Strapp et al. / Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology / Sep 1, 2023
Psychology continues to be one of the most popular undergraduate majors in the United States (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2021) with first-generation students majoring in psychology more than in the past (Trejo, 2016). As career advising becomes increasingly important, consideration of barriers and supports related to psychology career development merits examination. The present study examined 60 psychology alumni, including 40 women and 20 men (Mage = 31.58 years, SD = 5.74) of which 24 identified as first generation (FG), whereas 36 were continuing generation (CG). Alumni participated in semistructured interviews related to barriers and supports in career development. Using consensual qualitative research methods (CQR, Hill et al., 1997), several themes emerged. Alumni described financial, educational, and experience-related barriers as common concerns. Alumni noted high levels of social support. FG and CG alumni experienced similar barriers and supports, with variations related to costs of education, credentials, and how social support was provided. Implications for career advising curriculum sensitive to barriers and supports are discussed.
