Undergraduate psychology students are frequently concerned about the usefulness of their Bachelor s degree as preparation for entering the workplace. Although students who do not pursue graduate education are limited in their choices of professional careers in psychology, many choices in related fields are still available. Most of the entry-level positions in the careers listed in Table 1 require a core set of knowledge, skills, and abilities that are part of the education of an undergraduate psychology major.
Students develop their communication skills in all psychology courses.
Students are required to read and assimilate information from textbooks, articles, and lectures. These experiences promote skills in developing vocabulary, identifying important concepts, organizing information, and understanding examples and applications. In advanced courses, students prepare both oral and written presentations on selected topics. Skills in reading and writing scientific and technically sophisticated papers are developed. Seminar courses focus on communication among participants, which encourages both active listening and clarity in presentation.