Each course I have taken while earning my BA in Psychology has prioritized real-world application by focusing on the 5 programmatic themes of career connections, ethics, emotional intelligence, social justice, and self-care.
My assignments highlighting career connections will be beneficial to any occupation I choose. I have learned the importance of setting goals and keeping a growth mindset in pursuit of them. Whatever career or position I find myself in, I will be able to communicate my needs, understand and respect the boundaries of other personalities, and comprehend the different paths to motivating myself and others. These skills will help me manage and advance my career, and if the need arises, be able to lead others under my management.
The focus on ethics in my BA program has been enlightening and especially relevant to daily living and workplace success. Encountering complex decisions is unavoidable, but an in-depth understanding of the different viewpoints, such as the rights, common good, or virtue viewpoint, steers me in making the appropriate choices and understanding choices or rules that I do not agree with. My assignments focusing on ethical statements taught me how drastically different values may be among organizations and the importance of adhering to these guidelines. My gained knowledge of psychology and ethics enables me to take other perspectives, respect what I do not understand, and reconcile my morals with ethical decision-making, allowing me to further my career while promoting my well-being.
Many BA course assignments prompted me to consider how a task applied to a programmatic theme, to which emotional intelligence would always be an appropriate answer. I cannot overstate the relevance of EI to every aspect of life. My assignments have emphasized that EI consists of buildable skills that we can improve upon, encouraging self-reflection and personal growth. These skills are critical to all my interactions, relationships, and communication within the workplace. I have learned that my self-awareness and self-control will be determining factors in building connections, collaborating with others, and will increase my chances of succeeding within my chosen career. Equally important, my awareness of others, empathy, and ability to adapt will be critical to navigating all workplace scenarios, working with others, and respecting boundaries, allowing me to achieve my career goals.
My assignments focusing on social justice will help me develop my professional identity. I have learned how the unique combination of my personal and social identities, influenced by my values, will shape my thoughts and behaviors, guiding my career decisions and creating my professional identity. In-depth studies of how societal issues have developed and how they are perpetuated have shown me how critical diversity, equity, and inclusivity are to challenging them, and how my actions can be an advocacy mission. This focus has now deeply ingrained these qualities into my own identity, striving to insert them into my living and workplace interactions and encouraging them in others. These qualities will dictate the kind of company I want to work for, what type of ethics I will abide by, and the professional goals I set.
Studying self-care in my BA program will be beneficial to my professional identity. Assignments that have emphasized this programmatic theme have taught me the need to integrate self-care into my life, socially, personally, and professionally. Acknowledging my emotional and mental needs, managing stress and expectations, and avoiding burn-out will be priorities throughout my career, facilitated by my self-care. Learning how these skills promote my well-being will allow me to set realistic goals, handle disappointment, and increase my chances of occupational success.