Is a Degree in Psychology Useful?

[Julian gabriel]

I’m considering going to college for psychology. But I’m not sure if it would be useful for understanding the mind.

Because they probably won’t incorporate the transcendental and mystical aspects of the psyche. 
 

Do you think that a degree is psychology is useful for understanding the mind?

[Jannes]

It can certainly help but I think psychology is still mostly about the map and not the territory. Statistics won’t give you a sense and intelligence on how the psyche actually works. You can only gain that from observing your own psyche. But if you combine these two you might gain a lot from it. 

[puporing]

Good way to study the ego and how it defends itself... so you can let it go if you wanted or use it more intelligently...  (you don't really need a degree though per se).

Edited September 29, 2022 by puporing

[Carl-Richard]

On 30.9.2022 at 0:49 AM, Julian gabriel said:

I’m considering going to college for psychology. But I’m not sure if it would be useful for understanding the mind.

It truly is. Don't let any spiritual bypassers tell you otherwise.

 

On 30.9.2022 at 0:49 AM, Julian gabriel said:

Because they probably won’t incorporate the transcendental and mystical aspects of the psyche. 

I took a class in psychology of religion, and you can learn a lot about it there. It made my previous knowledge a bit more fleshed out and made me see more connections that I didn't see before. You'd be surprised how many of the great Western psychologists were genuinely interested in spirituality (William James, Abraham Maslow, Carl Jung, etc.).

Edited October 1, 2022 by Carl-Richard

[Jordan]

I have a really low opinion of school unless you want to use it for a job like a doctor. You can buy books and do your own research to learn more with less money and less time. 

[max duewel]

I have a bachelor's in psychology. In my humble opinion, it's not very useful for deepening your understanding of the mind. It's useful for learning to conduct research or for working in that field later. 

You realistically get a far better understanding of yourself and others by self-studying psychology.

[Arthogaan]

I had two courses: philosophy and social psychology during my economic studies and it was all pretty shallow. 

Edited September 30, 2022 by Arthogaan

[Nilsi]

You won't get any profound understanding of the mind in university. You can learn some of the basics and that's quite useful, especially if you plan to communicate your ideas or find work in that field, but as far as understanding goes, it leaves a lot to be desired.

[Jacobsrw]

On 30/9/2022 at 8:49 AM, Julian gabriel said:

I’m considering going to college for psychology. But I’m not sure if it would be useful for understanding the mind.

Because they probably won’t incorporate the transcendental and mystical aspects of the psyche. 
 

Do you think that a degree is psychology is useful for understanding the mind?

I mean it will give you a basic understanding of the human mind from a purely functional, materialistic perspective but you have to consider that psychology is now a science therefore philosophy and spirituality are secondary at best. It’s deep roots in philosophy are hardly acknowledged in our day and age.

Also consider that a degree in psychology may provide some career opportunities but it’s pretty limited unless you study post graduate, honours, masters and doctorate.

I studied a degree in psychology several years ago and overall it wasn’t for me. I enjoyed some aspects and don’t regret it, since I learnt a fair sum about the academic world. However, I’ve now moved into counselling which is far more aligned to philosophy, the deep workings of society and the human mind.

If you’d like to learn some of the deeper ideas behind psychology study Carl Jung, James Bugental, Rollo May, Sigmund Freud, Martin Heidegger and so forth. James Bugental in particular was a psychotherapist in Existential Humanistic Therapy. Great start to some deeper knowledge of the human mind.

Edited October 1, 2022 by Jacobsrw

[Julian gabriel]

On 9/29/2022 at 8:54 PM, Carl-Richard said:

I took a class in psychology of religion, and you can learn a lot about it there. It made my previous knowledge a bit more fleshed out and made me see more connections that I didn't see before. You'd be surprised how many of the great Western psychologists were genuinely interested in spirituality (William James, Abraham Maslow, Carl Jung, etc.).

@Carl-Richard But why not just study them online? The works of these great psychologists are not the same as the text books in college, they were ahead of their time by far and the mainstream is still catching up. 

[Carl-Richard]

1 hour ago, Julian gabriel said:

@Carl-Richard But why not just study them online? The works of these great psychologists are not the same as the text books in college, they were ahead of their time by far and the mainstream is still catching up. 

You were asking if a psychology degree is useful for understanding the mind, and it is, but sure, you can also just study psychology on your own, and that too will be useful for understanding the mind.

[ThePoint]

@Jacobsrw What were your job prospects like after graduating with your psychology degree? And what did you graduate with?

[Tefikos]

I believe it is uselful, even though you can learn to understand the mind without it. Moreover, people will have higher opinion in general of you, when you have the dergee, if you begin to teach how to change the mind for other, but of course it is not necessary. 

 

Edited October 23, 2022 by Tefikos
Context

[DreamScape]

No, they can't understand psychology because it's formless and can operate in many different ways than just the norm in society. If you're looking for a job in psychology, you'll be limited by your studies and administrators, unless you want to make breakthroughs in the field. 

[Julian gabriel]

1 hour ago, DreamScape said:

No, they can't understand psychology because it's formless and can operate in many different ways than just the norm in society. If you're looking for a job in psychology, you'll be limited by your studies and administrators, unless you want to make breakthroughs in the field. 

@DreamScape so then how would u properly study psychology? 

[Espaim]

You can understand the mind alone. No need to study for years in an university to do that.

If you plan to work in a psychology related field, then do it.

Ps: I'm a psychology undergrad.

Edited October 23, 2022 by Espaim

[LSD-Rumi]

@Julian gabriel I think, if you want to be a therpaist, you have to have a degree. 

[vladorion]

After you get a psychology degree, you have no idea how to help people.

[Jowblob]

My hobby is psychology for 11 years, have discovered things that arent written anywhere, it's a field where you truely have to have it as a hobby otherwise you wont go that far, many aspects of psychology are still based on materialism and terms that they don't understand aka they dont have a deeper understanding.  I had a consciousness battle when i was 26 with a 49 year old clinical psychologist, my mind told me at the beginning by showing precognitive pictures how far she was in development. She was just a bit higher than average consciousness wise. After interview she was in shock and bliss because of things that i did.

Psychology classes won't really increase your consciousness they will just give you some basic understandings about reality from materialistic pov, unless you do your own research and duscover things by yourself

[Ramu]

@Julian gabriel I have a ba in psychology.  Mind is never really defined per se but essentially it's considered by product of brain activity.  I learned some valuable things but psychology is just a bunch of bullshit really.  I did really well and was in in top 10 percent of my class, but in retrospect I should have majored in an applied science.  Don't waste your time with a liberal arts degree.