Health psychologists are concerned with psychology's contributions to the promotion and maintenance of good health and the prevention and treatment of illness. They may design and conduct programs to help individuals stop smoking, lose weight, manage stress, and stay physically fit. They are employed in hospitals, medical schools, rehabilitation centers, public health agencies, academic settings, and private practice. They may develop new ways to increase workplace productivity or be involved in personnel selection. They are employed in business, government agencies, and academic settings.
Sports psychologists are concerned with the psychological factors that improve athletic performance.
They also look at the effects of exercise and physical activity on psychological adjustment and health. Graduate programs in this field train you to do counseling in human service agencies in the local community-for example, in community mental health centers. They may also train you to administer a limited number of psychological tests. The work is similar to that done by a person with a master's or doctoral degree in clinical or counseling psychology. Educational psychologists attempt to understand the basic aspects of human learning and to develop materials and strategies for enhancing the learning process.