Statistics Can Wait: Career Plans Activity and Course Preferences of American Psychology Undergraduates

Abstract

Based on a departmental survey, 27 men and 96 women psychology majors at an American university were categorised in terms of their highest degree sought — BA/BSc, Master's, or PhD — and interest in types of baccalaureate-level jobs: ‘human services’ versus ‘general’ (including business). However, regardless of career plans, students consistently preferred human interest courses (e.g. abnormal, personality) over methodological courses (e.g. statistics, tests and measurement). In operational terms, concerning enthusiasm to take local methods offerings, 75% of a subsample chose the attitudinal response options of ‘neutral’ or ‘not eager to take’. Students' relative disinterest in methodology was compared with current professional assumptions about the psychology curriculum as a special source of skills.