By: Paige Scofield
Campus Life Editor

Western offers a wide variety of degrees that students can major in, many of which students don’t know are offered, or know next to nothing about. This week, take a look at what receiving a Bachelor of Science in psychology entails, and the fields of work it can lead to.

Jaremy Calderon is a junior at Western, who is currently in the process of receiving a degree in psychology.

“End goal, career-wise, I want to work with the youth of the LGBTQ+ community, within a mental health setting,” said Calderon. “Whether that’s like a therapist or a counselor, I just want to make sure that queer youth feel very positive and good about their identity and where they fit in the world. Once I get established enough, I would like to open up an organization that does pro bono work with queer youth of color. Since people of color and queer people of color have barriers to mental health help.”

When asked what his favorite thing about being a psychology major is, Calderon replied, “I like that I get knowledge about how the human mind works. I feel like being a psych major has really improved my communication and being able to understand people. I feel like it utilizes the empathy and wanting to understand people and help people that I already have, and it’s giving me those skills so I can actually do it better and make an actual difference in people’s lives.”

According to Western’s website, “The Psychology degree is designed to provide the student a broadly based program in behavioral science.
The psychology major may be pursued as a component of a general liberal arts background, as preparation for a variety of service oriented occupations, or as a basis for graduate study in psychology and related fields.”

In 2011, Western’s psychology department surveyed graduates from the psychology program between 2001-2010, to see the variety of jobs the alumni have acquired.

“Former students were employed in a variety of occupational fields with diverse job titles including social worker, geriatric care manager, adolescent counselor, attorney, teacher, registered nurse and physician’s assistant,” states Western’s website. “When asked about further education, 38% of Alumni reported that they were in the process of or had completed further education, with the majority completing a Master’s degree. Receiving a degree in psychology prepared alumni to succeed in diverse graduate programs in social work, clinical/counseling, education, business, law, and medical fields.”

Western’s psychology major is a degree that gives students the opportunity to explore the different fields they wish to pursue.

When asked what he liked about the department, Calderon replied, “All of the psych teachers that I’ve had here have been amazing and great and thoughtful and they really care. My advisor Dr. Strapp is amazing, she’s always there for me, always willing to help. I can walk into her office and I know she’s going to be there for me.”

Contact the author at journalcampuslife@wou.edu