Do Psychology Students know the Job Skills they are Gaining?

Perspectives on Psychological Science, 2011

Psychology is a very popular undergraduate major. Examining wage data from a range of degree holders reveals much about the expected career trajectories of those with psychology degrees. First, regarding baccalaureates, psychology and other liberal arts graduates-compared with those from certain preprofessional and technical undergraduate programs-generally fall in relatively low tiers of salary levels at both starting and later career points. Salary levels among baccalaureate alumni groups correlate with averaged measures of salary satisfaction, repeated job seeking, and perceptions of underemployment. These patterns seem to stem from the specific occupational categories (job titles) entered by graduates in psychology compared with other graduates, calling into question the employability advantage of so-called generic liberal arts skills. Second, psychology master's degree holders also generally fall in a low tier of salary among their science, engineering, and health counterparts. Third, psychology college faculty (including instructors) fall in low tiers of salary compared with their colleagues from other academic fields. Such broadly based indications of the relative economic disadvantages of psychology degrees have implications for career counseling in the field.

Teaching of Psychology, 2000

Surveys of recent baccalaureate degree recipients confirmed earlier findings that, compared with other alumni, psychology baccalaureates ranked low on ratings of the relatedness of their current job to the major. Psychology baccalaureates also rated low on whether their education had prepared them for that job and enhanced their future prospects. Correlations across all majors suggested that employment relatedness predicted judgments of preparedness, and preparedness predicted future prospects. Comparable correlations for psychology majors suggested that they entered the job market with expectations similar to graduates of more occupationally oriented programs. We offer specific recommendations to prepare students for more satisfying outcomes in the postbaccalaureate job market.

Despite the multiple benefits of the careers in psychology course, it is not universally offered in undergraduate programs. Teachers who wish to design such a course may wonder about its typical number of credits, when students should take the course, and how much it uses a common curriculum across sections. The 2018 Undergraduate Study in Psychology gathered data on these questions in a nationally representative sample of undergraduate programs at associate (n ¼ 60) and baccalaureate (n ¼ 180) institutions. In 2017-2018, 39% of baccalaureate programs and 12% of associate programs offered the course. Discussion centers on department-specific adaptations of the career course, its curricular alternatives, and future research. The authors also issue a call for action to more widely implement the career course nationally.

2000

Many potential psychology majors are electing to pursue degrees in other disciplines that appear to have greater market value in the current employment environment. Providing psychology majors with the skills and knowledge necessary to compete successfully with business majors for entry-level employment opportunities in a variety of business careers can reverse the trend. As a means of preparing psychology students for careers in business, four areas need to be considered: (1) the basic skills needed by psychology majors to be successful in business careers; (2) some of the basic decisions psychology majors need to make when seeking a business career path;

Teaching of Psychology, 2001

Psychology majors develop a number of academic skills during their studies that are valuable in future careers and other domains. However, assessment of experiences related to skill development can be quite difficult and resource intense. We present results of 2 studies using a skills-experience inventory to assess academic skill exposure. In the first study, graduating senior psychology majors reported greater exposure than freshmen in 7 skill-experience areas. The second study showed significant differences in exposure to 5 skill areas among graduating seniors in 4 academic areas. A skills-experience inventory may be an efficient tool for documenting the skills and experiences students encounter when majoring in psychology.

Background: Despite the popularity of the undergraduate psychology major, little is known about career support and preparation available to psychology students. Objective: This study examined the prevalence, types, and methods of career assistance available to undergraduate psychology students both through their psychology programs and through their institutional career services. Method: A total of 240 programs from a stratified random sample of institutions offering undergraduate psychology programs responded to an online survey, yielding a response rate of 42.5%. Results: Undergraduate psychology programs most often provided assistance in applying to graduate school, while career services provided a wider range of resources. Baccalaureate institutions offer career assistance, via the psychology program or the institutional career center, more frequently than associate institutions. Most common forms of assistance consisted of instruction on how to apply for a job, how to find information about career possibilities in psychology subfields, resumé or curriculum vitae preparation, and individual advising. Conclusion: Although career assistance was widely available, there are several ways in which the type and scope of assistance can be improved upon to better support students and increase access. Teaching implications: Undergraduate psychology students could benefit from more career assistance content throughout psychology curricula.

Psychology, Learning and Teaching, 2019

In an effort to improve psychology's public image and perceived relevance for students pursuing other professions, the EFPA Board of Education Affairs recommends that psychology curricula for non-psychology majors emphasize how psychological concepts are directly applicable to the needs and work processes of the specific professions that students are pursuing. In the United States of America, we have heard similar concerns expressed in the past (e.g., present (e.g., Ferguson, 2015; not only from non-majors but also directed towards those who major in psychology. A recent candidate for U.S. President suggested college students should consider majors other than psychology with better employment prospects , and members of the State University System of Florida Board of Governors wondered publicly if there were too many psychology majors . Landrum ( ) argues that, compared to students who pursue highly specialized degree programs such as nursing or architecture, psychology baccalaureates who enter the workforce immediately after graduation often perceive less alignment between their major and their jobs. Although psychology is one of the most popular undergraduate majors in the U.S., with 1.2 to 1.6 million students registering for introductory psychology each year , we believe that educators of psychology have not adequately showcased the utility of the discipline not only for non-majors but also for psychology baccalaureates who directly

Teaching of Psychology

This study investigated the accuracy of psychology majors’ expectations regarding careers. Psychology majors, including 101 women and 35 men ( Mage = 23 years; standard deviationage = 6.25), indicated a desired career and estimated the level of education needed and the expected annual salary for the career. Students’ expectations were compared with Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Students completed the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale Short Form to assess the career efficacy and expectations. Students overestimated education needed for a career, but salary estimates did not differ from market statistics. Students’ confidence in career choice and expected income was related to career efficacy. Results highlight the importance of career advising and support for psychology students entering the job market.

Psychology Learning & Teaching, 2009