Student FAQs

Listed below are just a few of the possibilities for employment once you receive your degree:

• Advertising Copywriter
• Advertising Manager
• Affirmative Action Officer
• Alcohol Counseling
• Clergy Member
• Community Relations Officer
• Consumer Affairs Director
• Counselor
• Customs Inspector
• Daycare Center Supervisor
• Director of Volunteer Service
• Health Educator
• Laboratory Assistant
• Management Trainee
• Manager/Employee Welfare
• Market Research Analyst
• Media Buyer
• Newspaper Reporter
• Opinion Survey Researcher
• Personnel Administrator
• Personnel Manager
• Police Officer
• Placement Director
• Prisoner-Classification Interviewer
• Probation and Parole Officer
• Psychiatric Assistant
• Public Relations Representative
• Public Statistician
• Recreation Director
• Sales Representative
• Scientific Instrument Salesperson
• Social Worker
• Technical Writer
• Urban Planning Officer
• Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
• Writer

Remember that this is just a brief list of the opportunities that abound! Talk with a Psychology Faculty Member about career options.

Psychology degrees from Washington State University prepare students to enter the job market in a wide variety of fields when teamed up with an adequate minor. Keep in mind your future goals when choosing a degree. The program is designed for those who: (a) wish to study psychology as part of a liberal education; (b) plan to use their training in related vocations such as the professions, governmental organizations, business and industry, and psychological services; and/or (c) are preparing for graduate work in psychology.

Clinical and counseling psychologists engage in similar activities, including practice, research, teaching, consultation, and administration.Clinical psychologists tend to work with more severely disturbed populations, whereas counseling psychologists tend to work with less pathological populations and conduct more vocational assessments. Thus, clinical psychologists are more likely to work at settings such as inpatient hospitals and VA centers, whereas counseling psychologists are more likely to work in university counseling centers.

To prepare for graduate school you should work closely with a faculty member. Graduate schools typically look for students who have: (a) research experience and clinical experience; (b) GRE scores above 1100; (c) grade point averages above 3.0. In addition, some students find it beneficial to get experience through a practicum (working in the community).

For research opportunities, almost all faculty members in the Psychology Department have undergraduate research assistants. Check out the faculty web pages for the interest areas and then talk to the faculty member whose research most closely matches your interest.For TA opportunities, check with your advisor, they will have a list of instructors who have mentioned they would like a TA. Also, check out the bulletin board on the second floor of Johnson Tower by the elevators, where some instructors post opportunities.

The Psychology Department does not offer internships during the summer. There are sometimes research and TA opportunities during the summer.

Before you can register each semester, you must meet with an advisor. Advising takes place in April (for Fall registration) and October (for Spring registration). Watch your email for more details.

The Bachelor of Science in Psychology requires a minimum of 35 credits of Psychology. Students are required to take a minimum of 10 credit hours of psychology in residence at Washington State University and must maintain a cumulative and Psychology GPA of 2.0. If you intend to waive the foreign language requirement at the college level, you must provide the Psychology Department with a high school transcript showing 2 years of foreign language or junior high transcript with 3 years completion.

For admission into the major, you must complete Psych 311 with a ‘C-‘or higher and have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.

The minor in Psychology may be added after you are admitted to your primary major. Psych 105 or Psych 198 is required. Students must complete 18 credit hours in Psych; of which at least 9 must be taken at WSU and at least 9 must be in letter-graded 300-400 level courses. Psychology courses must be taken for a letter grade, except for Psych 445, 497, 498 and 499. A minimum GPA of 2.00 or higher is required in all coursework used for the minor.

The Writing Portfolio is a mid-career diagnostic to determine if your writing abilities are ready to handle the challenges of your Writing-in-the-Major [M] Courses and other upper-division courses that assign writing. Please visit: the Writing Portfolio website for complete instructions on completing this requirement.

UCORE requirements were developed to help students achieve WSU’s Learning Goals and Outcomes. Four broad categories are divided into ten requirements; only approved classes will fulfill them. Match courses in the WSU Catalog to UCORE requirements. Of the 34 total credits, only three, three-credit courses may be taken within the major. For complete details, please visit the UCORE Requirements handbook website.

UCORE applies to new freshmen students who enter WSU in fall 2012 and after.

Transfer students who enter WSU fall 2012 through summer 2013 will follow the current General Education Requirements.

By definition, transfer students are students who earned ANY amount of credits after high school, excluding summer. Students who earned credit while still in high school are freshman.

Current students will continue to follow the General Education Requirements as outlined in the 2011-12 catalog.

There are a number of steps undergraduates must take in order to graduate and participate in commencement. Please refer to WSU’s Commencement web page for more information.