Psychology / Sociology / Anthropology

Jean Wynn, PhD
Department Chair
Phone: 860-512-2784

Psychology

Psychology is an exciting and diverse field. Psychologists study questions that are inherently fascinating:

• Why are some people shy while others are outgoing and aggressive?
• Why are some people rigidly moral while others appear to suffer no anxiety as a result of their deviance?
• Why are some forms of deviant behaviors termed mental illness while others are termed eccentric or even genius?
• Why do children learn to speak and understand language quite easily while adults experience great difficulty?
• How are cognitive processes affected by racial, ethnic, and gender-based prejudices?
• Which of our cognitive, sexual, and perceptual traits are shared with other species such as monkeys, rats, and horseshoe crabs?

The goal of understanding why we behave and feel as we do is a quest that continues to dominate scientific and social debate. Whether psychologists focus on neural structures and hormones that influence behavior, cognitive thought processes, or the impact that groups have on an individual's behavior, their goal is human understanding.

Career Opportunities

Psychology offers opportunities in research and applied areas. Many careers in the helping professions include psychology courses in their programs of study. A brief list appears here. For additional information, go to the websites shown below.

• Clinical/Counseling Psychologist (Ph.D./Psy.D.)
• Clinical/Counseling Psychology: Psychological Associate (M.A.)
• College Student Development Professional Counselor (Community, School)
• Creative Arts Therapist (Art, Dance, Drama, and Music Therapists)
• Health Education/Promotion Specialist
• Human Resource Development Specialist
• Occupational Therapist
• Rehabilitation Counselor/Psychologist
• School Psychologist
• Social Worker
• Special Education Teacher
• Speech Pathologist
• Therapeutic Recreation Specialist/Recreational Therapist

Psychology Links

The American Psychological Association’s Online Career Center
http://psyccareers.apa.org

The Occupational Outlook Handbook
http://www.bls.gov/oco/

Marky Lloyd's Careers in Psychology Page
http://www.psychwww.com/careers/index.htm

Practical Applications of Psychology in Daily Life
http://www.psychologymatters.org

Sociology

Sociology courses examine various historical and contemporary forces on individual and group experiences. Students analyze the dynamics of educational, political, cultural, religious and diverse social factors in a domestic and global context. Classes promote the critical awareness and analysis of social issues. Tools of exploration include the fundamentals of sociological theory and basic research methodology. Course structure encourages and sustains social reassessment, analysis and prediction.

Career Opportunities

Career opportunities for students of sociology include: Gerontology, human and social services, qualitative and quantitative research, community relations, and criminal justice. Future academic opportunities are possible in the fields of: law, economics, political science, education and anthropology.

Anthropology

Anthropology is the broad exploration of human behavior ranging from the study of cultural and social relations to human biology and evolution, to language, music, art and the remains of human habitation. It seeks answers to the illusive question of what it means to be human. Anthropology includes four broad fields: cultural anthropology, linguistics, physical anthropology and archaeology. Each of the four fields teaches distinctive skills and provides an exposure to and an understanding of differences in people, behaviors and ideas.

Career Opportunities

The material studied is intellectually stimulating and prepares students for excellent jobs and/or opens doors to various career paths by providing global information and thinking skills critical to succeeding in business, research, teaching, advocacy and public service in the 21st century. Since the economy is becoming more global and the workforces and markets increasingly more diverse, the necessity to understand differences in cultural practices is essential. Anthropology is the only contemporary discipline that approaches human questions from historical, biological, linguistic and cultural perspectives, thus providing an excellent foundation for understanding the contemporary world. Specific options include:

1. Academics: teaching and research not only in the department of anthropology but also other programs such as, schools of medicine, epidemiology, public health, ethnic studies, cultural studies, community or area studies, linguistics, education, ecology, cognitive psychology and neural science.
2. Corporations, Nonprofit Organizations, Non-governmental Organizations, and Federal, State and Local Government: anthropology offers many applications of anthropological knowledge and many corporations look explicitly for them recognizing the utility of their perspective on a corporate team. Growth occupations include contract archaeology and forensics.
3. In addition, anthropologists fill the range of career niches occupied by other social scientists. Most jobs filled by anthropologist do not mention the word anthropologist in the job announcement but the unique training and perspective enable them to compete successfully for these positions.