Nothing absorbs people so greatly as the study of themselves. They take personality tests, read their horoscope, and discover what movie character they’d be through Internet offers, subscribe to radio and television shows that feature a psychologist giving advice, and purchase numerous self-help books. There is as great a drive to study the human brain as there is to study the world around us. In the beginning that brain is our own.

Those who pursue a degree in psychology are often motivated initially by their own mind’s inner working. They want a definition placed on who they are and what makes them tick. This study of self begins to merge into a general interest of complex personalities. The psychology student soon becomes absorbed in brain functions, chemical and biological effects and the pathways of neuronic activities within the different areas of the brain.

When It’s Right for You

Your introduction to psychology might feel a bit exciting. You’ll cover a truly generalized study in the history of psychology, classical psychologists, methods of psychology, reading body kinetics and facial expressions, biological psychology, conditioning, control groups and genetics. If it feels like you just got hit in the face with the most exciting pioneering field on the planet, you’ll probably make a good psychology student.

Motivations for choosing a career in psychology may be personal, scientifically stimulated, or driven by a desire to help others, but the most successful psychologists are those who have dedicated themselves completely to the field of their choice.

The fields are numerous. Many psychology careers, such as school, career or guidance counselor, special education counseling, forensic counselors, require a master’s degree or better, but some jobs may be acquired with a bachelor’s degree. Some schools accept a BA in Psychology, along with teaching credentials to work with special education students. Abuse and crisis centers, assisted living facilities, summer camp sponsors will also sometimes accept a bachelor’s degree, but it is usually dependent on the field studies.

From a Master’s to a Doctorate

If your interest in psychology has only increased during four years of study, your most practical choice is to pursue a master’s. Your master’s degree will qualify you for a truly satisfying career in psychology within a variety of different settings. If your goal however, is to acquire a doctorate, you’ll need a lot of preparation. A doctorate takes an additional four to six years to complete after acquiring your bachelor’s degree. Students going into psychology studies must maintain a B average or better. Many students choose a psychology career after completing their master’s, putting their doctorate on hold until they’ve acquired sufficient funds for advanced studies.

The competition for a doctorate in psychology at most Universities and colleges is great enough that admissions will look for special qualities in the applicants. Although some of the selection is based on performance, some is based on the chosen field of study, and the rest on not only what you have learned in the field, but the progressive ideas you have learned to express.

Psychology, as in all the sciences, is based on hypothesis and the testing of theories. Your disciplines toward acquiring a doctorate should include the development of your own hypothesis and a testing of your theories. As you absorb your studies, you should always be asking questions, evaluating the answers of the experts and practicing the observation of human behavior. Successful clinical psychologists are effective psychologists, whose exploration of the brain led them down avenues that taught them a deeper understanding of human nature, consequently a greater compassion, and a sincere desire for their clients’ sound mental health.