5 answers
ashli
Student
1
Question
Asked
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what courses should i take in college if i plan to go into psychology ?
what specific major and/minor classes should i enroll in if i plan on going into sociology and psychology in college? how many years of college will i have to go through for this career?
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5 answers
Tim Feeley
Consulting
1
Answer
Taunton, Massachusetts
Updated
Tim’s Answer
Psychology is a great major to choose and is one that can have many different career paths. Most colleges/universities have a number of core psychology classes such as intro to psychology, statistics, developmental psychology and psychological psychology that need to be taken to meet the degree requirements, but then you get to choose electives that align with the area you are looking to pursue. Some Examples:
If you are looking to use your psychology degree to become a Psychiatrist you would want to take neuropsychology and abnormal psychology but you would also need to take several science courses to prepare for medical school which is required for this career choice and is at a minimum another 4 year commitment after your Bachelors degree.
If you are looking to use your psychology degree to work for a company in the business world, you would want to take psychology courses such as organizational psychology and social psychology, but also some general business courses such as marketing, accounting which could be used in many facets of business such Human Resources, Marketing or Customer Experience.
If you are looking to use your psychology degree to become a school Guidance Counselor or a school psychologist you would want to take courses such as child psychology, counseling skills and cognitive psychology. This type of work, usually requires a Masters degree which is typically 1-2 more years after your Bachelors degree depending on the program.
Whatever profession you decide to pursue with your psychology degree, your college/university will also have people available to you who can help you choose the right courses for the career you are looking to begin.
Best of luck in pursuing your dreams!
If you are looking to use your psychology degree to become a Psychiatrist you would want to take neuropsychology and abnormal psychology but you would also need to take several science courses to prepare for medical school which is required for this career choice and is at a minimum another 4 year commitment after your Bachelors degree.
If you are looking to use your psychology degree to work for a company in the business world, you would want to take psychology courses such as organizational psychology and social psychology, but also some general business courses such as marketing, accounting which could be used in many facets of business such Human Resources, Marketing or Customer Experience.
If you are looking to use your psychology degree to become a school Guidance Counselor or a school psychologist you would want to take courses such as child psychology, counseling skills and cognitive psychology. This type of work, usually requires a Masters degree which is typically 1-2 more years after your Bachelors degree depending on the program.
Whatever profession you decide to pursue with your psychology degree, your college/university will also have people available to you who can help you choose the right courses for the career you are looking to begin.
Best of luck in pursuing your dreams!
Tim’s answer is spot on! There is nothing to add but I will say that in most cases you will need to consider additional schooling after your bachelors degree in psychology as many of the options mentioned by Tim and others require a masters degree. However, psychology is a wonderful well rounded field to start in and will provide you with a wide range of options. Lastly, you might also consider continuing on to get your PhD in psychology as well and go in academia. You can then teach and do cutting edge research to impact the next generation of psychologists.
Tammy Prosser
Judith-Ann Anderson
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) at AndeersonCounselingTexas( ACT)
106
Answers
Grapevine, Texas
Updated
Judith-Ann’s Answer
Hi, ashli, I agree with Tim's and Theresa's answers. I would add two thoughts to that: 1) There is also an avenue of research. This requires lots of reading and writing. I understand it is very rewarding to take this path. 2) The other thing I would like to add is get a doctorate in whatever avenue of psychology your decide to go. I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and I got a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and a Master's Degree through the Education Department. All are excellent paths to take.
Theresa Olguin
DBT Therapist, Director of DBT Training and Certification
23
Answers
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Updated
Theresa’s Answer
Hi! I double majored in psychology and family studies and had my bachelors degree in four years. I took the required courses, pre-requisites and both psychology specific and family studies specific classes. I was going to minor in family studies but it was only a little more coursework to major in it.
I took an entry level sociology class and it was intriguing. One of my favorite classes was a psychology on social behavior. The professor worked with and studied monkeys and we were assigned to do a zoo observation of primates.
After I got my undergraduate degree, I attended a social work graduate program and got my masters of social work degree in two years. Then I took an exam to get my preliminary license to practice as a therapist and two years later got enough hours to test for my independent social work license. Good luck!
I took an entry level sociology class and it was intriguing. One of my favorite classes was a psychology on social behavior. The professor worked with and studied monkeys and we were assigned to do a zoo observation of primates.
After I got my undergraduate degree, I attended a social work graduate program and got my masters of social work degree in two years. Then I took an exam to get my preliminary license to practice as a therapist and two years later got enough hours to test for my independent social work license. Good luck!
Toya Nix
Counselor
7
Answers
Converse, Texas
Updated
Toya’s Answer
Hi. Glad you’re thinking about a career in Psychology. You will have general (standard) classes along with a wealth of psychology courses to choose from. There may be a few Sociology courses sprinkled in as well. A few examples are: Child Psychology/Development, Human Behavior, Statistics. Your advisor should be able to guide you and explain the ins and outs of each course! Good luck!
Tercara Pogue
Advocate Counselor
3
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Tercara’s Answer
Hi there!
Glad that you're thinking about becoming a psychologist and/or sociologist.
I'd say that the first step would be taking the intro to psych courses just to get a feel for the major to see if it's a discipline that you'd like to commit to. There are a plethora of psychology courses that you can take, and I think it'd also be helpful to go to the website of the college that you'd like to study at and look at a list of both their psychology and sociology courses. Some schools will even have a breakdown of what courses you're required to take based on whether or not you're going for a two-year or four-year degree.
Hope this helps! And remember, no matter what, you got this!
Glad that you're thinking about becoming a psychologist and/or sociologist.
I'd say that the first step would be taking the intro to psych courses just to get a feel for the major to see if it's a discipline that you'd like to commit to. There are a plethora of psychology courses that you can take, and I think it'd also be helpful to go to the website of the college that you'd like to study at and look at a list of both their psychology and sociology courses. Some schools will even have a breakdown of what courses you're required to take based on whether or not you're going for a two-year or four-year degree.
Hope this helps! And remember, no matter what, you got this!