Online Psychology Bachelors Degree
Is a Psychology Degree for You?
Psychology is the study of human and animal behavior. While this area is rather broad, the majority of psychology degree students will enter the human services field. For this reason, students who enter a psychology degree program are generally fairly people oriented, wishing to work with and help others. 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 and brain synapses. The study of psychology requires students who are comfortable with both scientific thinking and written language. While laboratory research is an integral part of a psychology degree program, the ability to convey meaning through the written word is equally as important. Psychology students must have the ability to translate scientific research and results into attainable and understandable language in order to be successful.
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, school psychology, and many more. 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, as well as, experts at scientific reasoning and complex problem solving. Furthermore, because students collaborate with peers and practice strong writing, employers from multiple job fields are attracted to psychology degree students. 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 specific post graduate degrees (such as a master's degree or doctorate).
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 expect to take include developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, animal behavior, social psychology, basic statistics, physiological psychology, ethics, psychological research methods, human development, history of psychology, and others. 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 landing a job within the field. There are many entry-level positions for college graduates with a bachelor's degree in psychology. As an undergraduate in the field of psychology, students develop skills that are important in a variety of careers. Many psychology students will enter careers in some division of social or human services. For example, psychology graduates may become case managers, career counselors, psychiatric technicians, human resource managers, rehabilitation specialists, social workers, as well as many other things. Furthermore, because psychology degree programs develop interpersonal skills, research knowledge, and writing skills, graduates within this field are often considered for areas requiring strong communication skills and problem solving abilities. Psychology graduates are often desired for sales positions, administrative positions, management positions, marketing positions, and labor relations postions.
Starting Salary: $42,711
Mid-Career Salary: $63,587
Learn More About a Career in Psychology
