# Psychology USA/Canada



## Jna0rao (Jan 9, 2016)

what's your opinion guys, is it worth studying psychology in north america? As far as I know ... you won't really get a job in this area nowadays.... any similar subjects or recommendations?


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## PowerShell (Feb 3, 2013)

Jna0rao said:


> what's your opinion guys, is it worth studying psychology in north america? As far as I know ... you won't really get a job in this area nowadays.... any similar subjects or recommendations?


Depends. For just a bachelor's degree in Psychology, the job choices are slim. Now if you get a master's or PhD and do counseling or something to that nature, the job market should be better.


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## Doktorin Zylinder (May 10, 2015)

No, it's a basket weaving degree with no professional prospects unless you have a doctorate. Everyone and their dog has a psychology degree. If you want to learn about it, do it on your own time and save your money. It's the fourth most common undergraduate major in the USA. It's considered easy and for those who need a degree but can't do math or hard sciences.


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## Jna0rao (Jan 9, 2016)

Doktorin Zylinder said:


> Not is a basket weaving degree with no professional prospects unless you have a doctorate. Everyone and their dog has a psychology degree. If you want to learn about it, do it on your own time and save your money. It's the fourth most common undergraduate major in the USA. It's considered easy and for those who need a degree but can't do math or hard sciences.


no math or hard science, sounds like me.

So any other recommendations in a similar sector? Social work or something?


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## Doktorin Zylinder (May 10, 2015)

Jna0rao said:


> no math or hard science, sounds like me.
> 
> So any other recommendations in a similar sector? Social work or something?


Social work is just as bad but you'll have to put up with all the emotional wreckage and, if you have empathy, it probably isn't the best. You might be able to get a really crappy government salary to go with it, too. Both psychology and social work are full of broken people trying to fix other people rather than themselves. Personality disorders run rampant in them, as well. 

I know one girl with a masters in social work who makes more money managing a bar than she did as a social worker and I know at least ten people with psych degrees who don't work in the field. 

What about nursing?


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## PowerShell (Feb 3, 2013)

Doktorin Zylinder said:


> Social work is just as bad but you'll have to put up with all the emotional wreckage and, if you have empathy, it probably isn't the best. You might be able to get a really crappy government salary to go with it, too. Both psychology and social work are full of broken people trying to fix other people rather than themselves. Personality disorders run rampant in them, as well.
> 
> I know one girl with a masters in social work who makes more money managing a bar than she did as a social worker and I know at least ten people with psych degrees who don't work in the field.
> 
> What about nursing?


I could see where dealing with the underclass of society would also get to be wearing.


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## Jna0rao (Jan 9, 2016)

Doktorin Zylinder said:


> Social work is just as bad but you'll have to put up with all the emotional wreckage and, if you have empathy, it probably isn't the best. You might be able to get a really crappy government salary to go with it, too. Both psychology and social work are full of broken people trying to fix other people rather than themselves. Personality disorders run rampant in them, as well.
> 
> I know one girl with a masters in social work who makes more money managing a bar than she did as a social worker and I know at least ten people with psych degrees who don't work in the field.
> 
> What about nursing?


I tought about nursing, but that would mean no social life, no creativity, just learning and cleaning people...


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## Doktorin Zylinder (May 10, 2015)

Jna0rao said:


> I tought about nursing, but that would mean no social life, no creativity, just learning and cleaning people...


You're going to have to give me a little more to work with than that.


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## Jna0rao (Jan 9, 2016)

Doktorin Zylinder said:


> Social work is just as bad but you'll have to put up with all the emotional wreckage and, if you have empathy, it probably isn't the best. You might be able to get a really crappy government salary to go with it, too. Both psychology and social work are full of broken people trying to fix other people rather than themselves. Personality disorders run rampant in them, as well.
> 
> I know one girl with a masters in social work who makes more money managing a bar than she did as a social worker and I know at least ten people with psych degrees who don't work in the field.
> 
> What about nursing?


but thanks about the honest opinion, sad to hear, but necessary not do go trough a big mistake


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## PowerShell (Feb 3, 2013)

Jna0rao said:


> I tought about nursing, but that would mean no social life, no creativity, just learning and cleaning people...


Except there's a nursing shortage, at least in the United States, and it pays well.


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## Jna0rao (Jan 9, 2016)

Doktorin Zylinder said:


> You're going to have to give me a little more to work with than that.


Anthropology, translation/languages, any of the social sciences or creativity-demanding subjects?


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## Jna0rao (Jan 9, 2016)

PowerShell said:


> Except there's a nursing shortage, at least in the United States, and it pays well.


shortage?


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## PowerShell (Feb 3, 2013)

Jna0rao said:


> shortage?


At least what I heard last.


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## Doktorin Zylinder (May 10, 2015)

Jna0rao said:


> Anthropology, translation/languages, any of the social sciences or creativity-demanding subjects?


Anthropology is useless; it's something else you can study in your spare time. 

How many languages do you speak? 

Let's use our friendly neighborhood Wikipedia for a list of social sciences:

Anthropology - Useless. 
Communication studies - Might as well be useless.
Economics - You need math for this and most of what it taught at the university level is wrong. 
Education - Another whiny teacher?
Geography - Spare time. 
History - Spare time. 
Law - The market is flooded with unemployed or underemployed lawyers. 
Linguistics - You might as well be a speech pathologist. 
Philosophy - Useless.
Political science - Useless. 
Psychology - Useless.
Social Work - Already discussed.
Sociology - Useless.

So far, you have speech pathologist. They're semi in demand. 

Define "creativity-demanding."


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## ninjahitsawall (Feb 1, 2013)

Neuroscience would be a similar undergrad degree, but not many schools offer those programs at undergrad level. I did a B.S. in Psych w/ a Biology minor (including some Neurobiology), because that was the closest I could come to a Neuroscience major. Except the university I went to has more of a science/health science reputation, so I was able to bridge it with the natural sciences a bit (I took some courses considered to be Psychology, with profs who worked in the biology or pharmacology depts.) Plus we needed to take 2 natural science concentrations, a year of Calculus, and more stats and research coursework than the BA's. We had lots of pre-med psych majors. The challenge for me is I'd like to get involved in clinical/medical research, which means competition with pre-meds and people with biology degrees. I have some backup areas to get into, research-related, if that doesn't work out, though. Ultimately I do want to go back to grad school, probably to study neuroscience.


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## MisterPerfect (Nov 20, 2015)

Jna0rao said:


> no math or hard science, sounds like me.
> 
> So any other recommendations in a similar sector? Social work or something?


I would say learn Neurobiology and minor in Psychology. Neurologists actually understand how the brain directly effects your behavior. That or you could try being a cop or CIA(Requires 4 year degree). For CIA you need a 4 year degree, and for Cops you dont need anything more than a HS diploma but that still looks good when applying. 

https://sols.asu.edu/undergraduate/neurobiology-physiology-and-behavior


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## letter_to_dana (Jun 4, 2013)

Well if we take it like that, all studies can be useless unless you really have connections in the field (at least in my country - Europe/Romania) or a great deal of luck to get the good opportunities.

I also have only my Bachelor degree and have worked online in the counseling field. So far so good, but nothing with lots of moneys or great opportunities.

I've heard that in Canada things are worst than in the US, in terms of getting a job as a psychologist unless you have a PhD. I wonder why is that.
Why has PhD became such a demanding thing to have a good job in your field?!


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## Doktorin Zylinder (May 10, 2015)

letter_to_dana said:


> I've heard that in Canada things are worst than in the US, in terms of getting a job as a psychologist unless you have a PhD. I wonder why is that.


It's about maintaining a monopoly to entry into a profession via "education" and occupational licensure in order to keep prices artificially inflated and beyond the means of most people who need mental help. I think provincial college of psychologists or whatever it is here recommends charging $160 per hour. That's out of line. Most professionals don't make that much and most psychologists aren't really good for much; I've had enough to know that they are in most cases just in it for the money.


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## Duke Sam (Jul 18, 2014)

There are other things in the same vain as social sciences, such as; advertising, which often ties to base concepts of psychology, along the lines of pinpointing what makes people tick. and management of some kind, in conjunction with psych to do H.R, or manage people, which relates to psychology in the sense that it allows you to work with people, and direct them to their best performance area.
But psychology alone is essentially useless without a graduate degree, or medical supplement, unless you double major with teaching and get lucky. That, in the U.S at least will net you about 35K a year, which is survivable.


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## Jna0rao (Jan 9, 2016)

PowerShell said:


> Anthropology is useless; it's something else you can study in your spare time.
> 
> How many languages do you speak?
> 
> ...


3. English of course, German and Russian.

Wow seems like there is really not a big choice here...

And what about the economic/industry sector.
'international Clerk' (college degree) with work experience in different departments, and the knowledge of 3 world languages...


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