Where Will Your Clinical Psychology Training From Free Colleges Programs Take You?
Psychology courses aren’t all about Oedipus and Rorschach. Some psychology courses explore everyday thoughts and actions, such as the concept of beauty and the lure of video games. Men and women interested in exploring areas of psychology might even find some of these courses for free.
As might be expected, psychology courses can be taken as part of psychology degree programs, where graduates might enter private practice or work as school psychologists. There are also industrial-organizational psychologists who take on responsibilities intended to improve the quality of work life. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts show that employment growth by psychology specialty varies into 2018 and the agency suggests that those with advanced degrees might experience the best job search success.
Psychology courses might help students in other respects as well. Psychology helps students understand the factors that influence and guide human behaviors and attitudes, which could have practical benefits, the website for Centenary College of Louisiana suggests. At a New Jersey college, students might take psychology courses that address the therapeutic applications of poetry and art. A Psychology of Aging course at a California university addresses how to minimize the detrimental effects of aging.
Students taking psychology courses at a university in New York can conduct experiments to answer beauty-related questions and explore why people are so easily sucked in by video games. Through a free online psychology course in the psychology, biology and politics of food from an Ivy League institution, students can explore taste preferences, comfort foods, eating disorders and more. Where free online courses might not come with credits that can be applied toward degrees, they don’t necessarily require prerequisites either. Many other psychology courses might require that students first take classes such as Introduction to Psychology or General Psychology.
The psychology degree is a popular one at American colleges and universities. More than 30 percent of all psychologists are in private practice, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Becoming a school psychologist, on the other hand, might be a consideration for students who enjoy working with children. In terms of entry level jobs, psychology degree-holders might find work as school or substance abuse counselors, according to CareerBuilder.com.
The Bureau of Labor expects 2008-2018 employment growth rates of between 11 and 26 percent in different psychology specialties. Employment growth for clinical psychologists who work with individuals who have mental disorders is on the low end, while employment growth for industrial-organizational psychologists is at the high end, Bureau of Labor information shows. Some students with psychology degrees might consider work in other areas, such as criminal justice.
Not every student who works toward a psychology degree is planning a career in the field, however. Some students participate in psychology degree programs because they enjoy the subject, according to the website for the psychology department at a university in Connecticut. There are jobs that don’t require specific college, university or technical school degrees that these students might want to obtain after graduation, the website suggests. Students in psychology degree programs might also benefit from the education after moving on to medical school, law school or careers in business, the Centenary College of Louisiana website suggests.
Students considering majors outside of psychology might also opt for a psychology minor. Biology majors who take psychology courses as part of a psychology minor might find they are better able to work with autistic children, while future lawyers with a psychology minor might better comprehend legalities related to a psychological issue, the website for a university in Georgia notes. For those with a casual interest in psychology-related subjects, a psychology course or two might even help with incentives to get the children away from the Xbox.
The appeal of free psychology courses is that the information can be worked into almost all careers. What might surprise prospective students is that a class can taken at a college for free, allowing them to get started with this required class. This psychology course will count as credit towards a degree, helping students be one step closer to their new careers. You’ll discover this and other free colleges options can help you decide on your future.
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