The U.S. Department of Labor lists psychology in the top ten of fastest growing fields in the country. The recently published Occupation Outlook Handbook notes that "Employment of psychologists is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2005." There are a number of factors responsible for this trend, including public concern for the development of human resources, increased need for services for children, and emphasis on mental health maintenance. Societal problems such as alcohol and drug abuse, marital and family dysfunction, etc. also contribute to the demand for psychologists, as do the physical and cognitive problems associated with aging. As the mean age of the U.S. population rises over the coming decades, there will be an increased need for psychologists trained to deal with the elderly. Psychologists are found in an astonishing variety of settings, doing an equally astonishing diversity of jobs. When most people think of psychologists, they think of clinical or counseling psychologists doing therapy, or perhaps of an academic research psychologist, but psychologists are also found in schools, business, military, government and many other settings. If you are interested in finding out about the scope of careers available to psychologists, the American Psychological Association publishes a pamphlet entitled Careers in Psychology that can be obtained free by writing to the APA Order Department, P.O. Box 2710, Hyattsville, MD 20784-0710. This is also available on the internet at www.apa.org.

To become a professional psychologist, one must pursue advanced study beyond the bachelor's degree. An appendix of this handbook describes how to prepare for graduate school, and lists some of the resources that are available to help you prepare to become a successful applicant for the graduate program of your choice. As mentioned above, a bachelor's in psychology is also excellent preparation for entry into professional schools in law, the ministry, medicine, or veterinary medicine. The MWSU psychology program has had graduates who have successfully pursued degrees in each of these areas. If you are interested in pursuing a professional degree, you first need to talk to your faculty advisor about the courses that are considered essential undergraduate preparation for that area (for example, medical schools require certain courses in chemistry, physics, and math). These professional core courses are taken in addition to the courses required for the psychology major. One of the attractive things about a psychology major for pre-professional students, however, is the relatively low number of credit hours required for the major. Most students find it possible to complete the major, professional school, and general studies requirements within the 124 hours required for graduation.

The psychology degree provides a broad, liberal arts education with an emphasis on critical thinking, oral and written communication skills, and quantitative analysis skills. These skills are valued by employers in many areas in both the private and public sectors. Contrary to rumors that you may have heard about liberal arts graduates being unemployed in large numbers, most psychology majors who seek to obtain jobs with a bachelor's degree are able to do so. In addition to those employers looking specifically for individuals with a psychology background, there are many occupations where simply having any college degree makes you more employable and more likely to receive promotions once you are in a position. Of the liberal arts degrees, the psychology degree is especially valuable not only because of the skills mentioned above, but because graduates are perceived as individuals who have developed the interpersonal skills to relate well to others. Many psychology majors find positions in the helping professions or in areas where one deals with the public.

In St. Joseph and the surrounding area, there are numerous agencies and organizations that employ psychology graduates. These agencies include Family Guidance, United Cerebral Palsy, State Hospital, Division of Family Services, InterServ, and Catholic Charities. Other job opportunities can be found in education, law, city and county government, utility companies, churches, retirement centers, child and daycare centers, and businesses where management, sales, advertising, personnel issues, and public relations are considered.

To summarize, the psychology degree is good preparation for advanced studies not only in the discipline but in other related professions. At the bachelor's level, contrary to popular myth, it is a marketable degree that provides a foundation for on-the-job training in a multitude of careers. Surveys conducted by the MWSU Psychology Department in recent years have shown that the great majority of our graduates have successfully obtained employment in an area that is directly or indirectly related to the discipline of psychology. Furthermore, those who have chosen to pursue further education before seeking employment have been successful in their advanced studies.