In a 2005-2006 report on the condition of higher education in New Mexico, the New Mexico Higher Education Department reported that the social services category, which includes psychology, ranked as one of the top five most popular bachelor's degree categories in the state.
For some individuals, a bachelor's degree in psychology is merely the first step before graduate and/or doctoral studies. In New Mexico, if you want to become a clinical, counseling or school psychologist, you'll need at least a master's degree. According to data from New Mexico Workforce Solutions, most clinical psychologists in the state have a post-master's certificate or doctoral degree in the field.
Other individuals aren't interested in graduate school. Instead, they take the skills and knowledge learned in a psychology program into the workforce where they build careers in a variety of fields such as business, law, education, sales, and human services. Within the psychology field, individuals with a bachelor's degree may assist psychologists and other professionals in community mental health centers, vocational rehabilitation offices, and correctional programs.
Whether you're looking for a psychology program with a pre-professional emphasis or a liberal arts focus, start your search at the following universities:
New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas offers a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science in psychology. The BS program places more emphasis on science, math and research than the BA program. The BS program is recommended for those who wish to pursue graduate studies in psychology.
There are over 400 undergraduate majors in the psychology department of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. They receive a broad education in the foundations of psychology with a special emphasis on experimental psychology.
Psychology undergraduates at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque love their department. Last year they voted the psychology department as "best department" in the university. Psychology majors can choose a concentration called Basics in Addiction Counseling, which provides a foundation for work in substance abuse counseling - labeled a high growth occupation by New Mexico Workforce Solutions.
