This document is a portfolio submission from Ray Coates summarizing his experience obtaining a psychology degree from Argosy University. Coates discusses how the degree has given him a scientific understanding of human behavior and the ability to explain psychological concepts. He is considering pursuing a master's degree, but finances may prevent further formal education. Coates believes the degree will allow him to continue learning from interactions and media, and may contribute to the field of psychology through future discoveries. He concludes that the psychology program has validated his experience in social services and given him tools to better interpret human behavior.

1. Portfolio Final 1
PSY 492
Advanced Psychology
EPortfolio Information
Submitted By: Ray Coates, Jr.
Date: December 17, 2009
Argosy University

2. Portfolio Final 2
Learning is indeed a continually process. My fascination has always been with scientific and
technical machinery. With this degree in Psychology I will have a more scientific method of
observing and understanding why people do what they do, when they do it. I will even be able to
explain it now. I was amazed at how intuitive some of the concepts of Psychology were for me. I
am seriously contemplating pursuing a Masters Degree in I/O psychology.
Finances and opportunities will determine how much further institutionalized education I will
seek. I am always trying to learn from the things I see and the people I interact with. But
education is expensive and the money to pay back loans is becoming scarcer. Still I wouldn’t
mind having a Masters Degree. I must admit I have no intention of seeking a Doctorate. But even
if my formal education does not continue beyond this degree I know that I will continue to be
educated by the people I interact with and the information I encounter. What will happen now is
that I will be much more inclined to pay attention to psychological thrillers on TV. and will
browse the psychology sections and Barnes and Noble. As I start to recognize patterns I have
studied I may occasionally research for the latest information on a subject. I know that I will
listen more intently and observe more closely when I recognize some of the behavior that I have
learned about. I do believe that psychology like any science is constantly changing. As I alluded
to in a paper for a class, I might be on the verge of a psychological study and theory and just
haven’t put it all together. There really isn’t any reason why I can’t contribute to a significant
psychological discovery if I stay connected to the field.
My academic tenure at Argosy has been a unique and fulfilling experience. Enrolling at Argosy
was not a long term planned opportunity. But when I found myself in a position to take

3. Portfolio Final 3
advantage of an opportunity to further my education, I didn’t take long to decide to do it. The
study of Psychology was natural for me because I have worked for ten years in social service and
have observed behaviors, counseled teens and seniors and spent a lot of time in meetings and
conferences trying to determine why the clientele I have been working with seem to be destined
to do some of the things that they do. Experience has helped me to answer most of those
questions. But I didn’t have the academic background to prove that my knowledge was justified.
Now I have it. I have study how people interact with each other in social and work environments.
And why they have a tendency to react to all kinds of stimuli. My studies have taught me the
affect that a persons past and environment will have on their development and also the steps that
I as a counselor can take to help them resolve issues that are disturbing their mental health.
Even though I am a long way away from being able to professionally counsel someone I do feel
confident that some of the techniques I have used in the past are valid, and because of that would
feel comfortable providing insight to methods to resolve at least minor mental health concerns.
My strength has always been to listen to people and to present an empathetic ear. My education
will now allow me to better interpret what I hear. My weakness in the field of Psychology was
some of the specific terminology for theories and the authors of those theories. While I am still
not an expert I do feel that I have a better grasp.