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Employability and Career after degree? - jaceapollo - 09-06-2021

Sorry if this isn't in the right thread, but I was curious what you were able to do with your degree? What did you get your degree in, did you have previous experience in the field, are you pivoting to a new field, etc... 
I feel a bit different from most people on here as I think I'm a lot younger than the majority (I'm 20) thus don't have as much work experience, but I'm (planning at least) to get a masters so hopefully I can get some more experience then. I do own my own business, (podcast editor) but it's unrelated to the field I want to get into (educational psychology).
I guess I would just love reassurance that getting a degree this way doesn't detract from finding a job. I know it's completely possible, but I feel like everyone on here might have a lot more work experience than me... open to hearing your thoughts, I love to hear about people's careers and how they got there.


RE: Employability and Career after degree? - rachel83az - 09-07-2021

I'm not sure why you'd think that getting a degree would detract you from finding a job. A lot of job applications these days require you to say that you have a degree of some kind or else your application will go straight in the trash. Having even a BALS degree is better than no degree. Having a specific degree is better still.

Also, there are plenty of students here who are 20 or younger.


RE: Employability and Career after degree? - Stoic - 09-07-2021

(09-07-2021, 01:56 AM)rachel83az Wrote: I'm not sure why you'd think that getting a degree would detract you from finding a job. A lot of job applications these days require you to say that you have a degree of some kind or else your application will go straight in the trash. Having even a BALS degree is better than no degree. Having a specific degree is better still.

Also, there are plenty of students here who are 20 or younger.

Truth. No one even cares if your degree is a BA, BLS, BS. To be fair if I would've known what I know now, I would've gotten a BLS in General Studies when I was 20 in 1 year, and then just went to grad school right away to study what I really wanted.


RE: Employability and Career after degree? - sanantone - 09-07-2021

There could be an issue with a BLS if it doesn't have enough credits within a subject area, but no one cares about BA vs BS. Some graduate programs will require a major (or equivalent) in a particular area and will not accept an 18-credit concentration. The federal government considers 24 credits the equivalent of a major. A federal contractor I worked for wanted 24 credits in psychology or juvenile justice.

I think what the OP is asking is whether getting a degree online or testing out of a degree will make a person less competitive. There are many factors to consider. How many graded credits does the graduate school require? What are the prerequisites? Do you need to major in a certain area? Are there required labs that cannot be done online (this shouldn't be an issue for educational psychology)? Does your undergraduate degree need to be regionally accredited as opposed to nationally accredited? Even though the Department of Education got rid of the distinctions, many colleges still require regional accreditation.

Have you considered what you want to do and where you want to work in educational psychology? Educational psychology is a research field whereas school psychology is a licensed mental health field.


RE: Employability and Career after degree? - ctcarl - 09-08-2021

(09-06-2021, 10:54 PM)jaceapollo Wrote: Sorry if this isn't in the right thread, but I was curious what you were able to do with your degree? What did you get your degree in, did you have previous experience in the field, are you pivoting to a new field, etc... 
I feel a bit different from most people on here as I think I'm a lot younger than the majority (I'm 20) thus don't have as much work experience, but I'm (planning at least) to get a masters so hopefully I can get some more experience then. I do own my own business, (podcast editor) but it's unrelated to the field I want to get into (educational psychology).
I guess I would just love reassurance that getting a degree this way doesn't detract from finding a job. I know it's completely possible, but I feel like everyone on here might have a lot more work experience than me... open to hearing your thoughts, I love to hear about people's careers and how they got there.

I can see both sides of this.  I remember a time when I had a HS education and a good job, while an old friend of mine had a BSBA, not so much as a parking ticket ever, and an honorable discharge from the Navy, and he just couldn't get a job commensurate with his degree.  He ended up working behind the counter in a junkyard, then a few other similarly poorly-paid jobs.  I remember being surprised when he told me that he had never mentioned his degree to those employers because he thought it would work against him.

My experience was, in some ways, the opposite.  I got my current job without a degree, but I couldn't qualify for a promotion without one.  Now that I've earned my BSLA, I'm hoping to level up.


RE: Employability and Career after degree? - sanantone - 09-09-2021

(09-08-2021, 05:41 PM)ctcarl Wrote:
(09-06-2021, 10:54 PM)jaceapollo Wrote: Sorry if this isn't in the right thread, but I was curious what you were able to do with your degree? What did you get your degree in, did you have previous experience in the field, are you pivoting to a new field, etc... 
I feel a bit different from most people on here as I think I'm a lot younger than the majority (I'm 20) thus don't have as much work experience, but I'm (planning at least) to get a masters so hopefully I can get some more experience then. I do own my own business, (podcast editor) but it's unrelated to the field I want to get into (educational psychology).
I guess I would just love reassurance that getting a degree this way doesn't detract from finding a job. I know it's completely possible, but I feel like everyone on here might have a lot more work experience than me... open to hearing your thoughts, I love to hear about people's careers and how they got there.

I can see both sides of this.  I remember a time when I had a HS education and a good job, while an old friend of mine had a BSBA, not so much as a parking ticket ever, and an honorable discharge from the Navy, and he just couldn't get a job commensurate with his degree.  He ended up working behind the counter in a junkyard, then a few other similarly poorly-paid jobs.  I remember being surprised when he told me that he had never mentioned his degree to those employers because he thought it would work against him.

My experience was, in some ways, the opposite.  I got my current job without a degree, but I couldn't qualify for a promotion without one.  Now that I've earned my BSLA, I'm hoping to level up.
That's why it's important to give people accurate information, even if it isn't positive. Business administration degrees are a dime a dozen. It's a major with a high underemployment rate. A liberal arts or general studies degree will have even less utility. 

SOME employers don't care what your degree is in. SOME occupations don't require a related degree. To say that no one cares what your degree is in is grossly inaccurate, and it's irresponsible to tell people that. To also say that graduate programs don't care what your degree is in is also inaccurate. Some graduate programs will accept any degree. Some graduate programs will require a specific degree. Some graduate programs will require so many prerequisite courses that it would have made more sense to have just gotten an undergraduate degree in that major. 

The vast majority of jobs do not require a graduate degree, so I can't say that it's always fiscally responsible or a good use of time (think opportunity costs) to get a bachelor's degree in anything because you're going to make it up with your master's degree. If you're entry-level, you run the risk of being educationally overqualified for entry-level jobs and lacking the experience for higher level jobs.


RE: Employability and Career after degree? - bluebooger - 09-09-2021

> the field I want to get into (educational psychology)

https://www.nasponline.org/standards-and-certification/school-psychology-credentialing-resources/states/new-york

SEA Credential:
Provisional Certificate: Requires a BA, 60 graduate credits in psychology, and a 1-year school psychology internship (at least 600 hours in school setting).

Permanent Certificate: Requires a provisional credential plus an MA degree and 2 years of work experience in the schools.


RE: Employability and Career after degree? - sanantone - 09-09-2021

(09-09-2021, 03:01 PM)bluebooger Wrote: > the field I want to get into (educational psychology)

https://www.nasponline.org/standards-and-certification/school-psychology-credentialing-resources/states/new-york

SEA Credential:
Provisional Certificate: Requires a BA, 60 graduate credits in psychology, and a 1-year school psychology internship (at least 600 hours in school setting).

Permanent Certificate: Requires a provisional credential plus an MA degree and 2 years of work experience in the schools.

The OP hasn't answered the question yet. Is the interest educational psychology or school psychology? They're not the same thing despite some misinformation on various websites. Search for educational psychology programs, and you'll see that the majority of them are not designed to meet licensing requirements. Search for school psychology programs, and the vast majority of them will be designed to meet licensing requirements. 

On a related note, Texas Tech has a master's in educational psychology that does not meeting licensing requirements and a master's in educational psychology with a concentration in school psychology that does meet licensing requirements. 

Educational Psychology is the study of human learning (this includes development, learning, motivation, assessment, and instruction) in both formal and informal learning contexts. The primary purpose of an Educational Psychology program is to prepare students for careers in teaching and research at institutions of higher learning or research consortiums.


By contrast, School Psychology is a practitioner-based field and therefore the program includes practicum and internship components in order to prepare students for careers as School Psychologists.

Educational Psychologists do not have clinical duties but often contribute to preservice teacher training programs by teaching classes related to psychological theories of learning, classroom assessment, and developmental psychology courses.

https://apadiv15.org/2017/02/05/what-is-the-difference-between-educational-psychology-and-school-psychology/

Educational Psychology is the study of human learning (this includes development, learning, motivation, assessment, and instruction) in both formal and informal learning contexts. Many students who choose educational psychology for their graduate studies are looking to continue to a PhD program, or want to participate in research in educational settings.


In addition, many teachers find that they are interested in how learning happens in the classroom and how they can create environments that enhance learning. At ESU, teachers can earn their MS in Psychology/Educational Psychology concentration which will broaden their base of knowledge about how and why learning happens, enhancing the work they are doing in the classroom.

By contrast, School Psychology is a practitioner-based field and therefore the program is designed to lead to licensure as a School Psychologist. To be eligible for the school psychology license from the Kansas State Department of Education, students must first complete the MS in Psychology/School Psychology Concentration and then the EdS in School Psychology. This MS+EdS program includes both practicum and internship components in order to prepare students for careers as School Psychologists.

Unless they are already a classroom teacher, students who complete educational psychology programs do not have a specific role in K-12 settings, but often contribute to the successes in classrooms by participating in research that is shared with educators or by coordinating educational programming for students in settings outside of schools.

https://www.emporia.edu/teachers-college/units/psychology-home/psychology-academics-programs-graduate/psychology-difference/


RE: Employability and Career after degree? - ReyMysterioso - 09-09-2021

I come from a blue collar family. I worked blue collar factory work for 12 years. Got a job in a multimedia company through a connection that got me out of factory labor. Every job I wanted to apply for required a bachelor's degree. I got a BSBA from Charter Oak. Got a job in the marketing department of a financial firm. Got paid way more with much better benefits than my previous job working in multimedia with low pay.
Most of my coworkers have graphic design or journalism/communications degrees, oddly. I feel like I definitely have a much better grasp of business strategy and function than them on account of my education.


RE: Employability and Career after degree? - bjcheung77 - 09-10-2021

Sometimes it's hard to decide what to do and how to start. Since you're into podcasting, you might want to continue or venture off into a slightly different field. Or if you're into educational psychology, the same thing, start taking community college courses towards an associates degree. Couple those courses with CLEP/MS, find the courses that interest you, by then you'll have a better grasp of where you want to go... As you mentioned, you want to get some more education/experience under your belt...