The Capstone Project

Week 4 Module Report

Cassandra Howery

Professional Careers and Education in Psychology

American Public University

06/26/2015

Week 4 Module Report

1. Career and Interest Self-assessment Results

Interests are fundamental to comprehend in relation to career planning. As such career interests encompass both skills and activities that one enjoys or is interested in. The results of my career and interest self-assessment based on the RIASEC spectrum are as follows:

My Strongest Inventory Interest

RIASEC traits	Realistic	Social	Enterprising
Occupations	Drafter Manufacturing worker Quality control inspector	Counselor Social worker Minister	Marketing manager Realtor Buyer
Subject areas	Administrative of justice Engineering Architecture	Human development Health sciences Occupational therapy	Business administration Finance Purchasing
Activities	Building things Using tools or machinery Solving concrete problems	Guiding and counseling Encouraging others Helping others	Convincing others Managing people Selling or purchasing
Skills	Mechanical dexterity Problem solving with machine or tools Repairing things	Understanding and listening to others Developing relationships Verbal communication	Business savvy Social interaction Accomplishing organizational goals
Values	Bodily strength Craftsmanship Common sense	Personal growth Others welfare communication	Influencing others Leadership positions Risk taking

From self-assessing myself, I learned more about the possible avenues for my career path. The results displayed a full set of the probable careers that I can undertake in the future based on my interests and skills. Also, I learned that self-assessment provides an opportunity to reflect and enunciate personal values, abilities, interests and personality preferences. Accordingly, my responses provided a criteria for evaluating the pros and cons of varying career paths or jobs.

2. What can I do with a degree in psychology?

A degree in psychology is a highly marketable, flexible and useful liberal arts course that any student can undertake (Kuther & Morgan, 2012). Psychology provides students with insights into the behavior of human beings which is important to all careers. Therefore, psychology students are well prepared for many careers. A degree in psychology offers students with a vast amount of knowledge and skills including human service and research skills which form a basis for any career path that one chooses. In other words, one is not bound to follow a career path that is directly related to the degree.

All the same, the job options that are directly linked to a degree in Psychology include: education lecturer, clinical, forensic, educational, counseling, sports and exercise as well as occupational psychologist. Then again, other careers in psychology that are not directly related to it include: psychotherapist, careers adviser, human resource officer, counselor, advice worker, social worker, advertising account planner as well as market researcher.

3. Do I Have to Go to Grad School and What Should My Undergraduate Degree Plan Be

It is important to go through undergraduate training so as to gain the necessary skills and understanding that can be useful in the field of psychology (Kuther & Morgan, 2012). Nevertheless, comprehending self-interests and abilities is also crucial in choosing a career path particularly in the area of psychology. For my case, the three areas of specialty in psychology would include a counseling, forensic and human factors psychology.

Counseling psychologist tend to concentrate more on human adjustment problems rather than psychological disorders. This is parallel to my career interest in that I enjoy encouraging others, guiding and counseling as well as understanding and listening to others. Forensic psychologists focus on analyzing crime evidence and assisting in enforcement of law. This matches my interests in craftsmanship and problem solving. Lastly, human factor psychologist assist in making appliances or designing machinery for humans. This is in line with my interests in building things as well using tools or machinery.

To be successful in the three areas of specialty, is necessary to gain formal training from Schools of Education or Psychology Departments. Thus, the educational requirements and road map for each of the areas are as follows (American Psychological Association, n.d.):

Counseling psychologist

· Minimum doctorate degree in counseling psychology

· A specialty certification

· A license

Forensic Psychologist

· Minimum master’s degree in psychology, though a Doctor of Psychology degree is recommended.

· Certification in forensic psychology

· Licensure in psychology specialty

Human factor psychologist

· Minimum Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology, major in Engineering

· Ph.D. in Human Factors Psychology recommended

The undergraduate courses in the APUS BA in Psychology that best match the three areas above include; Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a major in law, counseling, human services or law enforcement.

4. I need to know more

The most interesting information I recognized in completing the report is the benefits of studying psychology. It is apparent that pursuing a degree in psychology not only provides you with skills and knowledge that can help define your career path, but also offers an avenue to better understand oneself. It also helps in gaining good career prospects through self-assessment of personal interests.

Of particular interest, the second section, “What can I do with a degree in Psychology?” provides an insight to better understand the course. It also offers a foundation to further the degree to higher levels so as to attain top career positions. Therefore, learning more on the significance of taking up a psychology degree would be beneficial in choosing a career road map as well as gaining extra knowledge on human behavior.

References

American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org

Bureau of Labor Statistics. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bls.gov/oco/

Kuther, T., & Morgan, R. (2012). Careers in Psychology: Opportunities in a Changing World. Boston: Cengage Learning.