Monitoring graduates of Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the Universidad Metropolitana (Cohorts 2014-2021)

Abstract

Universidad Metropolitana began offering the 5-year Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2004, under a semester system. In 2010 the university underwent an organizational academic reform, shifting to a 4-year, trimester system. The research consisted of describing the academic and professional trajectory of graduates of the school of Psychology who studied under the 4-year, trimester system, exploring their perception about the quality of their education, and gathering employer’s opinions of their professional competencies. This was a descriptive field study of 102 alumni who answered a questionnaire with 44 questions, as well as 5 employers who participated in a semi-structured interview. Relevant results to highlight: 70% of the alumni were hired within the first 6 months after graduation, mostly in the areas of Organizational and Clinical Psychology, 90% of the alumni are currently working, 70% are currently pursuing graduate studies or specialization courses, and 50% of the participants have emigrated. The participants expressed satisfaction with the quality of their education, they have accepted the trimester system and online classes, even though they consider that online instruction is not appropriate for some classes. They suggest that there be a stronger focus on post-graduate work skills, as well as extending clinical placements. Employers show high levels of satisfaction with the graduates, they point out that they are always willing to learn, innovative, team players, and tech-savvy, however, they recommend reinforcing other competencies, such as managerial, administrative, and leadership.