Beyond the Undergraduate Degree
PSY 358
Dr. Steffen Wilson
Department of Psychology



This page describes and answers questions about PSY 358, "Beyond the Undergraduate Degree." This is a course offered in the Psychology Department at Eastern Kentucky University. The purposes of this course are: 1) to inform undergraduate Psychology majors of the different job options available to them following graduation, 2) to educate undergraduates on the requirements for graduate school admittance, and 3) to educate undergraduates on the mechanics of interviewing for and obtaining a job following graduation.  Following is a list of questions frequently asked about PSY 358 and answers to those questions.

Information about Graduate School and Jobs



Questions Frequently Asked about PSY 358:

What do you learn in this class?
In this class we will discuss job and graduate school options available to you when you graduate.  We will also discuss the criteria needed to gain employment in certain fields and to gain admittance to different graduate programs.  We will also discuss the job and graduate school application process, and you will practice skills that you will need for this process, such as writing a vita or resume and interviewing.



Who should take this class?
Any Psychology major interested in getting a job or going onto graduate school following graduation should take this class.  In addition, students in related majors such as Sociology might also be interested in taking this class if a similar class is not available.



When does the class meet?
The class meets for one hour once a week during the Fall Semester.



Do I get course credit for this class?
Yes!  This is a 1 credit hour class.



Will there be a lot of homework in this class?
You will be asked to complete 5 projects during this class.  These are: locating 5 jobs that interest you, locating 5 graduate schools that interest you, writing a resume, writing a personal statement, and outlining the steps that you need to take to become competitive for a job or for graduate school.  From each of these you will have a product that will allow you to be more successful once you graduate.



At what point in my college career should I take this class?
The best time to take this class is the Spring of your Sophomore year.  This will allow you time to develop the skills and gain the experiences we will discuss in this class.  If you are a Junior or Senior, however, you can still gain from the information that you will learn in this class. (Freshmen are also always welcome. You can never begin planning too early!)



I know that I want to go to graduate school, but I think I might want to wait a year or two after graduation.  Should I take this class?
Yes.  In addition to discussing graduate school admittance we will also discuss employment.    There are jobs that can help your chances of getting into certain graduate programs.



Is it really that hard to get a job or get into graduate school?
Unfortunately, yes.  In these uncertain ecomonic times, competition for high paying jobs is strong.  In addition, the Psychology major is the most popular across the country.  There are tons of you trying to get the same type of job. Anything that you can do to make yourself stand out among your peers will help you to get the highest paying job possible.



If I can get all of this information on the Web, why should I take the class too?
The class covers a lot more than the information you will find on this web site.  In addition to discussing the topics listed here, we will also hear guest speakers talk about topics such as different fields of Psychology and networking, we will learn about resources available to you on campus, and we can discuss issues related to your specific situation to determine the steps you specifically should take to reach your goals.
 

Here are some additional pages of information for you to browse:
Information about Graduate School and Jobs


This page last updated on November 27, 2001.