Changing Majors...

[Aeradalia]

I'm really not wanting to be a counselor per se... rather, I just like psychology and would like to blend that with my natural tendencies toward administration.

[IndiReloaded]

You mean working in an office? LOL, well, yes some psych training could be helpful for at least recognizing the crazies you'll get to work with. Actually helping them, tho, not so much. I learned that lesson years ago.

D, an undergrad degree these days is more about demonstrating you can stick with and complete something. The subject is mostly irrelevant, unless you are planning to become an academic in that particular field. Picking something you enjoy just makes it a bit easier.

[doppelgaenger]

If you want to do admin stuff, continue with your accounting.

[Aeradalia]

I guess it all boils down to the main point that this is my life... I only have so many decades (assuming I don't die along the way) and I'd rather spend it waking each morning actually liking my job... I doubt I have the temperament to help people with their problems, I mean I fail on a forum such as this, but I am captivated by the study of psychology. I am naturally analytical and tend to be placed in administrative roles at previous employments, in friendships, and with family. I don't have the full understanding yet, but I know there is a way I can understand psychology through and through and coordinate its use... much like a school needs teachers to coordinate how a lesson is shared with others.

[Mish]

If you want to study Psychology for yourself Dalia (and not for work purposes so much), I guess one question to ask yourself is if you really need to go to uni for it at all? A lot of good books and literature are available and will cost you a lot less (and probably provide you with a lot more value) than the course. In the course mostly what they do is analyse theories from books anyway of people like Goleman and Bandura. Most of our HR course for MBA for example was dissection of the work from authors of modern social cognitive theory. I don't understand why someone can't simply study their work from the comfort of their own home.

[Aeradalia]

I'm not going to win at this am I?

If I stick with accounting I'll be miserable but it's the sensible thing to do... or I could follow my interests and waste money when I could learn it all from the comfort of my own home... right?

Rather than tell me what I shouldn't do.. how about some suggestions on what I could do?

[lovesjoyajm]

I don't think you need to decide between studying something you like and being able to support yourself. I don't have the experience to tell you what employers are looking for, but I think, along the lines of what Indi said, the point of getting an education (in the form of a degree) isn't to prove to potential employers that you're an expert in XXX and should be employed in XXX; but rather, to learn how to work effectively, function in a team, etc. Life skills. Of course, some degrees lend themselves to specific careers, but a psychology major does not in ANY way pin you down to a career as a psychologist/clinical worker of any kind. Unless you spend 10 years and get a PhD in the field.

Why don't you get a degree in psychology, like you said, and double major or minor in something that you think might be useful for a career later? Like business, marketing, communications... any of those sorts of things. (Math has proved useful for me.)

[starbuck]

I think you should go for the path that you feel will make you happy (or at least less unhappy) in your career. Have some fall back skills as well, but if you're already bored with accounting, think of how you'll feel about it ten or twenty years down the line.

[Lipp]

Rather than tell me what I shouldn't do.. how about some suggestions on what I could do?

Behavioral economics?
Bit of both worlds.

[Mish]

Rather than tell me what I shouldn't do.. how about some suggestions on what I could do?

I hear you Dalia. But I can't give you suggestions because my interests are different to yours. Personally, I would definitely not do accounting because it's the opposite of my personality and I'd fail simply because of my dangerous disinterest. I'm lucky that I chose a career I like and I'm competent in, but I'm planning to expand it in the future which is why I'm doing the MBA. I would recommend doing an MBA because it gives you an opportunity to sample different areas of business (Marketing, Finance, HR) and network with people who could later help you to find work. But the course is demanding and it may not be what you like.

If I did psychology (another area I'm interested in) I would first see what are the practical areas where I will be able to implement my experience before starting the course. For example what the market is like for counselors or organisational psychologists? I would do some reflection on WHY I would like to learn psychology. Is it just for myself or is it because I have a deep interest to help others? If I did psychology it would probably be because I'm interested to increase well being of other people, if that was my motivation I'd look for work places which would help me help others to the best of my abilities and then look at my chances of getting a job in those places once I'm qualified. I'd probably go for interviews in those places before starting the course to see what requirements they have for people in these positions and what their policies are in helping students with work experience.

[AdminOnline]

Like what sb said, go with something you are happy / comfortable with.. having study/work in a field you do not like...only make life more miserable in the long run.

[doppelgaenger]

I am getting a BA degree in German and I minored in art. If I chose to not become a teacher, the beginning of my career would probably have nothing to do with German.
I am getting teaching certification though.

[vashti]

Aeradalia, I don't know what exactly your idea of case management is, but in the health field, it doesn't sound like you would be utilizing the skills you think. Case managers in the hospital are interested in getting patients OUT, and they arrange for things like home health care, long term placement, physical therapy, special equipment, etc. Also, the have to have a bachelor's degree (at least, in most hospitals) plus experience working as a nurse. Our case managers also work for our psych unit, and do similar things. I don't know what other kinds of case workers do...

Have you looked into what sort of place might employ you? I suggest you look in to job shadowing for a day to get an realistic idea of what you'd be doing.

Yes, it IS great to have a job you love, but it's called "work" (and not "fun") for a reason... i think a better goal would be to find a field you can excel in (which will give you a source of self-esteem) which will also pay your bills. It's hard to feel good about yourself if you can't find work or if you are seriously struggling to get by.

[IndiReloaded]

Update: Here, I told you so. The medicos are out of control. Let nurses and grandmas decide b/t the whingers and the actual nuts.

[url=http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Psychiatry+bible+could+list+disorders/2952033/story.html]Psychiatry's 'bible' could list new set of disorders[/url]

This one was brilliant. If you are bitter, then you have a mental disorder. I think that would be 95% of the posters here on LF:

[url]http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Bitterness+touted+sanctioned+mental+disorder/1650895/story.html[/url]