This is the first of a series OSUM staff inteviews.

Sharon Gattshall
Acadmic Advisor

The Ohio State University - Bachelor of Arts in Psychology

 Kansas State University – Master of Science Degree -  Academic Advising & Administration

Sharon has been the Academic Advisor for Psychology Majors from 2005 through 2011.

“The student learns all areas of psychology with a general degree of psychology” stated Sharon. When asked what the general degree means specifically she stated “ it means that the student learns a mixture of psychology” from all different areas.

Sharon handled other majors such as sociology, criminology and history to name a few.

The majority of her students were psychology majors, approximately 100-150 students a quarter at the Marion Campus.

When asked what a student could pursue a career in with a psychology major and she replied various employment positions in the following areas:

Juvenile Court

Child Services

Job and Family Services

Prison systems

Head Start Programs

Counseling centers, not in a counseling position

There are many positions that requires a Bachelor Degree in Business

Over the last five years a number of the psychology students at the Marion Campus were non-traditional students that were seeking this degree.  She stated that” our campus is an excellent place to complete that degree”.  She recommends this major for a professional employment position and stated that “it is a great entrance way to many jobs”.

If you have an interest in this position you can check out the website for the Marion Campus at

www.osumarion.edu and look for the class schedule link

There are many research and independent study opportunities at the Marion Campus for all majors but especially psychology majors.  There are also opportunities to help a professor with research of data.

Honors students can complete an Honors Degree with Distinction.  The Psychology Department completes an honors research thesis. Students can inquire if interested in this with their advisor or the Psychology Department. 

I asked Sharon if most students start the psychology degree thinking they will eventually become a counselor and she said yes.  She went onto say “that most students start this degree thinking they want to be a counselor but they get into it and learn it is more than just illnesses or diseases or counseling people.  They change attitudes about what they are learning as they learn it” she said.  Students realize there are many more employment options with this degree and they start looking into the various areas they can schedule psychology classes for.

This Spring Quarter there is going to be a psychology course offered on memory and cognition.  There is another course on adolescence which deals with the child, teenage, adult conflicts such as peer pressure, stress, bullying, violence, eating disorders and depression.

This upcoming Fall Semester there will be positive psych classes, as well as a class on the psychology of personality.  Also offered will be a comparative psychology class which will be all about animals with a second class of emotion.

If you are interested in any of these psychology classes or have an interest in a psychology major or minor contact Shellie Shirk, as she has taken over this degree’s requirements in the Academic Advising Suite.  Sharon is still an Academic Advisor here just now handling other degree majors.

(Interviewed in March 2012 by Val)