Psychology work

Running Head: INSTITUTIONAL AND PROGRAM OUTCOMES 1

INSTITUTIONAL AND PROGRAM OUTCOMES 3

EVALUATING ASHFORD UNIVERSITY INSTITUTIONAL AND PROGRAM OUTCOMES

LaShawn Tubman

Donna White

PSY 496

August 24, 2017

. 

The institutional outcomes for undergraduate courses at the Ashford University are, “Synthesize theories and approaches from the subject area and have five subdivisions, integrate skills from the general education and have five sub categories, synthesize proficiencies appropriate to the degree level and have two subdivisions, and construct ethical responses with two subdivisions. The Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Ashford University has five program outcomes namely: “Demonstrate psychological knowledge, use scientific knowledge to analyze data and information, defend ethics, social justice and diversity, apply professional skills to career planning and to illustrate professional communication. “(pg. 248) The program outcomes describe the proficiencies and skills that the student will possess upon completion of the course while the institutional outcomes give more details about the proficiencies. Both outcomes basically lay out concepts that concern the study of psychology and they give an overview of what the student should be able to do on completion of the psychology course.

People often go through dilemmas in their public spaces or in their personal lives (Matusa & Christiansen, 2013). Joan a 19-year-old in her sophomore year has recently found out that she is pregnant. Joan had been in a relationship with Brad, now her ex, for close to a year. She is facing an ethical dilemma because she is not sure if she should abort (now that she is still in school and she broke up with the baby’s father) or she should keep the baby (because she is a Christian). Harris works for a tours and travel company in California. He gets a rather good salary as compared to professionals in other fields. However, professionally, he trained as an interior designer and he is very passionate about interior design. Recently, he came across an advert for the post of an interior designer but the compensation being offered is lesser than what he is currently getting. Harris is facing the tough task of deciding if he should remain in his current job or he should pursue his passion for lesser monetary compensation (Heather, 2016).

Joan’s problem is that she fell pregnant when still at school and she no longer is in a relationship with the baby’s father. Terminating the pregnancy may cause complications that could be fatal. Keeping the baby means that she will have to discontinue school and this will disappoint her parents who have brought her up in a Christian upbringing. There are potential risks to each decision. However, complications arising from birth may be fatal or have more impacting repercussions. Based on competencies gained at the Ashford University and to defend ethics and social justice, I would advise Joan to keep the baby. She will resume school after a year or so and the parents can understand that humans are bound to err. Harris, on the other hand, is earning a handsome amount as a tours and travel agent as compared to the amount he will earn as an interior designer. He has to choose between passion and fulfillment or money. A psychologist ought to employ professional skills to career planning and as such, Harris ought to take up the interior design job in as much as he is going to earn significantly less (Bersoff, 2015). He can, however, make more money by engaging in other side activities that are related to interior design in order to complement his earnings.

Ashford University Catalog. Ashford University. Retrieved https://www.ashford.edu/catalog on August 24, 2017, p 247-49

Bersoff, D. N. (2015) Ethical Conflicts in Psychology. American Psychological Association: Pennsylvania.

Heather, B. (2016). Finding Time: The Economics of Work-Life Conflict. Harvard University Press

Matusa, K. & Christiansen, C. (2013) Life’s Balance: Multidisciplinary Theories and Research. MD: AOTA Press.

Nagy, T. F. (2014). Essential Ethics for Psychologists: A Primer for Understanding and Mastering Cores Issues. American Psychological Association: Pennsylvania.