Online Psychology Bachelor’s Degree

Is a Psychology Degree for You?

If you are curious about human behavior patterns and the way the mind works, then psychology may be an appropriate field of study for your interests. As a psychology student, you will explore the inner workings of the human brain, study the decision making process of humans and animals, take an in-depth look at primate socialization processes, and learn about brain chemistry. The study of psychology requires students who are comfortable with both scientific thinking and communication. Laboratory research is an integral part of a psychology degree program. Psychology students must have the ability to translate scientific research and results into attainable and understandable language.

Advice for Earning Your Psychology Degree Online

The psychology degree offers a vast amount of flexibility as a discipline, making it an ideal choice for students who are inquisitive about the broad scope of human interaction. There are numerous specializations within the psychology discipline. As a psychology student, you may choose to specialize in clinical psychology, psychoanalysis, biopsychology, behavioral neuroscience, counseling psychology, and school psychology. With an array of interdisciplinary choices, a psychology degree translates well to the working world. Students who study psychology become fluent in basic mathematic processes, scientific reasoning, and complex problem solving.

Because psychology students collaborate with peers and practice strong writing, employers from multiple job fields are attracted to them. Employers see psychology students as individuals with a desire to solve problems quickly and thoroughly. In most cases, psychology students wishing to become psychiatrists, psychologists, or counselors must obtain advanced degrees. At any degree level, though, students should make sure their schools of interest are accredited, as accredited institutions are more likely to be accepted by employers.

Required Courses

Because a psychology degree program encompasses such a broad scope of disciplines, the courses required of a psychology major are vast and varied. Some of the required and elective courses you may take include developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, animal behavior, social psychology, basic statistics, physiological psychology, ethics, psychological research methods, human development, and history of psychology. Psychology students are also required to perform a certain amount of laboratory hours each semester.

Common Career Paths

Students who graduate with a bachelor's degree in psychology often elect to further their study of psychology in graduate programs. Although obtaining a master's degree or doctorate in psychology is common, it is not entirely necessary to land a job within the field. There are many entry-level positions for college graduates with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Common positions for psychology graduates include (but are not limited to):

• Clinical Psychologist

  Clinical psychologists meet with patients, assess their conditions, diagnosis their mental disorders, and then help them deal with treating their symptoms. Clinical psychologists create and administer behavior modification programs. They set up group therapy sessions, individual sessions, and family and relationship therapy sessions. Because of the complexity of their job, clinical psychologists must have a doctoral degree in psychology. Clinical psychologists also are often required to apply for certification to practice and interact with patients. Clinical psychologists will also be needed to help fill a need within the health care system to help people deal with unhealthy lifestyles, such as those of smokers and alcoholics.

  Furthermore, the rise of employee assistance programs will mean that clinical psychologists will be needed to help companies as their workforce grows. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that from 2008 to 2018 employment growth for clinical psychologists will be around 11%. In 2008, clinical psychologists made on average around $64,140 a year.

• School Psychologist

  School psychologists work within institutions to support students, faculty, and other staff with psychological counseling and advice regarding how to create the best learning and work environment possible. School psychologists can focus on helping young children and their teachers develop effective learning schedules. They also meet with students' parents to talk about childhood education development. School psychologists help treat behavioral and learning problems that arise among the student body as well. They often collaborate closely with teachers and school officials to handle educational policy decisions at all levels, from classroom management to the school's long-term objectives. They help analyze and evaluate the results of various academic programs implemented in the schools by teachers and school administrators. Because they work in challenging environments that deal with children's education, school psychologists must have a doctoral degree and extensive experience in the field of psychology and education. In many states, school psychologists must also have a specialist degree.

  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), demand for school psychologists will improve as more educators become aware of how important it is to understand how students' mental health affects their learning capabilities. The BLS expects employment growth for school psychologists to be around 11% between 2008 and 2018. On average, psychologists made around $64,140 dollars for a yearly salary in 2008.

• Industrial-organizational Psychologist

  Industrial-organizational psychologists work to help companies and other organizations improve their employees' productivity at work. Industrial-organizational psychologists analyze how workers function within a company, try to figure out ways to improve their work environment and workflow, and advise companies about what measures they can take to increase productivity and boost retention rates. Industrial-organizational psychologists can also help companies deal with diversity in the workplace, and assist with the handling of discrimination or harassment. Finally, industrial-organizational psychologists can turn their attention outwards to help companies develop effective surveys, promotions, research and development tools, and other marketing strategies. To do this kind of work, industrial-organizational psychologists most often are required to have earned at least a master's degree in psychology.

  In addition to having a solid academic background, industrial-organizational psychologists will need to keep up with the latest trends regarding psychology in the workplace. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), competition for this job field will be stiff, despite growth within the industry. Candidates will want to make themselves stand out as much as possible. The BLS projects that growth for industrial-organizational psychologists will be around 26% between 2008 and 2018. On average, industrial psychologists made a salary of around $64,140 in the year 2008.