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Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Old Aug 9th 2017, 2:09 am
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Question Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Hi!

I was wondering about how easy it is as an English graduate with a 2:1 degree to get a foot in the door in the U.S? I was looking at both post-graduate degrees, such as a Masters, or an internship.

My degree is (or was) in Psychology, and I know the U.S. is far further in terms of accepting psychology into the mainstream and having a wide range of opportunities. Because of this, I'd like to get a taste of this for myself, for just a year or so, perhaps.

I have experience in the mental health field from working in a psychiatric ward, as well as working with vulnerable people, which I hope will separate me aside from having a good degree.

Anyone have any information?
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Old Aug 9th 2017, 2:32 am
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

I'd go for the Masters in the USA.

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Old Aug 9th 2017, 3:23 am
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Might want to head over to TIO.

Agree with the Master route, seems the obvious option.
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Old Aug 9th 2017, 5:10 pm
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Foot in the door to do what?

I know of two Psychology graduates who struggled to get a decent job with their degrees - one eventually obtained a Social Worker type job, the other is working retail.

Being regarded as a somewhat 'soft option', without a Masters in this field, this degree does not offer the same opportunities as STEM degrees.
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Old Aug 9th 2017, 5:12 pm
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Originally Posted by SanDiegogirl
Foot in the door to do what?

I know of two Psychology graduates who struggled to get a decent job with their degrees - one eventually obtained a Social Worker type job, the other is working retail.

Being regarded as a somewhat 'soft option', without a Masters in this field, this degree does not offer the same opportunities as STEM degrees.
I agree with this assessment. Everyone I know who has a psych degree has struggled to attain employment related to it. Granted, they don't have a master's.
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Old Aug 9th 2017, 5:33 pm
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

The 4 Social Workers that I know personally all have degrees in either Psychology or Criminal Justice (not sure about the second one and how it qualifies you to be a Social Worker, but still) - and none of them actually want to be Social Workers.

YMMV I guess, but I am not sure it's as 'in vogue' as the OP thinks it is.
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Old Aug 9th 2017, 5:41 pm
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Originally Posted by chrolloswaifu
.... I know the U.S. is far further in terms of accepting psychology into the mainstream and having a wide range of opportunities. .....
Maybe in the Hollywood version of America, but outside of New York City and some parts of the West Coast, I think across most of the US, you'll find that anyone in "need" of a psychologist is, much as in the UK, likely to be told by friends and family that they "need to get their $4!t together!"

A good bit of the reason for this is that medical insurance has very little coverage for mental health issues, and there is little or no public funding available in the US for anything but the most extreme mental health issues, so funding for a psychologist has to come directly out of someone's pocket.

Last edited by Pulaski; Aug 9th 2017 at 5:44 pm.
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Old Aug 9th 2017, 6:45 pm
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Originally Posted by Pulaski
Maybe in the Hollywood version of America, but outside of New York City and some parts of the West Coast, I think across most of the US, you'll find that anyone in "need" of a psychologist is, much as in the UK, likely to be told by friends and family that they "need to get their $4!t together!"

A good bit of the reason for this is that medical insurance has very little coverage for mental health issues, and there is little or no public funding available in the US for anything but the most extreme mental health issues, so funding for a psychologist has to come directly out of someone's pocket.
This
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Old Aug 10th 2017, 3:01 pm
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Welcome to BE.

My 2 cents

Stick to areas that pay the highest property tax as those will have the best mental care services for the community. Adult mental health is underfunded and as the other posters have mentioned it comes directly out of the pocket of the patient.

Best bet is to work on a masters in juvenile or children and then work in a juvie or a school in a liberal/progressive area with exorbitant property tax and high income areas as rich people tend to care about their kids (Scarsdale,NY Harrison NY, Chappaqua NY, Guilford CT)

These jobs are not given away freely and your masters degree or bachelors degree is only part of the game. You will still need to network in the community by volunteering attending events, participating in church stuff and getting your name out there. It is not easy, not to disparage you, but out of 5 psych degree people I know in the U.S. 2 are stay at home mums 1 works in a school the other is a secretary the other one the last i heard she was going though mental problems of her own.
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Old Aug 10th 2017, 3:05 pm
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Originally Posted by Dominic0012
Welcome to BE.

These jobs are not given away freely and your masters degree or bachelors degree is only part of the game. You will still need to network in the community by volunteering attending events, participating in church stuff and getting your name out there. It is not easy, not to disparage you, but out of 5 psych degree people I know in the U.S. 2 are stay at home mums 1 works in a school the other is a secretary the other one the last i heard she was going though mental problems of her own.
For some reason that is vaguely amusing.
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Old Aug 10th 2017, 5:55 pm
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Originally Posted by Dominic0012
Welcome to BE.

My 2 cents

Stick to areas that pay the highest property tax as those will have the best mental care services for the community. Adult mental health is underfunded and as the other posters have mentioned it comes directly out of the pocket of the patient.

Best bet is to work on a masters in juvenile or children and then work in a juvie or a school in a liberal/progressive area with exorbitant property tax and high income areas as rich people tend to care about their kids (Scarsdale,NY Harrison NY, Chappaqua NY, Guilford CT)
.
Guilford? That's a strange choice!
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Old Aug 10th 2017, 7:21 pm
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

The prison service is another area to look at. Extremely stressful work but the only mental health people being employed in our area.
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Old Aug 10th 2017, 9:57 pm
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Originally Posted by Nutmegger
Guilford? That's a strange choice!
I thought Guilford had a very good town budget?

Anyway the key is to look at areas which run a surplus and have a large pool or taxpayers paying into social services.

The U.S. is strange especially CT as the state is decentralised so each hamlet deals with tax and how it is spent.

Some areas like Guilford, Stratford,Darien have a decent budget and can afford better social services for the community than say Hartford or Bridgeport right now.
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Old Aug 10th 2017, 9:59 pm
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Originally Posted by wisygreen
The prison service is another area to look at. Extremely stressful work but the only mental health people being employed in our area.
This is also a good idea OP. As you may not have heard the U.S. imprison the most people in the world so this could be a good area for you to specialize in. The difference here is you then need to look at the state budgets instead of the local budgets as again the more progressive areas tend to have the better rehabilitation programs.
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Old Aug 10th 2017, 10:07 pm
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Default Re: Graduate opportunities in the US, from the UK (Psychology)

Originally Posted by Dominic0012
I thought Guilford had a very good town budget?

Anyway the key is to look at areas which run a surplus and have a large pool or taxpayers paying into social services.

The U.S. is strange especially CT as the state is decentralised so each hamlet deals with tax and how it is spent.

Some areas like Guilford, Stratford,Darien have a decent budget and can afford better social services for the community than say Hartford or Bridgeport right now.

Out of the places you cite, only Darien is upper crust -- the folks there certainly wouldn't send their kids to someone who worked for local government if they needed some assistance. Though I find your plan for the OP to find employment a little odd -- a taxpayer-funded job isn't going to hire someone who needs to be sponsored for a visa, plus psychology is the fall-back degree that everyone and his brother gets in the US (though that could have changed, it was certainly the case when I knew lots of people in college!).
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