When to Choose Your Psychology Discipline

There isn't a great need, or usually much opportunity, to concentrate in one specific area of Psychology before graduate school (master's degree level). Think of your psychology education as a career path that will unfold as you explore more about it in college and while working in the field. You'll know much more about psychology, its applications and how you want to apply your education by the time you're ready for a master's program. You may instead want or need to work in the field before you continue for a higher Degree in Psychology. This can be another way to discover more about potential opportunities in the field and your own preferences. You may also decide that an Associate's or Bachelor's Degree in Psychology is as far as you want to go in school, or that you'd rather continue on in a related or different field. Psychology is an excellent foundation, as mentioned earlier in this book, for other studies and careers. Still another scenario might be that you have a bachelor's degree in something other than Psychology and decide to go into a Master's in Psychology program. If and when you get to the point of looking at Master's programs in Psychology, there are choices of more discipline-oriented programs or more eclectic ones. The same is true if you already have a Master's Degree in Psychology and are looking at doctoral programs. In any case, a somewhat broad-based education in Psychology may provide a broader range of job opportunities than you would have otherwise. These are choices to discuss with a college advisor.