Having liked psychology related activities in both community and academic settings; I gained zeal to pursue a career in general psychology with a main focus in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. At an early age, I got insight about how the society in Saudi Arabia, where I come from, lacks logic. Saudi Arabia is dominated by men; therefore, women do not live up to their dreams due to the existence of social bottlenecks. I pride myself as a great achiever having studied up to this level considering the Saudi culture. Therefore, I believe the skills and knowledge I will gain from studying psychology will assist me in my quest to bring change in my society and country at large. It is against this background that I gained a keen interest in pursuing psychology so as to not only comprehend the mental functions and behaviours of different individuals but also verify to what extent human beings should accept things the way they are.
Throughout my undergraduate studies, I involved myself in various activities that enabled me to prepare adequately for the graduate study. One such activity was attending numerous workshops which were based on psychological topics. These included workshops on Psycho educational Profile, Picture Exchange Communication System, Development of Educational Plans and Behaviour Modification and Ways to Diagnose Autism and Evaluation. I also attended training at The Institute of Special Needs Education at Autism Centre East of Riyadh. After completing my undergraduate studies, I was engaged as a clinical psychologist at Elaj Medical Centre in Saudi Arabia. In fact, it was during this time that I gained aspiration to stretch out to the general society at large instead of confining myself to a small group of patients. I also strongly believe that for an organization to achieve its` objective, it has to heavily invest in human capital. A good working condition, well-being and satisfaction of employees are among the areas which an organization should focus on. This can be realized by conducting researches on the ways through which employees’ attitudes and performance can be improved. I appreciate the importance of research work in industrial psychology and believe that my involvement in research will be of much value. Therefore, Adelphi University course design will be of much value since through the research methodology and statistical units, I will acquit myself with the necessary skills for research work.
During my stint at Elaj Medical Centre, I also volunteered as a psychologist at Saud Aramco, Riyadh. I provided psychological consolation, assessment and interventions to expectant ladies, children, adolescence and their relatives. Most of the clients exhibited psychological disorders like depression, mental retardations and lack of self-esteem. This was a great stepping stone in my career development as I was able to interact with many clients. My interaction with those clients was an opportunity to acquire skills on how to handle different challenges, work as a team and improve tremendously on my communication skills.
I believe that through my background and experiences, I am well-groomed to pursue graduate studies. Therefore, upon receiving my Masters in General Psychology with a concentration in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, I will be in a position to fulfil my long-term goal of enabling the Saudi women obtain their rights and contribute actively to the society. Armed with research knowledge and skills, I am confident that I will contribute to designing good working conditions for both men and women in my home country. I also envision myself in contributing positively in realizing a better education system on Industrial Psychology in Saudi Arabia through research. Thank you for your consideration.
