Applied psychology refers to the study of human behavior and the use of psychological methods and findings to solve practical problems associated with this behavior such as health, workplace or education issues.
This field of psychology developed from roots in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. Since then, various types of applied psychology have emerged including clinical, industrial-organizational, educational, forensic and public service, climate and environmental, and media psychology.
Here, we’ll delve into the main types of applied psychology, the applied psychology degrees on offer at University of Phoenix, and the career paths that these degrees align with.
Types of Applied Psychology
1. Clinical Psychology
Clinical psychology involves the use of psychological practices and theories to help an individual change the way they think or behave. Practitioners may offer a clinical psychology practice to:
- Help individuals resolve issues relating to emotion, thinking or behavior
- Help individuals develop healthy responses to conflict or stress
- Help individuals treat conditions like PTSD and addiction
- Play a role in research that may develop new mental health treatments
Clinical psychology originated in private practices, but many public health and social welfare organizations now use clinical psychology practices in their applications, too.
2. Industrial-Organizational Psychology
Industrial-organizational psychology examines how individuals behave in a workplace, focusing on the ways that individuals and teams approach and tackle challenges and opportunities. Those who specialize in industrial-organizational psychology can help businesses:
- Improve employee motivation
- Assess and improve employee training and business protocols
- Survey employees to identify their psychological needs and assess their wellbeing
- Optimize hiring processes.
An organization’s culture impacts its productivity and, by extension, its overall success. Therefore, exploring industrial-organizational psychology within an organization can uncover the changes the management team needs to make to meet goals.
3. Educational Psychology
Teachers use educational psychology to help them develop curriculums and guide students through their learning journeys. They must understand learning theories to grasp the psychology of their pupils and identify the best ways to help them learn. Teachers and other individuals in the education space may employ educational psychology to:
- Improve learning outcomes in their educational environment
- Outline and improve educational development for students who have special needs
- Partake in research to develop learning theories and progress student outcomes
Although educational psychology is essential to classroom teaching methods, this type of applied psychology is relevant on a much wider educational scale.
4. Forensic and Public Service Psychology
Forensic and public service psychology is a broad field in which experts carry out psychology practices relating to legal issues. For example, psychologists may:
- Assess the threat that a paroled inmate could have on society
- Provide a testimonial on the mental condition of a party involved in a legal case
- Identify which individual is the best fit for a public service position, such as a firefighter or police officer role
- Support veterans through trauma-related mental health challenges
The law may have a major focus on physical evidence, but forensic and public service psychology specialists examine psychological evidence, which is also essential in this space.
5. Climate and Environmental Psychology
Climate and environmental psychology examines the impact of human behavior on the environment and the ways that we react to the environment. Those who specialize in climate and environmental psychology may:
- Assess the psychological relationships between people and environmental factors such as time of day or seasonality
- Research effective ways to communicate environmental concerns and solutions
- Conceptualize methods to improve environmentally sustainable practices
Given humanity’s profound effect on the environment, this type of applied psychology is essential to future-facing research into how we can protect the world.
6. Media Psychology
Media psychology encompasses research undertaken to understand the relationship between media technologies and the human mind. Those who work in the media psychology arena may:
- Introduce new technologies into educational and traditional clinical practices
- Research the impact that media technologies can have on human behavior, cognition and development, not to mention wider society
- Draw up laws, standards and regulations that govern media
- Collaborate with media personnel to connect with audiences more effectively
Media psychology is especially prominent in the modern world from social and web media to television and radio media.
University of Phoenix’s Applied Psychology Degrees
Completing a degree in applied psychology can help students qualify for a rewarding, stimulating career that supports society. These are the applied psychology degrees available at University of Phoenix and the careers that align with these degrees.
Psychology Bachelor’s Degrees
A Bachelor of Science degree program in Industrial-Organizational Psychology can help individuals pursue careers as training and development specialists, human resources specialists, program managers, employee development specialists and personnel analysts.
Meanwhile, a Bachelor of Science degree program in Applied Psychology With a Concentration in Media and Technology can help individuals pursue careers as market research specialists, communications specialists and compliance coordinators.
Psychology Master’s Degrees
A Master of Science degree program in Industrial-Organizational Psychology can help individuals pursue careers as employee relations managers, human resources operations managers, development managers, management consultants, organizational consultants and psychology instructors.
On the other hand, a Master of Science degree program in Psychology can help individuals pursue careers as psychology instructors, compliance managers and regulatory affairs managers.
Learn more about University of Phoenix’s online psychology degrees.
About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix progresses its adult and nontraditional learners’ educational goals and guides students as they navigate the career options and degree programs that best suit their interests. The University’s degree programs connect with plentiful in-demand career paths including in cybersecurity, nursing and business, and their flexible start dates, online classes and numerous scholarship opportunities allow anyone to earn the degrees without putting their lives on hold. Furthermore, University of Phoenix’s Career Services for Life® commitment provides active students and graduates with the resources needed to be prepared when entering the workforce for no additional charge. These services include resume and interview support, career guidance and education and networking opportunities. Learn more by visiting www.phoenix.edu.
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