Psychology Careers

Careers in Psychology

     In the field of psychology one profession that grabbed my interest is the work dealing with sports psychology. This particular career interests me because I believe that it is so many different behavioral issues and emotional problems amongst athletes. Me being an athlete myself I can relate to how and why some athletes struggle with emotional breakdowns and need help in learning how to control them. When dealing with sports psychology this career studied the behavioral dimensions of sports performance (Cox, 2011). These psychologists specialize in personal counseling and helping athletes deal with lowering stress as well as controlling their emotion. Some skills that are needed to perfect this profession are based on being able to connect with athletes on a psychologist and therapeutic level. Hearing out their emotional troubles and assisting them in the right direction mentally. An educational background of psychology is preferably a bachelor’s degree. Most but not all also may require one who is interested in pursuing this career path to also obtain a master’s degree in sports and exercise psychology along with a practice in this field. An individual with these skills and background could possibly and easily find employment in jobs such as: Team psychologists, clinical sports psychology, applied sports psychology and Academic sports psychologists. Within these fields their job responsibilities would cover a wide range of things such as: improving athletes confidence, helping athletes control aggression, assisting in helping athletes stay mentally focused, goal setting, conducting sports related psychology research, and also completing athlete analysis of behavior paths just to name a few.

     Another interesting career in the field of psychology is educational psychology. This career in particular grabbed my attention because I believe that in today’s society the teaching and learning styles have changed drastically, Therefore making it difficult for some to learn the material. Understanding how people learn and teaches instruct is what the Educational psychology career field studies overall. It is important and a main concentration for teachers to understand that not everybody learns the same and require different types of teaching methods. Teachers should be able to revise and adapt their lessons accordingly depending on grade level. There are some specific duties that may depend on area of specialization such as: human development, learning sciences and school psychology. For example, a school psychologist may be asked to provide counseling services to students on many different levels and also work with teachers and parents to resolve issues a student may experience educational wise. School psychologists also are required to work with students who have learning disabilities or those who have behavioral or social problems i.e.; ADHD or autism. It has also been reported that Educational psychologists also might work with agencies like the U.S. Department of Education to help with the development in education-related regulation. This consist of conducting  university studies  and evaluating various educational tools and techniques, as well as dealing with issues of diversity and culture in the classroom, which are very important when dealing with the enhancement of bettering the educational system. Some skills effective teachers must have in order to be successful in this field of work are to have a full understanding of learning, instruction, and testing and classroom dynamics as well. An individual looking to pursue a career in this field should look to obtain a bachelor’s degree in psychology and an advanced degree (Master’s and/or Doctorate) in the psychology field. Someone retaining the skills and background of those discussed in this research can find work within schools and educational institutions. Community organizations as well as learning centers also hire educational psychologist. There are even at times government and private companies who look for these workers. Responsibilities of an individual working in this field are but not limited to may require a bit of research and conducting studies relevant to education. Working to develop and create new ways of improved teaching techniques by evaluating the ways and styles of now to better them in the future for those who struggle with education.