Work experience and next step

El2010

Hi,

I have a first class honours degree in Psychology, graduated in 2009. I am really interested in doing educational psychology. I have spent a year getting work experience part-time. I have worked in schools and as in a facilitator role. I interviewed for a course in ed psych already but I wasn't sucessful. I am trying to decide what to do next to further my chances. I am studying courses with ICEPE at the moment to get some education background on my c.v and also to help get voluntary work.
I have toyed with the idea of doing a masters this year in the area of developmental psych but I don't want to do a masters just for the sake of. Should I seriously be considering this option, to get postgrad research? Or should I be looking at research assistant positions? How would I go about this?
I am also interested in going to the U.S for a year to get experience. Does anyone know if i can get a paid internship or psych assistant position with just a bachelors degree?

Any information anyone could give me would be most appreciated. Thanks all!

Sofa so good

I find it ironic that someone who received a first class honours cannnot find out these few things themselves.

Odysseus

Sofa so good wrote: »

I find it ironic that someone who received a first class honours cannnot find out these few things themselves.

Very insightful and help full.

OP it's out of my field, have you tried people from your old college, I still speak to my old department head and some of the lectuerers around onging development and its nearly ten years done my masters. Other than that I'm sure they are one of two educational psych people who pop in and out of here, who would be in a better position to advise, any way best of luck with it.

beautyqueen1979

If you're interested in Ed Psych taking the route of gaining more experience would be preferable over a masters. You don't necessarily need a masters, and I would advise that you only do one if you were intensely interested in the area so you can keep up the motivation to complete it.
In my opinion the year it would take doing a master's full time would be better spent working full time in a setting working with children and young people, and perhaps adding another dimension to your c.v. with voluntary work.
No idea about what you need in the US however.

Congrats on gaining your psych degree last year Which Ed Psych courses have you been considering?

Sofa so good

Odysseus wrote: »

Very insightful and help full.

Surely if someone can obtain a first class honours degree their repertoire of skills should include the ability to identify a topic, research it and combine information on it.

For what it's worth, don't pursue a Masters for the sake of it.

This is how you spell helpful.

Valmont

Sofa so good wrote: »

I find it ironic that someone who received a first class honours cannnot find out these few things themselves.

You sound bitter. Sometimes I find that a good discussion can throw up more info than a google search.

I don't have much advice OP but if you find anything interesting, report it back here, I like to know as much about this sort of thing as I possibly can.

Sofa so good

I don't feel bitter, and as far as I'm aware I have never been called bitter so it's safe to say I'm not bitter.

True, a discussion can be useful, absolutely.

JuliusCaesar

Sofa so good wrote: »

the ability to identify a topic, research it and combine information on it..

OMG. There are so many topics that I'd like to research sometime, but if somebody asks me - I can't think of any. My interests are very divergent - there are many topics outside my field that I'd love to look into....but alas I have to stay within my speciality. Sometimes the topics within my speciality, while interesting to me, are of vanishing tiny interest to the community at large.

Sofa so good

JC, can you rephrase that, sorry, but I think the point may be lost on me?

Odysseus

Sofa so good wrote: »

Surely if someone can obtain a first class honours degree their repertoire of skills should include the ability to identify a topic, research it and combine information on it.

For what it's worth, don't pursue a Masters for the sake of it.

This is how you spell helpful.

OMG a typo, quick call the authorities, maybe people use this place as a sounding board for advice, that does not mean they do not possess the above skills.

Sofa so good

Did you just learn OMG recently?

Valmont

I think you may like this forum, Sofa.

Sofa so good

Thanks Valmont, but I hate it over there, so full of nonsense. I happen to have some interest in Psychology as it's my area of speciality. However, I have no interest in talking rubbish on the internet about whatever it is they discuss over there, thank you for the recommendation though.

That said I have little else to offer the OP apart from the apparently futile words above, but maybe some others can come on and assist them in their search.

JuliusCaesar

Back on topic or I'll lock the thread. El2010 asked a reasonable question, got an unhelpful answer and then the thread degenerated into squabbling. Sofa, stay on topic - there's no point to snide answers, just shut up if you can't contribute.

Sofa so good

Shut up?...Cool make your point JC, but no need to be rude....I still don't get your post above.....if it was meant to be sarcasm it's lost on me...

Cinful

El2010 wrote: »

I am also interested in going to the U.S for a year to get experience. Does anyone know if i can get a paid internship or psych assistant position with just a bachelors degree?

Just finished 4 year bachelors psych UCI in US. Internships for enrolled first. Others second. You're competing with enrolled masters and doc students for internships. Outsider with only honors at bottom of list. Non-university clinical jobs are begging. School counselor positions in school districts thin. School districts laying off staff and teachers now. Equivalent college positions mostly hiring freeze. Hate to pop your bubble. Recessionary crunch!

Have you published or co-published? Peer reviewed journals? Named on any research grants? If so, this would increase internship chances at a university.

Long run US: You can't do much with bachelors or masters here. Need Ph.D. or Psy.D.