The Australian Handbook for Careers in Psychological Science
Channel: AusPLAT Conferences and Roundtables
Date: 12/04/2022

There is a widespread perception that an undergraduate psychology major offers a limited set of career options, with a key focus on becoming a psychologist which can only occur when a student completes further postgraduate training. However, given the importance of producing graduates who are job-ready and the emphasis on psychological literacy within our psychology programs, psychology graduates are uniquely placed in the job market, even with a 3-year degree. Anyone who undertakes to study psychology receives training in both skills and knowledge that are important to employers. Thus, there are many, many career options available to a student who has trained in psychology. In order to increase the visibility of different career paths, a team of academics at USQ are currently working on adapting the Canadian Handbook for Careers in Psychological Science (see https://ecampusontario.pressbooks.pub/psychologycareers/ ). The Australian adaption will support our undergraduate psychology students developing a broader view of the ways that psychological science can be applied. The outcome of this process should be reflected in students linking the content and learning outcomes from courses to the employable skills that are sought after in Australian workplaces. Honours students frequently indicate they experience stress due to perceived pressure to achieve results high enough to get into a Masters degree. An implication of the project could be that it has the potential to relieve stress on students by educating them about alternative pathways. Our presentation will describe the development of the Australian Handbook for Careers in Psychological Science and provide an overview of ways that it may be used to enhance undergraduate students’ career decision-making.