A Psychology Degree Course Is Applicable To A Variety Of Disciplines

Usually, when someone tells you they’re studying psychology, you think they are planning a career in mental health. That’s not always the case. Other industries need people who have some expertise in this behavioral science. For example, public relations (PR) is one occupation where knowledge of this discipline provides some highly valuable tools. Search for information about school scholarships to take the path towards a bright future.

Like advertising, public relations is all about media manipulation. Unlike advertising, PR tries to do this without have to pay directly for it. This can be anywhere from movie studios setting up film screenings in order to get movie critics to write about their latest cinematic spectacular to a politician grandstanding about a national issue.

The idea is to get both the media, and therefore the public, to spend valuable time on whatever the public relations administrator wants them to say. Even one or two minutes in a major media source saves thousands upon thousands of dollars that would otherwise been used in advertising.

Psychology comes in handy because knowledge of human and consumer behavior gives a PR manager the knowledge to help spread their message effectively.  They can shape and distribute messages in ways that should cause interest in whatever they literally are selling. For instance, whether it’s Sarah Palin or Barrack Obama, you better believe someone with courses in psychology looks over every speech they make before it’s delivered. Study reports about college psychology programs to make an informed decision before entering college.

This also doesn’t mean any student must get a BS in Psychology. Quite frankly, they can do just as well with degrees in the likes of market research, various forms of media or even a liberal arts core. Yet if you examine the academic backgrounds of the majority of successful PR administrators, you’ll see the vast majority of them had taken more than a handful of courses in the subject.

And what’s really outstanding is the need for more public relations account managers is growing at a spectacular rate.  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are slightly over 275,000 people employed in the field as of 2008. The Bureau estimates that there will be a need for an additional 66,000 more “flacks” by 2018. That’s a 24% increase, over double the growth rate for white collar professionals. Students should research school scholarships to build a foundation for a successful career.

Wages are highly dependent on whether you work for an outside agency or inside a corporation. Those on the outside usually earn a commission on top of their base salary. Those on the inside tend to make a flat salary. As of 2008, the average annual wage was $51,000 a year. An account manager with a solid stable of clients can easily double their base salary thanks to those commissions.

Still, a person who plans a career in this field should always remember that the main goal of public relations is to make the public react in a way that’s favorable for your client.  Classes at colleges in psychology will provide you with some major tools in your marketing and public relations arsenal.  When you think about it, you’re marketing yourself when you apply for scholarship and grant opportunities; you might just be a natural!