Educational psychologist jobs include school counselors, psychology professors, and educational research psychologists. These types of psychologists typically choose an area of interest in the field of education and hone their skills to dovetail with a career in that area. The basic requirements for becoming a psychologist usually remain the same, regardless of special interest areas, while an emphasis on coursework in that area helps strengthen skill sets.
School psychologists work with student populations to promote self-esteem, academic success, and conflict resolution. The psychologist generally works within a defined age group, such as children, pre-teens, or adolescents. Some educational psychologists work within a large school system, while others are assigned to a particular school and its students. Individual students as well as student groups meet with the school psychologist for anti-drug, anti-bully, and other programs promoting mental and emotional health. Evaluation of students for special academic needs and working with the parent population are also the responsibility of most school psychologists.
Behavioral and learning problems are often referred to the school psychologist. Teachers, administrators, and law enforcement agencies rely on educational psychologists to present information about student behaviors and how they relate to the student. The psychologist may also be called on to suggest solutions for such students.
Educational psychologist jobs are not just in school counseling. Many educational psychologists choose to instruct future psychologists. A psychologist in training, who desires to become a school psychologist, takes classes such as student management and behavioral interventions. One option for an educational psychologist career is to teach those courses. Many regions only require a master's degree in psychology to teach psychology coursework.
Research psychologists specializing in education research may provide a valuable service to educators. Such researchers study various student responses to different issues in education and compile data to be used for future decisions. Research psychologists conduct experiments, analyze prior data, and try to draw conclusions based on scientific fact. Research is a good choice in educational psychologist jobs for those who wish to work in education but not necessarily with students.
The future of educational psychologist jobs may be good, according to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics. There will always be students to work with. Research is an ongoing field, and there will likely be a continuing need for college professors in the field of psychology.