Bachelor Degrees in Psychology Tips

Bachelors in Psychology

There are various careers that someone can take in the Psychology field. It is a broad area that can range from a variety of topics. Many times when someone chooses this field they go into something that is highly based on social services. There are many counseling and case management positions that would fall into this area of expertise. Some people choose to use their psychology degree to work with at risk youth.

In some cases a person that has a bachelor of psychology degree will use it as a stepping stone to get into other markets. Some people go into criminal justice, sales,broadcasting, or even teaching after obtaining a degree in Psychology. Psychology is a subject that would be beneficial for everyone to learn more about. Since this is an undergraduate degree, an enormous amount of writing and research goes into psychology classes. So anyone that is pursuing this should recognize this before making it their major. If someone is wanting to become a licensed psychologist then they would need to pursue a doctorate in Psychology. A significant number of students do not take this route because they realize how far a bachelor degree psychology can extend and they used the knowledge gained in the workforce.

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Psychology Bachelors Degree

Even though earning a psychology bachelors degree isn’t as prominent as earning a master’s or doctoral degree, it is still a respectable accomplishment. Numerous entry level jobs exist with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Common jobs one can earn with a bachelor’s degree in psychology are those of case management, a career counselor, rehabilitation specialist and psychiatric technician. It is important to point out that these jobs will be in the fields of human and social services.
Other jobs can also be earned outside the field of psychology with a bachelor’s degree because it teaches valuable interpersonal communication skills. This looks impressive to employers because one has better knowledge of persuasion of the human mind which is a necessity in sales and marketing.
Employers also know that there is an extensive amount of research and writing in order to earn such a degree which often impresses them. If anything else, a bachelor’s degree is a positive start in working toward a graduate degree. In the field of psychology, the most prominent jobs are those at the Master’s and Doctoral level.

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Bachelor in Psychology

Even though earning a bachelor in psychology degree isn’t as prominent as earning a master’s or doctoral degree, it is still a respectable accomplishment. Numerous entry level jobs exist with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Common jobs one can earn with a bachelor’s degree in psychology are those of case management, a career counselor, rehabilitation specialist and psychiatric technician. It is important to point out that these jobs will be in the fields of human and social services.
Other jobs can also be earned outside the field of psychology with a bachelor’s degree because it teaches valuable interpersonal communication skills. This looks impressive to employers because one has better knowledge of persuasion of the human mind which is a necessity in sales and marketing.
Employers also know that there is an extensive amount of research and writing in order to earn such a degree which often impresses them. If anything else, a bachelor’s degree is a positive start in working toward a graduate degree. In the field of psychology, the most prominent jobs are those at the Master’s and Doctoral level.

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Schools to Attend for a Bachelor Degree in Psychology

Students wishing to obtain a bachelor degree in psychology have a wide variety of options available to them. They may wish to pursue their degree in a typical college setting, through online courses or through evening courses. Regardless of the type of program the student wishes to pursue, the student should ensure the school he selects meets certain guidelines. Most importantly the school should be accredited. This is very important because failure to receive a degree from an accredited university can be detrimental if the student wishes to obtain a graduate school degree as well because most graduate schools will require students to obtain their undergraduate degrees from an accredited university. Not attending an accredited university can also have an adverse effect on career aspirations as potential employers may be less willing to hire a candidate who obtained his degree from a school which is not accredited.

Students should also seek out schools with a solid reputation in the field of psychology when seeking to obtain a bachelor degree in psychology. This is very important because although a degree can be obtained from any college offering psychology as a major, the quality of education is likely to be superior from institutions renowned in the field of psychology. Additionally, psychology schools with a strong reputation are also likely to be well known by potential employers. Therefore a degree from these institutions can be very beneficial after a student graduates and begins searching for a job.

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Types of Psychology Bachelors Degrees

Obtaining a psychology bachelors degree is a rather standard process. Most students will be required to take similar classes and obtain a similar number of credits regardless of the school they select. However, the real variations in psychology degrees exist at the masters and doctoral levels. While a bachelors degree in psychology would prepare an individual for a career in casework, child care, parole and probation, psychiatric assistance, and research or laboratory assistance. Obtaining a masters degree in psychology will usually require 1-2 additional years of educational training which will likely include some form of practical experience in addition to the classroom education. Those obtaining a masters degree in psychology may choose to concentrate on a specific element of psychology. Masters degree psychology graduates typically thrive in careers such as teaching in two year schools, conducting research in fields such as engineering psychology or industrial psychology and assisting in school settings as well as consulting in private and public facilities.

The doctoral degree in psychology offers the widest range of options but it also requires the most amount of work to obtain. A doctoral degree will typically require an additional four years of education beyond the requirements of a psychology bachelors degree. However, applicants who achieve this degree have the widest range of career options available to them.

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Obtaining a Bachelor Degree in Psychology

The requirements for obtaining a bachelor degree in psychology will vary slightly from one institution to another. However, the general requirements will basically be the same at any university you choose to attend. The process should begin by selecting a school which not only offers a bachelor degree in psychology but is also accredited and has an outstanding reputation as a school of psychology. This will help to ensure your degree will enable you to pursue your desired higher education or career aspirations.

While attending school to obtain a bachelor degree in psychology you will be required to take and pass a number of required courses to complete your degree. You will also have the freedom to select a number of other courses including those related to your major and those outside of your major. During your course of study you may have the opportunity to speak to counselors at the school who can assist you in selecting courses to ensure you are meeting the school's requirements.

Related Tip: Some of the common requirements for obtaining a bachelor degree in psychology will generally include obtaining a total amount of credits as well as a specific amount of credits in classes directly related to your major. These ranges will vary according to your schools specifications but you should expect to be required to complete approximately 40-55 credits in your major and in excess of 120 credits total. Common courses related to your degree may include lower level introductory classes, courses related to methods of psychology, psychological research, biological processes, learning and cognitive processes and developmental processes.

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Teaching Psychology

An undergraduate degree in Psychology may be a step towards teaching Psychology or another subject. Teaching Psychology in a larger college or university usually requires at least a Master's or Doctorate in Psychology, such as an MA, MS, MPsy, MEd in Psychology, EdD, PsyS, PsyD or PhD in Psychology, just as teaching Math at the college level usually requires a Master's or Doctorate in Mathematics. Teaching at a university or college may not require an actual teaching degree, depending on the institution and sometimes the state.

Again, a Psychology undergraduate degree is considered one of up to several possible foundation degrees for other fields. Teaching children in a public school, and often in a private one, requires an undergraduate or graduate teaching -- otherwise referred to as a Degree in Education degree. In this case, the BA or BS in Psychology would need to be followed by, at least, either by a Bachelor's of Arts Degree in Education (BA), usually with a teaching certificate to follow, or a Master's Degree in Education (MEd), also often with a teaching certificate. A Master's is a more competitive degree than a BA or BS in the K – 12 teaching arena. A required teaching certificate, and even the course content for the certificate, is often state mandated. Earning the certificate may require up to several more months of education and, often, an internship in teaching. Private schools are less often regulated by states and so hire without a teaching certificate. Someone with a Bachelor's in Psychology may also be able to take some education and perhaps other courses, and then earn the teaching certificate. Check your state education regulations.

Teaching in a community, or sometimes in another small college setting, usually requires a graduate degree, although a teaching degree of any sort may not be required. Vocational and technical schools differ widely in their requirements of teachers.

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Master of Science in Psychology

A BS in Psychology may be a step towards an MS in Psychology, a Master's in Psychology or another type of Master's in Science degree. The foundations in the sciences you've gained by earning a BS will prepare you best for another sciences degree. Most, if not all, of your undergraduate sciences credits will count towards admission into a graduate sciences program in Psychology. This doesn't mean you could choose only a higher degree in a science, but if you choose to apply to an arts program instead, you would probably be required to complete more humanities courses before admission and maybe even more Psychology. Don't let this keep you from choosing a BS, though, since this would likely only be a delay of months if you later decide to go on for a Master in Arts majoring in Psychology.

A lot depends on what you hope to do with your degree, whether you are oriented or not towards the sciences and your capabilities and competencies in the sciences and arts. Also, if you are not competent or fairly capable in math, you may choose a BA over a BS, because you'll need increasingly stronger skills in math, especially for a graduate science degree. However, if you want to be involved in research in the field, the BS is usually recommended since it will provide you with the fundamentals of research design and, frequently, more statistics coursework. It may also require some coursework involving statistical and research design computer applications. You may decide to earn a BS because you want the foundation science courses for later graduate science study. You might decide on the BS because it would give you enough science foundation for work you want to do in the field, with or without a graduate degree in a science. You may also choose a BS, or a BA, degree to help you decide whether to choose a graduate sciences or arts degree.

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Bachelor of Science in Psychology

A BS in Psychology is a Bachelor's in Sciences Degree with a major in Psychology. For a BS, emphasis is generally on General Education and the Sciences, in addition to Psychology. There are many human service jobs that require a BS, or a BA, in Psychology or a related field. The BS in Psychology is considered a paraprofessional degree. Yet, there are some professional positions filled by people with BS in Psychology Degrees. For example, you may choose to work in a setting where the BS, or a BA, is the highest degree required. There are also organizations where BS level personnel are supervised by people with masters or doctoral degrees. In the latter, there are often pay, role and autonomy differences in the workplace between employees with undergraduate degrees -- like the AS, BS, AA and BA -- and graduate degrees.

Since the BS requires greater emphasis on the sciences, it will better prepare you for an entry-level research job than will a BA. It also transfers more easily than a BA to a higher science degree. This doesn't mean you can't transfer to an arts degree to a higher degree in the sciences, but you would very likely need to take additional science courses before admission to a science program.

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Undergraduate Degrees in Psychology

A BA, Bachelor's in Arts, and a BS, Bachelor's in Science, are both undergraduate degrees. Although a Bachelor's Degree is a step up from an Associate's Degree, both the Bachelor's and the Associate's are considered undergraduate, paraprofessional degrees. It usually takes about four school years, eight semesters or 12 quarters, of full-time enrollment to earn a Bachelor's. If an Associate's Degree was earned first, the Bachelor's usually takes about two more school years. Many schools allow part-time enrollment too. Community colleges, since they are two-year schools, do not usually offer upper division Bachelor's level courses unless a four-year college or university happens to offer them through the community college.

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Completing Your Bachelor's Degree in Psychology

Most courses you take for an AA or AS will transfer towards a Bachelor's Degree. Whether you choose a Bachelor's Degree in Arts (BA) or a Bachelor's Degree in Science (BS) should depend on three primary factors: 1) your career goals; 2) whether you're more oriented towards the arts or the sciences; and 3) any plan you may have for a certain Master's or Doctoral Degree.

If you've already earned an AA or AS and then want to change from Arts to Sciences, or Sciences to Arts, for your Bachelor's, you may need to consider the time and effort you'll need to invest in taking extra courses before and after acceptance into your preferred BA or BS program. In the long run, though, a few extra courses should never mean the difference between choosing your ideal education and career goals or not. What may seem like a frustrating delay to you now is likely to seem inconsequential in hindsight, especially after you've taken dozens of more courses for your Bachelor's and/or Master's Degrees. Remember that the point of education is really to gain as much knowledge and as many skills as you can.

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The Life of a Bachelor Degree Psychology Student

Bachelor degree psychology students do not necessarily have an easy road ahead of them. Although these students have chosen their major carefully and typically have an interest and an aptitude for their chosen course of study, most students still find the rigors of obtaining a bachelor degree in psychology to be quite demanding. Bachelor degree psychology students should expect to attend college for four years and obtain in excess of 120 total credits. They should also expect to be required to obtain approximately 40-55 of these credits in their chosen major. These are general guidelines and the exact requirements may vary slightly from one school to another.

The psychology related most bachelor degree psychology students are required to take encompass a wide variety of subject matter which will well prepare the student for their chosen career path or for obtaining a more advanced degree subsequent to their bachelors degree. Common course requirements include introductory level classes, methods of psychology courses, psychological research courses, biological processes courses, learning and cognitive processes courses and developmental processes courses. Additionally, students may be required to partake in research experiments as both subjects and researchers depending on the requirements of the particular university.

Related Tip: In addition to courses which directly relate to psychology, bachelor degree psychology students may also be required to take a number of other science and mathematics courses. These courses may include calculus, biology and statistics courses. While these types of courses may not seem directly related to the study of psychology, they can be very useful for helping students to develop skills which will be beneficial to them in other classes or once they enter the workforce. For example mathematics classes related to statistics can be very beneficial during psychology research because it will help the student to compile and compare data obtained during the research accurately and effectively.

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BA vs. BS in Psychology

It depends on what higher degree program you choose. A Bachelor's in Arts Degree in Psychology can be applied towards a Master's of Arts Degree in Psychology, and also to some other related Arts Degree programs. A BA in Psychology is most likely to transfer without taking any or many further courses before admission to a Master's in Arts Degree in Psychology, or maybe a Master's in Psychology (MPsy) program. Other courses will probably be required before admission to a Masters in Arts program in a related or different field. Applying a BA in Psychology towards an MS in Psychology or another sciences program would require, most likely and at least, more science coursework.

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Obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology

An Associate's Degree may be a first step towards a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology or a Bachelor's Degree in another subject if you choose to continue your higher education. A Bachelor's Degree usually takes about two more school years of fulltime study, but may take somewhat longer. A Master's Degree can be earned after a Bachelor's Degree, and after the Master's, a Doctorate.

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Benefits of a BA in Psychology

When people are deciding on a major, one option that is viable is a psychology major. People who get their bachelors in this area may think their options are limited, but there are some great careers paths that people can take.

For one, having a bachelors in psychology is great because it showcases that people have developed their personal skills. Jobs such as a manager or event planner would be ideal. These job require a lot of interpersonal skills, and having a bachelors in psychology certainly goes a long way in these fields.

Writing is another option for people who have this degree. There are a lot of writing intensive courses incorporated in psychology, which helps enhance a person's writing abilities. For these people, they can seek job such as a freelance writer and write topics covering mental health related problem. People may think that a BA in psychology is useless, but there are some great career paths that people can go down.

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