Psychology at Sweet Briar

 

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PREPARING FOR A CAREER IN THE 21st CENTURY

Today's college student must learn the skills necessary to adapt to new and ever-changing work situations because the average American will hold seven jobs during his/her lifetime in the 21st century. A degree from the psychology department equips you with more than just the ability to find and hold a job; it enables you to choose the career that fits you best, excel in that career, and change careers when you are ready. Our graduates are able to include the following abilities on their resumes if they take full advantage of their curricular and extracurricular opportunities. These are the skills that employers value in employees and are the same skills that distinguish a liberally educated individual from a person who has been vocationally trained.

Manage time and stress effectively.

Identify, analyze, and solve problems.

Work as a productive member of a team.

Speak and write clearly and persuasively.

Think logically, critically, and creatively.

Conduct research using the scientific method.

Collect, analyze, and interpret statistical data.

Deal effectively with a wide variety of people.

Behave in a mature, stable, and flexible manner.

Report the results of research in a professional manner.

Use computers to organize and solve complex problems.

Hold high ethical standards and expect the same of others.

Exhibit high levels of motivation, enthusiasm, and initiative.

Adjust well to organizational rules, procedures, and traditions.

Locate and integrate information from a wide variety of sources.

Sweet Briar offers a wide selection of learning situations, not all of which occur within the classroom. Potential employers are impressed with students who have extended their education beyond the classroom, and often rank academically relevant work experience at the top of the list of characteristics they seek in new employees. Students who have acquired interpersonal, analytical, and decision-making are more likely to attain rewarding employment after graduation than those who have limited their education to the classroom.