The term educational psychology involves the study of how children, adolescents and adults learn in schools and colleges. This field of study involves the psychology of teaching in educational settings, the efficiency of educational interventions and the psychology of schools in social areas.

Although the terms school psychology and educational psychology have often been substituted for one another, they are not the same. Theorists and researchers are more likely to be recognized as educational psychologists, while practitioners in either schools or school-related settings are recognized as school psychologists. The field of educational psychology often focuses on subgroups such as those subject to certain disabilities and gifted children, and it is concerned with how students develop and learn.

Psychology Careers

1. The role of an educational psychologist is to study a student’s behavior and his or her capabilities to learn in an academic environment. These psychologists are concerned with the tools and teaching techniques in the classroom in hopes of facilitating learning. This comes about by research done on classroom dynamics and teaching methods. They also research sub-groups that are within student populations such as students with learning disabilities, gifted children or those with behavioral problems.

2. School psychologists are concerned with the needs of individual students. In the field of educational psychology, school psychologists develop treatment plans, perform performance evaluations and diagnostic assessments, and monitor effectiveness and progress.

Educational Psychologist Skills

Getting a degree as an educational psychologist will allow individuals the develop skills that can positively influence the quality of education. The following are some skills that are developed with a degree in psychology and are used in the profession of an educational psychologist:

• Ability to analyze the behavior of children
• Ability to counsel students
• Evaluate needs
• Make good sound decisions
• Develop oral and written communication skills
• Increase knowledge concerning child development
• In possession of highly developed interactive skills
• Comprehend individual education programming
• Comprehend behavioral changes
• Develop assessment methods

Training and Education

The shortest route to becoming an educational psychologist is by enrolling in a two-year program known as a master’s in educational psychology program (MEd). During this time, students are introduced to courses in cognition, development, human learning and research methodology. Upon graduation, individuals will have the ability to conduct applied research, as well as evaluate and consult the needs of public and private schools.

An Ed.S also known as an education specialist degree in school psychology, is needed for those who desire to become school psychologists. This typically takes one to three years to complete and is a basic follow-up to the master’s in educational psychology degree.

In order to earn a Doctor of Education (Ed.D), also known as a Doctor of Philosophy degree, an individual typically has to commit to a four to six year program. These programs dig deeper into the field of educational psychology by concentrating on age groups and developmental specialties as well as sharpening a student’s skills in areas of human development, research design, and educational, emotional and behavioral problems.

Does a career in educational psychology interest you? Then take the first step by getting in touch with an administrator at Argosy University, which offers a wide selection of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs in a variety of psychology concentrations at 19 locations across the nation.

Educational Psychology Career Guide is a post from: Healthy Life

The American Psychological Association lists many kinds of psychology jobs and specialties that can be pursued with a psychology degree to suit a wide variety of interests and needs. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics Employee Outlook Handbook, psychology jobs are expected to increase 12 percent from 2008 to 2018.

The American Psychological Association lists a number of popular psychology jobs, mostly involving research and counseling. Beyond the typical notion of psychological counseling that helps people identify and work through their problems, the APA lists a number of intriguing specialties.

Cognitive and perceptual psychologists study “human perception, thinking and memory.”
Development psychologists look at how people develop through age, looking at childhood or adolescent development, and as lifespans increase, psychologists study aging and the elderly.
Engineering psychologists study how people work with machinery and how design might be improved.
Sports psychologists work with athletes to maintain motivation and improve performance.
Health psychologists look at the relation to people and health, and attempt to determine why some people follow or don’t follow health advice, or why others may engage in behaviors they know are unhealthy.
School psychologists work directly with schools to counsel students.

The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics predicts that school psychologists are among the psychology jobs that will be in high demand in the future, as more research is performed about how psychological issues such as bullying, development and behavioral problems affect learning. The U.S. Department of Labor and Statistics also predicts that there will be a high demand for psychology jobs regarding the treatment and prevention unhealthy lifestyles such as smoking, alcoholism and obesity that drive insurance costs up.

They also forecast an increased need for psychologists specializing in geropsychology to work with aged populations and their mental and psychical health. They foresee an increase of returning veterans needing psychological help, as well as psychologists who specialize in depression, marital problems, job stress and addiction.

Overall, professionals with psychology jobs make a good salary. The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics found the median wage among clinical, counseling and school psychologists to be $64,140 in 2008. Among the most lucrative types of psychology jobs are health care practitioners, with an annual mean wage of $87,270 in 2009. Psychiatrists and psychologists who work in substance abuse hospitals had a median wage of $83,120 in 2009.

Most Popular Psychology Jobs is a post from: Healthy Life

Religion psychology is the psychological study of religious experiences defined scientifically. Historically, religion psychology focused on a belief system that drove a way of life, usually of entire societies. But in the last couple of decades, religion is becoming less a way of believing and more a way of living. Simply put, it is impossible to understand how people think without also understanding their religious beliefs.

The fields of religion and psychology both enter realms of the unseen and until now, have done so in entirely different scopes of academia. Psychology began as a formal, scientific field of study approximately 100 years ago with Sigmund Freud, who realized that behavior is primarily driven by the subconscious. Religion psychology has been in existence in one form or another for a long time and has been studied as theology.

The psychological study of religion, or religion psychology, is a significant area of psychology and relevant to the understanding of people as a whole and as individuals.  Religion psychology offers material for the array of attitudes, coping mechanisms and other phenomena of interest to the field of psychology. It also challenges the field to find ways to conduct research that is scientific and meaningful. Thinking more abstractly, the undeniable link between psychology and religion continues to more strongly define psychology with philosophy through history.

There are several degree programs that are available that will prepare psychologists to specialize in this field. Because it is a rare specialty, degree programs are more broad. The most important focus when choosing a degree program is the accreditation of the program, whether or not the program meets your career goals and the long-term value of the program. You can tailor your degree plan to include religion psychology, even if you are pursuing a basic psychology degree.

Religion psychology is very new as a field of study in mental health and will inevitably find its place in the field of psychology, along with the rest of the social sciences. Defining religion in a way that is scientifically measurable, either quantifiably or qualitatively, is the purpose of this field. Also, studying how religion influences behavior in groups and individuals is an important aspect.

The Study of Religion Psychology is a post from: Healthy Life

Psychology ranks amongst the top most-popular courses taken up in post secondary learning the world over. The popularity of this discipline has seen the proliferation and saturation of this career field. Graduates often get assimilated into the workforce as teachers, counselors, researchers and administrators. For those keen on teaching, becoming a psychology professor may be a career line worth pursuing. But what does it take to become a psychology professor?

Pursuing a career in psychology begins with a desire to become involved in the various aspects that define the psychology discipline. This passion should culminate in pursuing a Bachelors degree in psychology. This is a four year program that includes modules such as introduction to social sciences, discovering psychology sub-fields and exploring psychological theories.

A bachelor’s degree equips students to understand diverse ideas, theories and concepts, as well as analyze, evaluate and debate psychological theories and situations. This degree course will terminate in a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science in Psychology.

After achieving this first step to becoming a psychology professor, the aspirant must now decide on specialization. The field of psychology is broad and this means that in order to pursue higher learning, one must specialize. Areas of specialization include forensic, clinical, counseling, developmental, social, research and organizational psychology. Getting a teaching or research position is the next step. This will begin to build on the necessary experience needed to join a Masters program. After deciding what sub-discipline to concentrate on, application to a Masters program should commence.

Further education is a prerequisite to advancing to a psychology professor position, and as such, this should be the main focus in graduate school. A Masters program takes roughly two years and provides the student with a solid foundation in their area of specialization. At this juncture, taking up a teaching position may be an added advantage as this will develop one’s communication and teaching skill. A Masters program will prepare the student for industrial-organizational positions or research assistant positions working under doctorate-level psychologists.

At this stage of one’s training, one is halfway the distance to becoming a psychology professor. The next step after finishing the Masters level of training is to apply for a doctorate degree. The reason for this is that most teaching positions at the professor level are only open to doctorate and higher level psychologists. Pursuing a doctorate requires five years of full-time graduate study concluding with a dissertation based on new research. This achievement opens the door to teaching positions available in a host of teaching institutions in the country and worldwide.

The road towards becoming a psychology professor requires experience, accreditation and continual learning. The ultimate qualification for a psychology professor would be a Ph.D in psychology. This would make it possible for the candidate to hold positions such as Dean of Faculty, Principal, Chancellor, and so on. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, doctorate or Ph.D psychologists are expected to have growing job opportunities with an average wage potential of over $100,000 per year.

Argosy University offers a wide selection of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs in a variety of psychology concentrations at 19 locations across the nation.

How to be a Psychology Professor is a post from: Healthy Life

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If you are interested in studying forensic psychology you will have to study psychology and criminal justice courses at the core of your studies. This is because a specialist in this field deals with legal issues such as public policies, new laws and competency and analyses the sanity or insanity of criminals.  You should also be able to understand legal language and use it as you present civil cases.

To become a forensic psychologist, you have to have acquired a doctorate in psychology and sometimes other courses like clinical and counseling psychology. It will take you about seven years to get this doctorate. Since the competition is still stiff at this level, it is advisable to take additional courses and  you can boost your chances by attending seminars and consulting with senior colleges.

Other degrees like clinical, social, cognitive, criminal investigative and developmental psychology are important and they prepare you for forensic psychology. It is advisable to be involved in fieldwork at undergraduate level to familiarize yourself with cases. Besides academic qualifications, you should read  widely and apply theoretical orientations and always evaluate the findings after cases to determine what recommendation is necessary.

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Important Ethical concerns include: role delineation, working within the medical model, taking on multiple responsibilities and maintaining confidentiality (Lucignano and Lee). Before any ethical issue can be recognized it must first be clearly defined. Though this article cannot encompass them all, those listed here are commonly encountered and must be dealt with on a regular basis.

The first ethical concern that will be discussed is role delineation. This is a primary concern because it lays the ground work for the responsibilities and expectations of the psychologist; however, there is not a consensus on specifically what constitutes the role of the psychologist in a medical setting. Since many psychologists work in the medical profession, this can present somewhat of a gray area. Instead, diverse terminology has often been used to define this particular role. Terms used include: health psychology, medical psychology, clinical psychology and behavioral medicine. This has presented past arguments over whether or not this lack of clarity in actual definition of terms is more than semantic confusion (Lucignano and Lee). The primary argument here is whether a psychologists’ actions and activities are included under one of these terms that are, for the most part, considered to be unstandardized in this context.

Working within the medical model is another ethical concern that must be considered in the medical field. In these instances, psychologists are usually working on teams that include a physician, social worker, speech pathologist, physical therapist and occupational therapist. Though all teams may not include every role listed above, it is very likely there will be at least two members on each. When this is the case, it is necessary for each person to work within his or her role in order to provide maximum treatment. Ethical awareness is an essential part of providing psychological treatment within the medical model. In a hospital, for instance, unique areas of stress may be present which effect both patients and members of the treatment team (Lucignano and Lee). As a result, there may be difficulties when it comes to the overall decision making process. There may be several causes for this because many people are working to rehabilitate one person. There are several patients so that team may, in effect, be responsible for rehabilitating a wide range of people all of whom are dealing with very different situations. Team members will not always agree on everything and important issues may need to be carefully examined by each team member when it comes to resolving them.

Taking on multiple responsibilities can also bring up ethical issues for psychologists no matter where they work. When treating patients, psychologists take a look at each as an individual and treat each situation accordingly. There are, of course, many responsibilities that come with providing treatment and the solution to a particular need may not always coincide with traditional means and methods of resolution. A psychologist in this type of situation may feel pressured by the many responsibilities he or she must tackle on a daily basis and may be torn between handling a specific one through traditional means or in a way that is unique to the situation. The more administrative duties the psychologist is given, the less time he or she will be able to spend rehabilitating patients. While this may not be an issue that is of top concern, it can arise nonetheless and will need to be dealt with in a way that allows the psychologist to take care of important job-related duties and provide the best treatment possible to all patients.

Maintaining confidentiality is a very important concern. While psychologists don’t have a problem keeping important patient details confined within the facilities with which they are employed, ethical issues can arise when it becomes necessary to discuss certain situations with other professionals. When this occurs, the psychologist involved must decide whether or not the information needs to be passed onto the person requesting it or if a particular piece of information needs to be disseminated to someone else for treatment purposes.

In other situations, a psychologist may be asked for specific information about a current or former patient. While the information in question may be important in the given context, the confidentiality of the patient may be breeched if it is provided. Here the psychologist is faced with a moral dilemma of sorts. He or she knows the information is important and the person requesting it probably should be made aware, but is under a professional obligation to the patient to keep from sharing it. Should this occur, the psychologist can talk to the patient about the situation, informing him or her of the request and why it was made. The final decision of whether or not to provide the information will then be left up to the patient who will be responsible for its dissemination should this be the end result.

When it comes to solving ethical dilemmas, it is important to first understand the code that has been established. When going to work for a particular entity, psychologists will receive information that will instruct them on the various policies and regulations. In order to solve the issues that are bound to arise at one time or another, they will need to assess the individual situations and make a determination on what to do based on the ethical principles that have been set forth. Some dilemmas will be easier to solve than others and will be based around more black and white issues of right and wrong. Other times, distinguishing between right and wrong will not be so easy to do. In some cases, the answer will not lie in a simple context of right and wrong, but instead will be specific to the various factors involved. When this occurs it is often not quite so easy to make the determinations that solve these ethical dilemmas. When this happens, psychologists depend heavily on the ethical principles they have learned as well as the specific policies established by the entities for which they are employed.

One common problem that occurs is in solving particular ethical dilemmas by using the principles when the situation is not completely clear. Sometimes problems arise that call for extensive decision making based on individual factors that cannot be figured into the original ethical principles. Each situation is different and must be treated as such and therefore, will have an individual set of issues that may arise. When this occurs, the psychologist must make a determination based on the specific factors involved while using the ethical principles in a way that will solve the problem without causing an ethical conflict.

Ethics are present for a reason. They are necessary when solving a wide variety of problems that may arise on an individual basis. Though these issue are just that, individual, a uniform code is needed to help psychologists understand and deal with certain types of situations. The place of ethical concerns in psychology applies to psychologists both as researchers and practitioners. Ethics are present in every aspect of psychological practices and must be adhered to in every context. A set of ethical guidelines has been established to aid psychologists in figuring out what to do when these situations arise. All psychologists are bound by these guidelines.

Though ethical guidelines have been established, there is often a debate on whether or not certain issues fall within them and what psychologists should don when they occur. Still, the place of ethics in psychology is not newly found. Aristotle made several important psychological observations concerning the limits beyond which humans cannot control their own behavior, sanity and their capacity for emotional response (Upton). Though these principles have been studied for many years, other issues have arisen specific to new situations and debates. That is why understanding the code of ethics and why it has been established is essential to solving various issues that can, and often do occur.

The code of ethics outlines the responsibilities of the psychologist and establishes what is considered acceptable and unacceptable in regards to the practice of psychology. This code of ethics is multi-dimensional and must be adhered to in order for a psychology to maintain his or her license (Kafka). Since licenses are granted by each individual state of residence, a psychologist working in any particular location is bound by the specific practices established in that place. This practice is defined through roles and obligations a psychologist will possess so there will be consistency within the field. Likewise, the license a psychologist obtains will have meaning to the public who can easily learn what is expected of a professional working in the field.

The main goal is the psychological code of ethics is to insure that all clients and patients are treated in a professional, lawful and respectful manner when seeking treatment (Kafka). Here behaviors are defined that specify how the psychologist will handle the various situations that may arise during the course of treatment for all clients or patients. The ethical code regulates the way in which many behaviors are dealt with and how situations may be resolved. This includes both the private and institutional practice of psychology. This guarantees that anyone who receives service from a psychologist who is adhering to the code of ethics is insured professional, humane treatment that causes no psychological or physical harm. Should the ethical code be breeched for any reason, the situation is investigated and handled accordingly.

The code of ethics is also designed to protect the public from uses and abuses that may result from the mishandling of a particular situation. These protections include: physical, emotional or even financial and cover a wide range of factors related to the practice of psychology. The code contains numerous clauses that clearly specify practices that are considered to be acceptable in regards to billing procedures, file maintenance procedures and even what should occur during appropriate therapy termination. Many aspects include: job handling, office management and client handling. The acceptable versus unacceptable behaviors are defined as well as what actions should be taken if any part of the code is breeched.

The code of ethics directs both the psychologist and client or patient away from conflicts of interest. The existence of dual roles is one conflict that can occur when inappropriate relationships are established between psychologists and those they serve. The ethical code specifies how these situations should be handles and helps both parties in maintaining lawful, socially responsible behavior. This insures the psychologist will be able to treat clients or patients in a positive manner that will promote rehabilitation while clearly drawing the line for those receiving the treatment that clearly defines the appropriate relationship of psychologist and patient. While there may be many arguments surrounding specific situations and what actually constitutes an ethical dilemma, the code is clearly defined and should be closely followed at all times. There are many situations that can certainly present ethical dilemmas, but the code remains in place to help guide psychologists when they must deal with issues that may prove rather difficult. This well-established code not only serves as a guide but also as a way of protecting everyone involved in the treatment process. The ethical code is an important part of the psychological practice because it clearly defines how to deal with important issues that can arise during the course of treatment. This aids psychologists in making important decisions and helps them to better understand the psychological professional as a whole.

REFERENCES

Kafka, Pauline. May 7, 2008. Psychologist Code of Ethics
Understanding the Professional Conduct of Psychologists. Taken from http://clinical-psychology.suite101.com/article.cfm/psychologist_as_professional

Lucignano, Geraldine, Lee, Sandra. Ethical Issues Involved in the Role of Psychologists in Medical Settings. Taken from www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&se=gglsc&d=5002168429.

Upton, Candace L. The Journal of Ethics. Virtue Ethics and Moral Psychology: The Situationism Debate. Taken from scienceofvirtues.org.

The Place Of Ethical Concerns In Psychology is a post from: Healthy Life