What Psychology Degree Should I Get?

Psychology is a fascinating area of study. It leads to greater insights into how we think and why we behave as we do, both as individuals and in groups. Earning a psychology degree expands our critical thinking, communication skills, and offers many rewarding career paths.

There is not, however, a singular option in choosing a psychology degree program. With the various psychology academic concentrations available to students at Touro University Worldwide, the question is: ‘what psychology degree should I get?’

Let’s explore the range of psychology degree options available to undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students at TUW.

Bachelor’s Degrees in Psychology

Psychological principles are at play wherever humans interact with each other and the world around them. Earning an online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Touro University Worldwide allows a student to examine human behavior and mental health in depth.

The broad menu of academic degree concentrations extends the exploration of the field of psychology, thus offering students a variety of career opportunities.

These concentrations include:

Industrial and Organizational Psychology

In this concentration, students focus on learning the dynamics of teams, organizations, and the combined workforce. Psychologists in this specialization work with organizational leaders, advising on how to improve workforce cohesion and performance.

Industrial and organizational psychologists are skilled in organizational development, small group theory and process, human performance, and job analysis.

Educational Psychology: Elementary, Secondary, or Special Education

Working with children throughout their formative learning years may be one of the most impactful ways a psychologist can positively influence people’s lives. Educational psychologists study the behavior of children of all ages and how they learn.

Typically, psychologists work one-on-one with children as well as their parents and teachers to identify issues impeding a child’s progress in school. Assessing a child’s response to emotional, cognitive, and social stimuli, a psychologist can identify impediments to learning, productive socialization, and healthy self-esteem.

Students interested in learning about educational psychology can focus on concentrations in elementary or secondary education. Additionally, a concentration in special education allows psychologists to focus on learning about at-risk youth and children with disabilities.

Child and Adolescent Psychology

In this role, psychologists also work one-on-one with children but outside of the school setting. Instead, they work in medical facilities and clinics, community centers, and the criminal justice system. Psychologists in this specialization focus on general mental health, psychopathology, situational and societal influences, and special needs.

As with educational psychology, students earning a bachelor’s concentration have an opportunity to intervene at a crucial stage in life. Their work can help set young lives on a positive path as they grow into adulthood.

Human Services

Similar to organizational psychology, a human services psychologist focuses on individual behavior within groups. The emphasis is on individuals within a group dynamic, rather than the individual in isolation. In this case, mental well-being is addressed at the aggregate level of human interaction.

In this field, psychologists work in hospitals and healthcare facilities, the criminal justice system, community centers, and other public organizations.

Students with a human services concentration gain the specific skills to improve people’s lives within various group settings.

A bachelor’s degree in psychology with any of these concentrations will lead to a rewarding career. For students interested in continuing their education, TUW also offers graduate programs expanding their skills, knowledge, and career options.

Graduate Degrees in Psychology

The online Master of Arts in Psychology degree program covers advanced concepts of psychology. Students progress through topics including research methods, cognitive and social psychology, personality studies, and ethical practice in psychology.

Students can pursue the following concentrations:

Media Psychology

We live in a media-saturated world. The media psychology concentration provides students an understanding of the implications of 21st-century media technology. Graduates learn the skills to apply that insight in a variety of platforms, including broadcasting, online media, and marketing firms.

Psychologists in this specialization may also work with schools and universities, helping create effective media-oriented learning materials.

Graduates of the master’s program concentration can help advance research and define an emerging field of media psychology.

Educational Psychology

The Master of Arts, Concentration in Educational Psychology degree extends the knowledge acquired in the bachelor’s programs. Students take an even deeper dive exploring how people learn. With this exploration and deep study, they research new approaches and strategies to improve learning outcomes in a variety of settings.

Graduates with an education concentration work in government research centers, community organizations, and learning centers.

Health Psychology

With the global COVID-19 pandemic, the implications and importance of health psychology have entered the public forum like never before. Specializing in this branch of psychology helps individuals and communities cope with health issues and promote healthy behaviors. Quitting smoking, proper nutrition, eating disorders, managing the emotional stress of healthy aging are among the issues health psychologists address.

Graduates with a concentration in health psychology will find career opportunities in various healthcare settings. Health psychologists find work in private businesses, non-profits, hospitals and clinics, universities, and government agencies.

Forensic Psychology

Everybody likes a who-done-it. Forensic psychologists help solve the mysteries of criminal or aberrant behavior and its aftermath. A concentration in forensic psychology gives students skills and expertise in matters regarding the law and psychology, criminal behavior, and behavioral assessment.

Forensic psychologists work with victim assistance groups, family service and child protection agencies, and as court liaison officers.

Psychology is a key mechanism of our human experience, as individuals and social animals. The study of psychology helps us better understand ourselves, lead healthier lives, cope with stress, and collaborate within social structures.

The journey of this study begins at Touro University Worldwide.

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