PSHCE Learning Challenge May 2013 Emily Bolton
PARAPSYCHOLOGY Parapsychology is the study of unexplained events, and ultimately, how to explain them. It is not a very well known job and not a very well respected one either. Some may think of it as simply chasing shadows, investigating ghosts and the supernatural when there is really nothing there. Others however (like myself) believe it is the study of why people believe they see ghosts, why people believe in the whole spiritual concept, and why others don’t. The job can include researching psychic powers, why people believe they have them, or even case studies, why people believe that they are possessed, why there house is haunted etc.
ON TV The film ‘Red Lights’, released in 2012, follows the life of Tom Buckley, an assistant to world renowned parapsychologist Margaret Matheson. Together they investigate fraud psychics and hoax's set up to deceive people. I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in this career as it shows a good portrayal of the job. Red lights Movie Clip Red Lights Trailer
PAY Per year in America $52,000 Per year in UK £
QUALIFICATIONS Most people who work in parapsychology hold a doctorate degree in sciences like physics, psychology, engineering etc. It can also help to have a PhD in a science, as most people in this department will have
JOBS IN AN AVERAGE DAY It depends on what part of the department you work for. Sometimes, an average day is writing and/or copying text, responding to s from those who have experienced paranormal phenomenon. Other times, it can be making house calls to those who feels a supernatural being in their house. The point of this part of the job is to shed some light on the mysterious going on’s and find a more suitable, scientific explanation. House call Explanation
PROMOTION PROSPECTS There is not an exact promotional prospect in parapsychology, however, you can, if you know enough about it and would like to, you could become a teacher in the subject of parapsychology, or even head the department if you work up to it!
OTHER INTERESTING ASPECTS OF THE JOB You can review case studies from the past, some that no one to this day could explain, and have your say about it. You can research different psychics, and you may even find something you come across that you cannot explain!
FORENSIC SCIENCE (SCENE OF CRIME OFFICER) S.O.C.O (Scene Of Crime Officer) or simply forensic scientist, is a job consisting of going to the scene of a crime and looking at the evidence, before taking it back to a lab for analysis. Being a ‘S.O.C.O’ may involve handling substances like blood or mangled body parts. Most people cannot do this job because they have a weak stomach. It is very popular in media but they usually do not capture the true identity of the job.
ON TV Forensic Science is a popular subject on television. There are many shows that it can be found in such as ‘Bones’, ‘Sherlock’, ‘NCIS’ and ‘CSI’. Not many of these shows produce and accurate portrayal of the job. Sherlock (BBC) Trailer Bones Trailer
PAY Per year in America Between $47,000 and $61,000 Per year in the UK £ £
QUALIFICATIONS You need a degree in Biology or Chemistry Four GCSE grades A-C including English and Maths. As well as an A level in either Biology or Chemistry
JOBS IN AN AVERAGE DAY You may be asked to identify a body, you can do this by taking DNA samples, be asked to identify a certain body part, chemical or blood type. You could be asked to go to a scene of a crime and look for useful information to solve a murder.
PROMOTION PROSPECTS You can get promoted from assistant to main forensic scientist. Become head of department, take on an apprentice. All of this demands experience in the field and general knowledge of the subject.
OTHER INTERESTING ASPECTS OF THE JOB You get to research real case studies and perform exciting experiments to determine the exacting happenings of the case. You may be asked to go to the scene of crime and take photos and collect evidence for later examination Deduction