Careers in Psychology
B.A. in Psychology
Successful graduates of the WCSU Psychology program gain the following skills:
Big Data Analysis Skills
The Psychology research and statistics sequence is carefully crafted to give students the skills they need to understand Big Data and to ask meaningful questions by designing research or using existing large databases. All psychology majors take the following courses:
- Principles of Research in Psychology
- Psychological Statistics
- Experimental Psychology
- Advanced Seminar
In this course sequence, students gain familiarity with using statistics to answer critical research questions, and become familiar with statistical software used with large datasets (SPSS). Statistical skills gained include:
- t-tests
- Pearson correlations
- ANOVA
- Chi-squared tests
People Skills in a Multicultural World
Psychology majors are well placed to succeed in a variety of corporate, organizational or government environments, with a well-developed understanding of human nature. Students take courses taught by expert faculty in important areas such as:
- Motivation
- Human development
- Decision making and cognitive processes
- Social influence and the study of groups, teams, society and the individual
- Counseling and psychotherapy (The course Community Psychology [PSY 439] includes internship experiences in mental health).
The WCSU Psychology Department recently added two new courses that give students who wish to pursue careers in mental health or applied psychology the opportunity to gain more applied experience during their undergraduate training. These are:
- Internship in Applied Psychology. Students collaborate with the course instructor in selecting their practicum site, and must obtain 120 hours of practicum experience in a semester. Settings include social service, mental health, medical, and educational agencies.
- Advanced Seminar in Applied Psychology. This capstone 400-level course can be taught in a variety of primary areas, according to the expertise of the instructor. Areas that can be offered include:
- Clinical and counseling psychology
- Health Psychology
- I/O Psychology (Industrial/Organizational)
- Applied Social Psychology (Psychology and Law, Forensic Psychology, etc.)
- School psychology
Communication Skills
The Psychology major is designed to develop writing, critical thinking, and in-person communication skills. Students are helped to develop clarity and organization in idea expression through multiple writing assignments across a broad range of courses, culminating in a senior capstone project that requires original research or analysis. Our goals in developing effective writing standards adhere to the published standards of the American Psychological Association (APA). Our students also gain experience in face-to-face presentations and group discussions, and are encouraged to give formal presentations at local psychology conferences, at CSU Psychology Day, and at WCSU Research Day (WRD). Our graduates have been successful in a variety of career fields in business and management, and in graduate programs in fields such as public health, social work, management, and education.
You can look at the Psychology program sheet to see all the major and general education requirements in Psychology. That page also provides you with a blank work sheet to fill out.
How Do I Prepare for the Careers of Tomorrow?
In today’s high-technology society, careers and work change and evolve more rapidly than ever before. Just 20 years ago, who could have imagined the existence, let alone the popularity, of the following jobs?
- App Designer
- Corporate Social Media Manager
- Large Database Analyst
- Behavioral Healthcare Manager
- Institutional Director of Sustainability
How can you prepare for the jobs of tomorrow that don’t even exist yet?
The best way is to prepare by learning the quantitative analysis skills, people skills and communication skills that will enable you to adapt and learn in a changing world. You can read about these skills and what employees are looking for in new hires HERE.
