Psychology
major offers versatility
By Kari Schneider
On-line Forty-Niner
When
a student applies to college he or she has
two choices: declare a major at that time
or wait to find something that interests
them along the way. When that day comes
the student may want to consider a major
in psychology.
The psychology department offers great versatility
for students, said Virginia Binder, undergraduate
adviser and professor of psychology.
“Students with a bachelor of arts degree
in psychology are successful in finding
jobs after they graduate,” Binder said.
At Cal State Long Beach, the psychology
department is ranked second in the nation
by the National Science Foundation in the
number of students who receive their doctorate.
It is also one of the programs on campus
whose department is impacted.
“Impaction happens when there are more students
seeking a degree than the resources available
to support them,” Binder said. “Impaction
is actually an advantage to students in
that it gives them the proper preparation
for advanced course and reduces the demand
for the specialized courses that they will
want to take their senior year.”
To become a psychologist, a student would
need to go to graduate school to obtain
a doctorate, Binder said. Other options
include getting master of arts or master
of science in psychology or related fields.
If students are not looking for employment
after they graduate, they can continue their
education at a graduate school where they
can earn a master’s degree and possibly
a doctorate.
Many psychology students face the problem
of deciding where to go for graduate school.
For many, the factors may be drastically
different, including cost, location, scholarships
and family obligations.
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