Careers and Experiential Learning in

Psychology

Career and Advanced Study TeamCareer and Advanced Study Team

Dr. Andrea Dottolo, Dr. Alice Frye, Dr. Mary Duell, Dr. Andrea Dottolo, Dr. Alice Frye, Dr. Mary Duell, Dr. Lauren Beaulieu, Dr. Richard SiegelDr. Lauren Beaulieu, Dr. Richard Siegel

In this workshop….In this workshop….

What do UML psych grads do?What do UML psych grads do? How do I determine my interests?How do I determine my interests? What kinds of experiential What kinds of experiential

learning opportunities are learning opportunities are available in psychology?available in psychology?

What can Career Services do?What can Career Services do? What kinds of careers are related What kinds of careers are related

to my degree in psychology?to my degree in psychology?

Some Graduation DataSome Graduation Data

Graduates: Advanced Graduates: Advanced Degrees EarnedDegrees Earned

Graduates: What Are They Graduates: What Are They Doing?Doing?

How do I determine my How do I determine my interests?interests? What What kind of workkind of work do you enjoy? do you enjoy? In what In what specific areaspecific area of development would you of development would you

like to pursue a career (public health, planning, like to pursue a career (public health, planning, finance, human rights, education, environment, finance, human rights, education, environment, etc.)? etc.)?

What What skills do you have or needskills do you have or need to acquire to to acquire to meet your career objective and how will the meet your career objective and how will the job/internship help you meet those goals (field job/internship help you meet those goals (field work, practical experience, opportunities for work, practical experience, opportunities for networking or building professional networking or building professional relationships)? relationships)?

What What kind of institutionkind of institution do you want to work do you want to work with? with?

What is your What is your desired incomedesired income?? Do you have an interest in a particular Do you have an interest in a particular

geographical area or issue areageographical area or issue area? ?

Experiential Learning in Experiential Learning in PsychologyPsychology ““Internships” are typically learning Internships” are typically learning

opportunities outside the opportunities outside the classroom that classroom that maymay be be For course credit (or not)For course credit (or not) Paid (or unpaid)Paid (or unpaid)

The psychology department does The psychology department does NOT offer what we call NOT offer what we call “internships” for course credit but “internships” for course credit but several other experiential several other experiential learning opportunities insteadlearning opportunities instead

Experiential Learning in Experiential Learning in PsychologyPsychology

Community Service Learning Community Service Learning 47.486 (1, 2, or 3 credits)47.486 (1, 2, or 3 credits)

Research Service Learning 47.488 Research Service Learning 47.488 (1, 2, or 3 credits)(1, 2, or 3 credits)

Practicum 47.496 (3 credits)Practicum 47.496 (3 credits) All of these require permission numbers by All of these require permission numbers by

instructor. Advising workshops will provide more instructor. Advising workshops will provide more information about options for next semester.information about options for next semester.

This does not mean that you should not pursue This does not mean that you should not pursue experiential learning that is not for course credit!experiential learning that is not for course credit!

Students seek experiential Students seek experiential learning…learning…

as a way to connect their academic as a way to connect their academic training with the external world training with the external world

to "test out" a possible career to "test out" a possible career directiondirection

to earn money in order to stay in to earn money in order to stay in schoolschool

to develop skillsto develop skills to gain experience and professional to gain experience and professional

contactscontacts

Experiential learningExperiential learning

Demonstrate greater career focus, Demonstrate greater career focus, and thus have more full-time and thus have more full-time employment options after graduationemployment options after graduation

Strengthen lessons learned in school Strengthen lessons learned in school while applying them alongside while applying them alongside professionals professionals

Often an Often an expectationexpectation for many for many graduate programs and jobsgraduate programs and jobs

Internships—some optionsInternships—some options

Idealist.org – Idealist.org – Community search Community search engineengine

cgcareers.org - cgcareers.org - Common Good Common Good Careers Careers

Twc.edu - Twc.edu - The Washington Center The Washington Center

Mission-Based-Massachusetts - Mission-Based-Massachusetts - yahoo philanthropic groupyahoo philanthropic group

Career.uml.edu – Career.uml.edu – Career Links – Career Links – paid and unpaid internships availablepaid and unpaid internships available

VolunteeringVolunteering

Employers are 95% more likely Employers are 95% more likely to hire a recent graduate who to hire a recent graduate who has professional experience” has professional experience”

www.mvhub.com - www.mvhub.com - database for database for Merrimack Valley nonprofitsMerrimack Valley nonprofits

www.uml.edu/clubs -www.uml.edu/clubs -Reach Out Reach Out RiverHawkRiverHawk

www.americorps.govwww.americorps.gov www.peacecorps.govwww.peacecorps.gov

1

1 Study done by the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE)

Networking: Make the most of Networking: Make the most of professional developmentprofessional development

Young Nonprofit Professionals Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN)Network (YNPN)

Internship/Job PostingsInternship/Job Postings Networking eventsNetworking events Trainings/Workshops (professional Trainings/Workshops (professional

development)development)

LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com – LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com – online worldwide social online worldwide social networking sitenetworking site

1 “The 10 Worst Mistakes of First-Time Job Hunters” by Kelly Eggers

1

Student GainsStudent Gains

ExperienceExperience KnowledgeKnowledge Confidence/Self-esteemConfidence/Self-esteem NetworksNetworks Resume buildersResume builders Transferable skillsTransferable skills Well roundednessWell roundedness

Career ServicesCareer Services

328 Southwick Hall328 Southwick Hall

(978) 934-2355(978) 934-2355

career.uml.educareer.uml.edu

Dana NortonDana Norton

Career ServicesCareer Services

Individual Career Counseling Individual Career Counseling AppointmentsAppointments

Career assessments (MBTI, Focus, Career assessments (MBTI, Focus, SkillScan)SkillScan)

Career explorationCareer exploration Resume/cover letter assistanceResume/cover letter assistance Interview preparation/practice Interview preparation/practice

interviewsinterviews Graduate school consultationGraduate school consultation

Career ServicesCareer Services

Website: career.uml.eduWebsite: career.uml.edu

What Can I Do With This Major?What Can I Do With This Major? FOCUSFOCUS O’NETO’NET CareerLINK (online job/internship/co-op CareerLINK (online job/internship/co-op

listings)listings) Hot News (information, Hot News (information,

announcements, events)announcements, events) How-to ArticlesHow-to Articles Career VideosCareer Videos

Career ServicesCareer Services EventsEvents

Career fairsCareer fairs Workshops (career fair prep, Workshops (career fair prep,

interviewing, etc.)interviewing, etc.) Employer info sessions/on-campus Employer info sessions/on-campus

interviewinginterviewing Dine & Dress for SuccessDine & Dress for Success Daily drop-in hours (posted on Daily drop-in hours (posted on

career.uml.edu)career.uml.edu)

Career ServicesCareer Services

Career ResearchCareer Research Indeed.com:Indeed.com:

set up set up alertsalerts to research jobs in to research jobs in industries of interestindustries of interest

Idealist.org:Idealist.org: information & jobs pertaining to non-profit information & jobs pertaining to non-profit

sectorssectors American Psychological American Psychological

Association:Association: research careers in Psychologyresearch careers in Psychology www.apa.orgwww.apa.org

career.uml.edu:career.uml.edu: Click on “What Can I Do With This Major” Click on “What Can I Do With This Major”

and then “Links”and then “Links”

What kinds of careers are What kinds of careers are related to my degree in related to my degree in psychology?psychology?

Human ServicesHuman Services ResearchResearch EducationEducation Human ResourcesHuman Resources Business & IndustryBusiness & Industry

Massachusetts Graduate Massachusetts Graduate ProgramsPrograms

Many MA, MS and Ph.D. Many MA, MS and Ph.D. programs statewideprograms statewide

Counseling, Education, Clinical Counseling, Education, Clinical Psychology, Social WorkPsychology, Social Work

Statewide website list will be Statewide website list will be posted on the CAST websiteposted on the CAST website

Or you can contact Alice Frye Or you can contact Alice Frye (alice_frye@uml.edu)(alice_frye@uml.edu)

SampleSample

UMass Lowell http://www.uml.edu/catalog/

graduate/colleges/fahss/psychology/master.htm

MA in Community Social Psychology

Join the psychology club!Join the psychology club!

For more information, visit the For more information, visit the psychology website at psychology website at

http://www.uml.edu/FAHSS/http://www.uml.edu/FAHSS/psychology/default.htmlpsychology/default.html