Welcome to week four of the Careers in Psychology e-course! In today's lesson, you will learn more about some different careers in human and social services. If your results in the Psychology Career Quiz indicated that you might enjoy therapeutic careers, then you should definitely spend some extra time researching these job options.
In our previous lesson, we took a closer look at some of the career options within experimental psychology. While experimental psychology often takes a more theoretical approach, jobs in the area of health and human services are typically much more hands on. These careers involve working directly with people, so good communication skills are essential. Most professionals who work in this field spend the majority of their time working directly with clients who are experiencing psychological distress or suffering from mental illness.
Interested in therapy? Consider becoming a...
-
Clinical Psychologist
Clinical psychologists often work in hospitals, private practice, or academic settings. Clinicians are trained in a range of techniques and theoretical approaches. Some specialize in treating certain psychological disorders, while others work with clients suffering from a wide variety of problems. Clinicians must have a doctorate degree in clinical psychology. Learn more about being a clinical psychologist. -
School Psychologist
School psychologists work with individual students and groups of students to deal with behavioral problems, academic difficulties, disabilities, and other issues. They also work with teachers and parents to develop techniques to deal with home and classroom behavior. Two to three years of graduate education in school psychology is usually necessary, but specific requirements can vary by state. Learn more about being a school psychologist. -
Counseling Psychologist
Counselors work in a variety of settings, including private practice, hospitals, and schools. Many counselors choose to specialize in a certain area such as youth counseling or marriage and family counseling. While requirements can vary from state to state, most require at least three years of graduate education in counseling. Learn more about being a counseling psychologist. -
Social Worker
Social work is a diverse career choice that offers a lot of flexibility. Social workers are often employed in job areas such as child welfare protection, psychosocial rehabilitation, drug and alcohol cessation, and government assistance. A minimum of a bachelor's degree is required, but many choose to earn a master's in social work in order to enjoy the increased job opportunities and higher salary scale. Learn more about being a social worker.
Your Assignment: Are You Interested in a Human Services Career?
Your goal this week should be to write a few things in your career reflection journal about your response to these health and humans services careers. Can you envision yourself work directly in the field of mental health? Remember, this is not a graded assignment and there are no due dates. The purpose of this activity to is to help you explore your options and determine which career paths are right for you.
So in today's reflection journal, start by answering the question: Are you interested in a career in human services? Remember, this area is just one of the many options to choose from within psychology. If you are interested in this type of career, spend some time writing about what appeals to you the most and which specialty areas you want to learn more about. If you are not particularly interested in this field, jot down some of the reasons why you think it isn't the best alternative for you. Sometimes, knowing what you don't want to do is just as important as knowing what you do want to do.
