Investigating the employment outcomes, student satisfaction, and self-perceived development of graduate attributes in Adelaide University Psychology Graduates

Abstract

The undergraduate psychology degree has become one of the most popular degrees in tertiary education as of late. In an environment where universities are being increasingly held accountable for the relative success of their students, pedagogical research into the outcomes and development of psychology graduates is critical, especially as psychology graduates tend to fare poorly within the job market. This current study aims to contribute to the growing literature on this population, investigating the self-perceived development of graduate attributes, student satisfaction, and employment outcomes of undergraduate psychology students from the University of Adelaide. Through a sample of 67 psychology graduates (n = 27 bachelor’s graduates, n = 40 honours graduates), participants completed a set of Likert scale questions relating to the self-perceived development of the University of Adelaide’s established graduate attributes. Their overall satisfaction, employment, and degree relevancy, were also gathered for analysis. Low-levels of employment relevancy, and degree utility, were found in the early employment outcomes of these undergraduates. High levels of self-perceived attribute development and satisfaction were also found, and self-perceived development was strongly correlated with student satisfaction. Differences in self-perceived development, as well as employment outcomes and satisfaction, were also observed between the two graduate types, illustrating a number of advantages that the honours degree provides over the conventional major. Suggestions for future research were made, and the implications of these results were discussed in the context of prior research.