Psych Careers - Department of Psychology

Special Areas Within Psychology

There are a number of different areas of specialization within the total field of psychology. Some of the major ones are listed below with a brief description of each. The courses that we offer in each area are also listed. Should you like additional information, log on to the American Psychological Association website.

Experimental
Clinical
Social
Developmental
Industrial/Organizational
Educational
School
Forensic
Health

Each area requires special training and graduate schools in psychology are meant to give you that training. Most of the specialties exist in some form or another at both the M.A. and the doctoral levels. There are definitely differences between these levels but they are too difficult to specify in this pamphlet and they are continually changing. Graduate schools in psychology prefer that undergraduate students have as wide a background in psychology as possible. It is not wise to over-specialize at the undergraduate level.

a. Experimental Psychology

The Experimental Psychologist is dedicated to the experimental study of behavior. Often, but by no means always, his or her work is with what we have called the "basic processes" (learning, perception, cognition, motivation, etc.). She or he is usually employed in a university setting, although private industries and governmental agencies also employ them. Sometimes their titles are Physiological Psychologist or Human Factors Psychologist.

PSY 311 Sensation and Perception
PSY 316 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 318 Physiological Psychology
PSY 319 Animal Behavior
PSY 333 Motivation
PSY 450 Advanced Experimental Psychology: Basic Processes

b. Clinical Psychology

Generally specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders. His or her training aims at an understanding of individual dynamics, evaluation, and psychotherapy. The Ph.D. in Clinical psychology emphasizes research and research support for understanding psychopathology. The Clinical Psychologist is often employed by universities in teaching and doing research. Just as often she or he is employed by mental health clinics and centers of various sorts, by mental hospitals, etc. Clinical Psychologists also engage in private practice. See also Other Careers (Social Work).

PSY 341 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 343 Psychopathology of Children
PSY 344 Behavior Analysis
PSY 381 Tests and Measurement
PSY 454 Advanced Experimental Psychology: Individual Differences and Personality

c. Social Psychology

Social Psychologists study how a person's cognition and behavior is shaped by interactions with people. They are interested in all aspects of interpersonal relationships, including individual and group influences. For example, their research helps us understand how people form attitudes toward others, and when these are harmful-as in the case of prejudice-suggests ways to change them. Social psychologists are found in a variety of settings, from academic institutions (where they teach and conduct research), to advertising agencies (where they study consumer attitudes and preferences), to businesses and government agencies (where they help with a variety of problems in organization and management).

PSY 330 Social Cognition
PSY 337 Interpersonal Processes & Group Behavior
PSY 338 Health Psychology
PSY 339 Emotions
PSY 453 Advanced Experimental Psychology: Social Psychology

d. Developmental Psychology

Developmental Psychologists study the psychological development of the human being from conception through death. Until recently, the primary focus was on childhood and adolescence, the most formative years. But as life expectancy in this country approaches 80 years, developmental psychologists are becoming increasingly interested in aging, especially in researching and developing ways to help elderly people stay as independent as possible. He or she is employed by universities to teach and to do research. She or he is also employed in a variety of agencies and clinics which deal with children, adolescents, or the aged.

PSY 321 Child Development
PSY 322 Adolescence & Youth
PSY 323 Adulthood & Aging
PSY 327 Socialization in the Family
PSY 371 Work with the Elderly
PSY 452 Advanced Experimental Psychology: Developmental Psychology

e. Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology

The I/O Psychologist is trained to do research, to know something about personnel problems, and/or to know something about designing and implementing training programs, and then evaluating their effectiveness. The latter is the growing body of knowledge that attempts to deal with the problems of product and engineering design that arise because of human nature, how to make person-machine systems that are suited to each other. She or he, as you would guess, is ordinarily employed by or is a consultant to business and industry, and may be employed by the Armed Forces.

PSY 316 Cognitive Psychology
PSY 330 Social Cognition
PSY 337 Interpersonal Processes & Group Behavior
PSY 381 Tests and Measurement
PSY 453 Advanced Experimental Psychology: Social Psychology

f. Educational Psychology

The Educational Psychologist is interested in such things as the planning of research, evaluation, remedial training, special education, programs for the schools, etc. He or she is also likely to plan and supervise a variety of programs to meet the needs of the schools, adult education programs, industrial training programs, etc. The student should consult with the School of Human and Educational Services. She or he should consider obtaining a teaching certificate.

PSY 321 Child Psychology
PSY 341 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 343 Psychopath. of Childhood
PSY 381 Tests and Measurement

g. School Psychology

The School Psychologist is somewhat different from the Educational Psychologist. He or she works at some level in the schools, testing, counseling problem children, consulting with teachers, etc. Again, the student should consult with the School of Human and Educational Services. Here the teaching certificate is even more important and should be obtained. Consult the state and/or graduate school requirements.

The same courses as those listed in (f), plus some of the same courses listed in (b) and (c) and (d). We know that it's impossible to take them all.

h. Forensic Psychologists

Forensic Psychologists apply psychological principles to legal issues. Their expertise is often essential in court. They can, for example, help a judge decide which parent should have custody of a child or evaluate a defendant's mental competence to stand trial. Some forensic psychologists are trained in both psychology and the law.

PSY 318 Physiological Psychology
PSY 333 Motivation
PSY 341 Abnormal Psychology
PSY 343 Psychopathology of Childhood
PSY 344 Behavior Analysis
PSY 381 Tests and Measurement

i. Health Psychologists

Health Psychologists are interested in how biological, psychological, and social factors affect health and illness. They identify the kinds of medical treatment people seek and get; how patients handle illness; why some people don't follow medical advice; and the most effective ways to control pain or to change poor health habits. They also develop health care strategies that foster emotional and physical well-being.

Psychologists also team up with medical personnel in private practice and in hospitals to provide patients with complete health care. The educate medical staff about psychological problems that arise from the pain and stress of illness and about symptoms that may seem to be physical in origin but actually have psychological causes.

PSY 323 Adulthood and Aging
PSY 330 Social Cognition
PSY 333 Motivation
PSY 338 Health Psychology
PSY 342 Coping Strategies in the Normal Personality
PSY 344 Behavior Analysis
PSY 381 Tests and Measurement