Reflection Assignment: Careers In Psychology

Reflection Assignment: Careers In Psychology

Reflection Assignment: Careers In Psychology

This assignment has two major sections.  However, you will be creating a single document for submission.

• In Section I, you will read the case scenarios of three adults who are about to complete their bachelor’s degree in psychology and provide responses based on your reading and research to address the concerns in the scenarios.
• In Section II, you will evaluate yourself and rate your own credentials in terms of your readiness for the next step after obtaining your bachelor’s degree, should you be interested in pursuing your education further.
• Please label the sections as Section I and Section II in your document.

Section I
Use the information presented in Chapter 8 of your course text as well as the required websites to assist you in addressing the scenarios. You will also need to do some additional research. Recommended websites are provided and you will find useful information on the websites of graduate programs in psychology and other mental health-related fields.

1. Denise has decided she wants to counsel children and adolescents. She has a modest amount of interest in reading research findings that are relevant to counseling children and youth. She has little interest in conducting research. She is exploring the following options for her degree after her bachelor’s degree:
   • Master of Arts/ Master of Science in Clinical Psychology
   • Master of Arts/ Master of Science in Counseling Psychology
   • Master of Education in Counseling Psychology
   • Master of Social Work
   • Master of Science in Pastoral Counseling
   • Master of Science in Counseling.
   • Research the programs Denise is considering and list at least two pros and cons for each option.
2. Raul always thought he wanted to be a clinical or counseling psychologist until he did some volunteer work in a psychiatric clinic and interviewed several psychologists and counselors. Now, as a senior who is months away from graduation, Raul is trying to decide what his next academic and career steps should be. He has a moderate interest in research but does not care much for writing papers. He could see himself teaching, if necessary, but it is not his passion. He already has a wife and two children, so earning potential is important to him.
   • What advice would you give Raul based on the information from this week’s resources?
3. After many years in the corporate world, John was let go from his company due to down-sizing. He is interested in integrating what he learned in business with psychology. He believes that Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology might be a good fit for him.
   • What types of graduate options are available for John?
   • How competitive are graduate programs in I/O psychology?
   • What does he need to do to make sure he is competitive enough to be accepted into a graduate program?

Section II
For this section, copy and paste the information from Table 8.4 in your text and then rate yourself for each of the items.  Be sure to include an explanation for each at the bottom of the individual sections. See the document with the information attached here. ( Section II )

Writing Careers in Psychology

The Assignment:

1. Must be at least three to four double-spaced pages in length (excluding title and reference pages), and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
2. Must include a separate title page with the following:
   1. Title of paper
   2. Student’s name
   3. Course name and number
   4. Instructor’s name
   5. Date submitted
3. Must include all the information listed in Section I of the prompt as well as the copied information from the Section II document.
4. Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
5. Must include a separate reference page that lists any cited sources and is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Websites

1. American Psychological Association. (2013). PsycCareers. Retrieved from
   • PsycCareers is a resource provided by the APA for connecting candidates with jobs in a variety of psychology disciplines. Use the “Featured Jobs” and “Job Search” tools to locate position announcements for jobs in psychology.
2. Ashford University. (2012). Career Services. Retrieved from http://www.ashford.edu/student_services/careerservices.htm
   • The Ashford University Career Services website provides valuable information on job postings, job search assistance and networking coaching, résumé and cover letter writing guidance, interview preparation and practice, individualized career coaching, skills and personality assessments, career planning and professional development webinars