Psychology Career Journey

My Career Journey

As a student majoring in Mental Health and Human Services, it is important to put into perspective my career goals. My long-term career goal is to become a licensed behavioral psychologist with concentration in child and adolescent treatment. I am aware there is a long way to get to the end of my objective but it is what I am most passionate about. I believe my personalityand values make me suitable for this career path. I want to reach my goal to gain an economical stability. Also, I know this occupation will fill me with the joy and the gratification of helping others.
I have taken two semesters in Mental Health and Human Services in which I have learned about social work and human services and some basics in psychology. Social work is basically helping peopleget through difficult situations through non-profit or for-profit agencies and organizations. “Human service workers help clients become more self-sufficient…These workers also help clients who are unable to care for themselves, such as children and the elderly, by coordinating the provision of their basic needs” (Occupational Outlook Quarterly P23). Human service workers are there to help people inneed throughout their lifespan. There is no required age to need the help from a human service worker.
There are a wide variety of professions that are considered to be human services. Psychology is just one of the careers that fits into the human services. “Psychologists diagnose and treat emotional and mental disorders. They provide therapy to individuals, groups, and families” (OccupationalOutlook Quarterly P28). I consider psychology to be important as a tool to understand the human mind. I see psychology happening in the smallest action, the tiniest word, in everyone and everyday. I believe that understanding what is going on in a person’s mind can guide to solutions, better actions, and actually better handling of the mind within. I find myself truly intrigued by this subject andmy hunger to learn more about it gets bigger and bigger.
I want to attend Cornell University in the future to proceed with my education as a Psychology student. According to the university’s psychology department website “Admission to the major is usually granted to any student in good standing in the college who has passed three or more psychology courses with grades of C+ or better”. This isa very reasonable requirement. There are learning goals for the major which include “Psychology majors are expected to graduate with an understanding of a substantial portion of the core concepts, findings, and controversies in contemporary psychological science, and with an ability to read and understand empirical reports of psychological research”. Cornell University also offers a graduateprogram in “Perception, Cognition and Development” which I could be interested in attending. I will still need time to decide about doing this graduate program mainly because it is stated in the university’s website that “this graduate program main goal is to educate students to become researchers, scholars, and teachers”. I find myself working directly with people and/or a community rather than thesettings stated in the website.
Another option I would like to look into for my graduate degree is the PhD. program in Psychological Development offered by NYU Steinhardt. The mission specified in their website is sharper to my career expectations. “Students examine individual and environmental influences at multiple, nested levels on the development of infants, preschoolers, children,adolescents, and adults, especially in urban environments. In particular, the program focuses on the ways in which culture and context shape developmental processes, including social and emotional, cognitive, identity, and language development”. I’d like to concentrate in child and adolescent development. I believe the purpose of the program offered by NYU could help me accomplish my goal.
I personally...