Career Options in Psychology

When going into the field of psychology, one is able to explore many different careers. In this paper I will exam the career of teaching, and talk about the requirements one must obtain to become a teacher. I will also discuss the training for this field, preparations one should make when entering this field and the salary and advancement this field offers.

When choosing what field one wants to go into, one should choose what they are interested in. I chose teaching because I like working with children and enjoy being a part of a child's growing up experience. By choosing the psychology, special education major, it allows me to do the career I wanted.

In the past ten years, the enrollment in teaching training has increased. More and more people are choosing teaching as their profession. The requirements from the Department of Education are different for each state. At Marist College, they offer a New York State approved and registered undergraduate programs. This certification leads to different fields that one can go into. For example, one could chose, elementary and special education, which gives them a dual certification. This specific certification gives a background in liberal arts and in psychology. Graduates of this program are prepared to teach in a regular elementary classroom and are also able to teach in a setting with students that have special educational needs. The requirements for the program are that one must have a grade point average of a least 2.7, and have grades of a least a C+ in all courses in the professional sequence. Candidates in New York state must pass two exams and have three letters of recommendation.

Teachers work thirty-five to forty weeks for a ten- month school year. An average salary in New Jersey's public schools for preschool is about 24,665 dollars per year. State wide elementary teachers earn an average of 45,880 per year. Substitute teachers earn eight dollars and ninety-two cents per hour. Once employed advancement comes with higher pay for experience and additional education. A teacher may obtain their tenure after a three-year probationary period.

The employment for teaching jobs is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2005. The employment growth is compared to the population growth. The supply of teachers will increase as improvement of job prospect increases. The public and state agencies are demanding higher standards in public education. Therefore, teachers will not only be in demand programs, but will need stronger backgrounds in education and psychology. The enrollment in teaching training has also increased within the past five years.

I conclusion, the psychology, special education major is one that will prepare me for my career choice. Teaching is an important career and one that requires not only a solid education, but a love for children. It does have some requirements that may be difficult to obtain, but in the long run it will make it easier to obtain a good job. Teaching is a career that offers different things. By developing one's skills in basic reading, writing and math, one is able to give students the skill they need.