research teaching applied work animal training clinical/counselling consumer engineering forensic health psychology human services industrial/ organizational school sports		What do you usually think of when you hear the word "psychologist"? A doctor talking to a patient lying on a black couch? A researcher in a white lab coat placing a rat in a maze? Perhaps we all have a different view of what a psychologist does. Considering that psychology is defined as the study of the mind and behaviour, a psychologist can work in any kind of career that focuses on the mind and/or behaviour. A few of the settings in which a psychologist might work are listed below. Hospitals and Clinics Private Companies Non-profit Organizations Schools Laboratories Health and Fitness Centres Zoos Governmental Agencies Law Offices Colleges and Universities Generally, a psychologist can work in three different types of areas: research, teaching, or applied work. It is important to understand that none of these areas are mutually exclusive. In other words, many researchers are also involved in teaching and applied work. Also, psychologists with academic careers at a university are usually involved in research. For more info: Provincial/Territorial Licensing Requirements for Psychologists http://www.cpa.ca/licensing.html   Careers in Psychology http://www.psychwww.com/careers/index.htm
Research Some of the most important findings about human nature have come from the work of psychological researchers. Many psychological researchers are employed at university settings. In addition to engaging in research, many are also involved in teaching. Psychologists research a huge number of topics ranging from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children to the best ways to increase attendance in an organization. Some psychologists work as full-time researchers for organizations other than universities. These individuals often work for companies who employ scientists to study various research topics. The Army Research Institute (ARI), for example, frequently hires psychologists to investigate topics such as leadership performance and training evaluation. Other research psychologists might work for companies who design experiments to test the effects of drugs on the behaviour of patients.   Teaching Teaching on the college level is one of the most frequently chosen career paths of psychologists. In fact, one survey found that close to 1/3 of all psychologists work at a college or university. A majority of the teachers at the college and university level have Ph.D. degrees. Psychologists with master's degrees are typically employed at two-year or community colleges. Teaching offers psychologists the opportunity to educate students about a host of subjects. In the same way that many career paths exist for psychologists, so do the choices of subjects to teach. Listed below are only a few of the subjects that psychology professors might teach: Child Therapy Cognitive Psychology Experimental Psychology Forensic Assessment History of Psychology Hypnotherapy Learning Neuropsychology Psychology of Aging Psychology of Self Social Psychology   Applied Work If work as a researcher or teacher isn't for you, you may be interested in one of the many applied career options. The degree requirements depend, of course, on the type of career you choose. Some individuals with bachelors degrees are able to find employment in some of these areas. In others, it is necessary to have a more advanced doctoral degree.   Animal Training Do you enjoy working with animals? Many psychologists do also. In fact, psychologists work with many different kinds of animals ranging from a small field mouse to a giant African elephant. Generally, these psychologists receive their degrees from schools that emphasize the scientific study of behaviour, especially animal behaviour. Some psychologists open their own animal training practice and specialize in training animals such as dogs or horses. Other psychologists are hired by companies that train animals. Marineland in Niagara Falls, for example, hires trainers to work with porpoises and killer whales. Zoos also hire psychologists to develop more humane ways of handling animals as well as developing methods to improve training. For more info: Careers in Animal Behavior http://www.animalbehavior.org/ABS/Education/careers_brochure.html   Clinical/Counselling Perhaps you would enjoy a career that centers around helping others. Pursuing clinical or counselling psychology might be the right career choice. Almost 50% of all psychologists work as clinical or counselling psychologists in private practice or therapy settings. However, counselling and clinical psychology have somewhat different focuses. Counselling psychology deals with helping people cope with problems, make decisions, and deal with the stresses of life. A counsellor works directly with clients in an attempt to assist in their personal development and adjustment. Clinical psychology deals with the assessment and treatment of people who have mental, emotional, or physiological disorders. Clinical psychologists usually work with clients whose behaviour problems are more severe than those of clients of counseling psychologists. A clinical psychologists might provide individual or group therapy, assist clients with drug-related problems, or test patients for psychological and neurological problems. The services provided by clinical and counselling psychologists almost always require at least a masters or doctoral degree. Most of these psychologists have completed four or five years of graduate training and many have completed additional years in a supervised therapy setting. The degree requirements for clinical psychologists are usually more stringent than those of counselling psychologists. For more info: The Clinical Psychologist in Canada (an online brochure) http://play.psych.mun.ca/~dhart/clinical/brochure.html   Definition of Clinical Psychology (prepared by the CPA) http://www.usask.ca/psychology/clinpsy_defn.html   Consumer Have you ever wondered about subliminal suggestion? Do you ever wonder why commercials are made the way they are? Do you wonder why some marketing campaigns are so effective? If these questions interest you, consider checking out consumer psychology. A large part of consumer psychology deals with understanding how consumers process information, form judgments, and make decisions regarding the purchasing of products and services. Consumer psychologists are involved in determining the factors that lead to these decisions. For example, a psychologist might design a study to evaluate which type of cereal box design will most likely influence individuals to purchase a particular type of cereal. In addition to the marketing of products, consumer psychologists are also employed in the area of merchandise sales. Psychologists have extensively studied different types of sales techniques and can offer advice to salespersons as to what techniques have been found to be most effective. Consumer psychologists are also asked to analyze target populations of individuals. Purchasing trends or demographic information may be collected to determine consumer needs and interests. For more info: Society for Consumer Psychology http://www.cob.ohio-state.edu/scp/   Engineering Some people who enjoy both engineering and psychology pursue degrees in engineering psychology. Most engineering psychologists work in industry or for the government. They typically deal with the evaluation, design, and use of equipment. Engineering psychologists design machines and systems that can be used more effectively by individuals. The focus is typically on the interaction between man and machine and specific ways to improve this interaction. Engineering psychologists are also hired to design tools, equipment, and work procedures to limit the stress and fatigue placed on workers as well as to increase efficiency. Many engineering psychologists are also hired as safety engineers to ensure that the company's man-machine systems do not endanger workers. Forensic Movies such as Silence of the Lambs and events like the Paul Bernardo trial have led to an increase in popularity of forensic psychology. This discipline deals with applying psychological principles to the law. Some forensic psychologists deal more specifically with the clinical aspects of victims and/or defendants. They might counsel victims or evaluate their ability to testify in court. They can also evaluate a defendant's mental competence to stand trial. Other forensic psychologists work as consultants to law enforcement officials. They are often involved in creating profiles in order to apprehend criminals. Profiling can be used to identify the type of person who is likely to commit a crime or the actual person who committed the crime. Some forensic psychologists are involved in jury selection on procedures. These psychologists evaluate the verbal and nonverbal behaviour of potential jurors in attempts to predict pro and anti criminal sentiment. Other forensic psychologists serve as expert witnesses regarding the reliability of eyewitness testimony. For more info: So You Want to Become a Forensic Psychologist? http://www.geocities.com/athens/7429/forensicpsychprep.html   The Institute for Forensic Psychology http://www.psycheval.com   Health Psychology Could you picture yourself advising others about health issues? You might consider health psychology. Health psychologists are concerned with the promotion and maintenance of sound health practices. In addition, they often apply psychological principles to the prevention of illness. Stress management is perhaps one of the largest areas of interest for these psychologists. They often counsel clients on identifying and minimizing the effects of everyday stressors on personal health. Maintaining health is important in many other areas as well. Health psychologists often help individuals quit smoking, counsel individuals with weight loss or weight gain goals, and design fitness programs. Other health psychologists work closely with doctors to ensure that patients adhere to prescribed treatment. Because some researchers estimate that 93% of patients fail to adhere to their medical treatment, psychologists are often called upon to design programs to keep patients in treatment. For more info: Health Psychology Section of the CPA http://is.dal.ca/~hlthpsyc/hlthhome.htm   Human Services A demand almost always exists for those who work with "special" populations of individuals in a human service setting. Human services refers to the psychological assistance that is given to a number of individuals from different populations: elderly, people with cognitive deficits, people with physical disabilities, young offenders, people with substance abuse problems, etc. Technically, counseling and clinical psychology is considered a form of human services. However, psychologists in human service settings usually work with one of the above mentioned "special" populations. A large number of human service psychologists work with people who have problems with daily living, such as those with mental retardation. In fact, students who receive bachelors degrees in psychology frequently obtain full-time employment in this type of setting. These individuals usually work directly with disabled clients to help them acquire basic skills like communication, home living, and self-care. Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Are you interested in working with owners, managers, and employees of business and industry? I/O psychology is the application of psychological principles to the workplace. When people hear of I/O psychology they often think of therapy provided to industrial workers. However, I/O psychology does not deal with therapy but rather focuses on issues of improving performance in the workplace. A majority of practicing I/O psychologists work for consulting firms. This type of company provides services to different companies, advising them on topics ranging from organizational development to employee motivation. Many other psychologists are employed by private companies and governmental agencies. Personnel administration and selection is another area in which an I/O psychologist might work. He or she might be employed by a company evaluating and improving methods of selection, promotion, or even compensation. Other areas include training and motivating workers, developing ergonomically-designed equipment, designing leadership training courses, evaluating performance of employees, and ensuring sound legal and ethical treatment of individuals in the workplace. For more info: Canadian Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology http://nexus.sscl.uwo.ca/psychology/csiop/index.html   School If you are interested in psychology and want to work with students, faculty, and administrators, you might be interested in becoming a school psychologist. School psychologists have been described as counselors in an educational setting. They deal with the psychological, emotional, and intellectual well-being of individuals in an elementary, junior high, or high school setting. School psychologists work directly with students as well as parents and teachers to develop healthy emotional and educational learning experiences. Although they may do some parent-child counselling, school psychologists will usually refer more severe behavioural problems to specialists. Some school psychologists also assist in the development and administration of tests given to students to determine intellectual levels. They can also test students for problems, such as learning disorders, and determine special needs. School psychologists are also expected to work closely with teachers and administrators in improving their ability to deal with students that have behaviour problems. For more info: National Association of School Psychologists http://www.nasponline.org/index2.html   Sports If you have an interest in sports, perhaps sports psychology would be a good career for you. Sports psychologists usually work in one of two areas: counselling of athletes or enhancement of performance. Since athletes face a unique and demanding lifestyle, psychologists are often employed to assist these individuals adjust to the demands. This might include teaching stress reduction strategies, providing interventions to enhance self-esteem, or assisting athletes adjust to changes brought about by injuries. Psychologists involved with performance enhancement work with athletes and coaches to develop the skills and abilities of athletes. Some psychologists, for example, use imagery to enhance athletic performance. Others might use strategies that involve goal-setting, feedback, and rewards. For more info: Careers in Sports Psychology http://www.psychwww.com/sports/careers.htm   North American Society for Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity http://www.naspspa.org/

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