Psychology Degrees
Too many undergraduate students studying psychology think that they will be able to become therapists after they graduate with their bachelor’s degree. They may have a rude awakening when they realize that a master’s degree is required in most states. Anyone wanting to pursue a career in psychology should have a basic understanding of the numerous possibilities and their requirements.
Even without a degree, a person can get a job in a psychological field as direct care staff. Direct care staff are counselor aides or psychiatric assistants that work in a mental health facility, psychiatric hospital, or group home. Another form of direct care in psychology is as therapeutic staff support (TSS) worker. The TSS worker may work with families who need assistance and guidance in raising children with behavior problems or mental health concerns. Most of the companies that hire direct care staff require a minimum of two years experience or an associate degree. So, even if an individual has not studied psychology, they may obtain an entry-level job by having similar experience.
Direct care staff positions commonly involve monitoring the behavior of the clients in the mental health care setting. Generally, the direct care staff must do paperwork documenting the activities of the residents or clients. Some facilities encourage direct care staff to facilitate some of the groups, though other companies restrict the facilitation of therapeutic groups to the therapists and caseworkers.
Having a bachelor’s degree in psychology offers some new opportunities. An individual with a bachelor’ degree may seek employment as a caseworker, probation officer, or similar position with government agencies. They may also find employment in a scientific field as a research assistant or laboratory assistant. Private mental health service providers often hire people with bachelor’s degrees in psychology as assistants to therapists, caseworkers, human resources assistants, positions in marketing, public relations, or advertising, and sales representatives for products relating to psychology or mental health.
Anyone who is seeking a career in psychology which involves direct contact with clients or consumers should realize that there is typically an extensive amount of paperwork involved. Caseworkers and direct care staff may spend hours every day on paperwork alone.
Some areas of psychology have taken a hit due to the economy. While there will always be a need for direct care staff, some psychology careers have all but disappeared. Music therapy, occupational therapy, and art therapy used to be part of the therapeutic programs for many psychiatric hospitals. However, many such programs have been discontinued or restructured due to a lack of insurance coverage for these programs. Psychiatric hospitals still retain some of these components by therapeutic recreation staff.
Any specialized psychological careers such as therapist, psychologist, sociologist would require at least a master’s degree. Psychiatry requires a medical degree, not a degree in psychology itself. The real value of a bachelor’s degree in psychology is that it provides the student with information about numerous opportunities in the field that require an advanced degree.
An undergraduate student of psychology has classes about neuropsychology, social psychology, industrial/organizational psychology, abnormal psychology, counseling, and other courses that correlate nicely to specific careers. After a student completes a course in industrial/organizational psychology, they have a better understanding of the dynamics in any workplace and insight into the responsibilities and actions of an industrial/organizational psychologist. However, a master's degree is almost always required to get a job within these psychological specialties.
