I am majoring in psychology this fall; besides other psychology classes what courses should I enroll in to best prepare me for my future career in psychology?
I am doing everything in my power to create a successful future for myself, and I believe the classes you take in college can have a significant impact. Before I create my schedule, I want to know what kind of classes will help me improve, and create skills I need for my future career. #psychology #college-major #career-counseling #counseling #clinical-psychology #sociology #mental-health #school-psychology
4 answers
Tamara Smith, M.S., CPLC
Tamara’s Answer
The courses you take in college most certainly will prepare you for a successful future. You have asked what classes you should take for a successful career in Psychology. First, you have to decide exactly what you want to do in the field. Do you want to be a Psychiatrist? Psychologist? Professor? Research? Writer/Author? Work in forensics? Work in substance abuse? Work with a certain population? Psychology is a very broad field, and you can do many things with that degree. From personal experience, it is very, very important to know from the beginning where you want to take this degree and exactly what you plan to do. Knowing your direction will definitely make you successful before you even begin! The field of Psychology can be very tough to get into and make money from. Many areas require certifications and/or a license. Once you have decided that, I would love to assist you with class suggestions, or even which path to take if you provide your interests and likes for me. I hope this helps some!!
Felicia G’s Answer
Hi Kaedyn! What is it that you want to do with your Psychology degree? Once you have an idea of which direction you want to go, I would suggest talking to your academic advisor or department chair to steer you in the right direction. Just an FYI, there isn't much that youcan do with and undergraduate degree in Psychology, you'll have to pursue and advanced degree.
Laura’s Answer
I responded to your other question on minors but thought I would add a few ideas on classes here since I noticed your additional interest in sociology and school counseling. In addition to business classes/minor I might recommend you take basic sociology classes and education classes as well.
Kim’s Answer
Felicia and Tamara are both correct. You will not find any jobs called "Psychologist" with a Bachelor's degree, however, there are many jobs that you can do with the degree, as were mentioned by Tamara.
I encourage you to do four things in college: learn to think, learn to write, learn to speak, and keep abreast of changes in technology. Do not take the "easy" professors just to get a good grade. Get your money's worth - take the good professors that make the subject more interesting and more challenging. Don't shy away from public speaking, as it is a skill that will serve you well. Research and writing skills are important anywhere you go. By thinking skills, I would encourage you to take a course in "Logic." Lack of computer skills keep people from being selected for jobs. Know the basics: Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, and all the "new" stuff - the Cloud, DropBox, GoogleDrive, etc. Become proficient in Adobe.
I majored in Sociology, and then went to work as a police officer. While there, I got involved in union activity. I was the one who drafted all the recommendations on payraise proposals, changes to uniform regulations, changes to attendance policies, etc. Management even put me on special assignment to help them write the budget, even though I was not at a supervisory or management level.
You do NOT have to know exactly what you want to do right now, but it does help to have a general idea. The degree is marketable in many areas, especially in government jobs. But it will be up to you to show potential employers how this degree relates to the position you are applying for.
Also be sure to do an internship, get some other work experience, preferably customer service (retail, etc). Most jobseekers nowadays have both work experience and an education. You will need both to be able to compete. Too many people go on for their master's because they can't find degrees with the Bachelor's. Don't make that mistake. Don't go for a master's until you are sure of where you are going, and have acquired a little bit of professional experience. It will help you to decide if this is the right path for you!
Good luck to you!