Career Ideas For Psychology Majors

Psychology Careers In Education

Psychology graduates interested in the education sector have a number of different options. As well as educational therapy, educational psychology and social work within education, psychology graduates may qualify as teachers, working in primary, secondary or tertiary level education. They may instead work within social services to help support learning in the community at all ages, or within the prison sector to provide support for young offenders.

To become an educational psychologist, you will need the same qualifications as any psychologist . This is a role concerned with the development of young people in educational settings, with the aim of enhancing learning and dealing with social and emotional issues or learning difficulties.

To teach psychology, depending on the level you choose, youll need an additional teaching qualification. To enter careers in tertiary education you will likely need a further qualification, such as a masters and/or PhD. Roles in higher education are likely to encompass both teaching and research .

Where To Earn Your Degree

Many career paths are associated with a psychology degree. Rowan University, in partnership with Rowan College of South Jersey, offers an online Bachelor of Arts in Psychology designed to provide a background for graduates to pursue degrees in a variety of professions or as a basis to pursue graduate degrees in certain fields. The partnership offers online degree programs at a fraction of the cost of a traditional degree.

Students are awarded an associates degree after completing four semesters of classes and an undergraduate degree at program culmination. Many courses are offered in an accelerated seven-week format, rather than 15 weeks, for faster completion. Students have the opportunity to choose electives to follow their career paths while earning their bachelors degree of arts degree in psychology.

For information on Rowan Universitys online Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and other programs, visit Psychology Degree | Rowan Partnerships Online or apply now at Apply Now | Rowan Partnerships Online.

Make The Most Out Of Your Degree

There can be many reasons not to go to college, but many will argue that having a degree can be an advantage in the job market. After graduation, graduates usually ask themselves What can I do with a psychology degree? or What are the goals of psychology anyway? As the jobs above show, a psychology degree is a popular undergraduate course that can lead to various career paths. Those who want to go the traditional route can consider careers in counseling and therapy. Another option is law enforcement, which can involve protecting wildlife or helping offenders change for the better.

On the other hand, an understanding of cognitive development will make psychology an excellent foundation for those who want to teach. Lastly, they also have diverse options in the corporate world, from HR to advertising, sales, and management consultancy. Most of these jobs require an undergraduate psychology degree, especially entry-level jobs. However, graduates can pursue certifications or further education to advance their careers and be more competitive in the job market.

References

Recommended Reading: Career Path For Psychology Majors

Industries You Can Work In With A Bachelor’s Degree In Psychology

If you have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, you can work in a variety of industries and specific jobs. Consider these common industries for psychology majors:

• Health care: While practicing clinical psychologists almost always need an advanced degree to see patients, there are still many positions in the health care field for those with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

• Management and administration: Psychology helps you learn how people think and react. A degree in psychology is highly useful to those in managerial or administrative positions.

• Accounting and finance: Since much of the training and coursework psychology majors do in college is data and research-based, these skills translate well to the accounting and finance sector.

• Retail and sales: Salespeople often perform well when they understand their customers’ motivations and desires, which is a substantial part of an education in psychology.

• Social work: Social workers often use psychological tools to help their clients overcome obstacles and improve their lives.

• Advertising and marketing: Many advertisers and marketers rely on psychology to create effective marketing and advertising campaigns for their business or clients.

• Human resources: One of the primary goals of human resources is to support their company’s personnel. Understanding the needs and wants of the individual employees in the organization is beneficial for this sector.

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Psychologists Study The Work Environment And Performance Issues

Anywhere people work, and anything they do while at work, is of interest to psychologists. Psychologists study what makes people effective, satisfied and motivated in their jobs what distinguishes good workers or managers from poor ones and what conditions of work promote high or low productivity, morale and safety.

Some psychologists design programs for recruiting, selecting, placing and training employees. They evaluate, monitor and improve performance. They help make changes in the way the organization is set up. Others help design the actual tasks, tools and environments people must deal with when doing their jobs. These specialists can also help design the products that organizations create and conduct research related to product design. For example, they play a big role in making computer hardware and software more user friendly.

Psychologists with training in mental health and health care also deal with the health and adjustment of individuals in the work setting. They work with employee assistance plans that provide help with drug or alcohol addiction problems, depression and other disorders they also foster healthy behavior. Others work on performance issues in areas such as sport psychology, where they may provide athletes with counseling, work with them to improve motivation and performance, explore psychological considerations in sports injuries and rehabilitation, and perform a range of tasks related to sports performance and education.

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Forensic Or Criminal Psychologist

Forensic psychologists apply psychology to the fields of criminal investigation and law. This has rapidly become one of the hottest psychology careers thanks to numerous portrayals in popular movies, television programs, and books.

While the field may not be as glamorous as it is depicted in the media, forensic psychology is still an exciting career choice with a lot of potential for growth. These psychologists often work with other experts to scrutinize insurance claims, perform child custody evaluations, and investigate suspected child abuse.

If you are interested in this area of psychology, you might want to also consider the related field of criminal psychology. Criminal psychologists perform a variety of duties such as developing profiles of criminals, assessing convicted criminals to determine their risk of re-offending, and helping law enforcement catch online predators.

Social And Human Service Assistants

Median Salary :$35,960Required Education: High school diploma

Human service assistants provide various services for clients, such as locating useful and accessible resources and programs. They may also manage paperwork and administrative duties for other social service professionals and managers. These assistants often work in family services, nursing care facilities, and local governments.

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Careers Reported By Psychology Majors On College/university Surveys

Psychology majors develop skills that are highly valued by employers. These skills include: critical thinking, research, analysis, oral/written communication, presentation, & problem-solving skills. Students and alumni may find employment in government agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, and businesses depending on their skills and experience. Internships or other career-related experience may be a prerequisite to finding professional-level employment.

This is a list of jobs psychology majors reported having at graduation. This list was built from survey data published by colleges and universities across the United States. The University Career Center provides this list as a tool for generating ideas for further exploration.

Jobs For Psychology Majors

• Peace Corps Community Development Advisor
• United Way Director

• Human Resource Management

The knowledge I gained from my psych classes at Stonehill helped make the learning process at Women & Infants much quicker and easier. Already being familiar with the basics allowed for a smooth transition I was able to really jump right in.

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But I Need A Bs Degree To Get A Phd Right

Not true! You can pursue any graduate degree type with either a BA or BS degree.

Many psychology alumni have pursued masters degrees, which are typically 1 to 3 year programs. Professional degrees prepare students to work in a particular applied profession, especially those requiring licensure or accreditation . Doctorate programs are extensive study in an academic field, leading to a PhD or EdD degree. Alumni indicated completing some Other types of degrees, including certification programs and specialized degrees in the health field.

Career Advancement Opportunities For Psychology Majors

After graduation, psychology majors can take several courses of action to advance their careers in the field. One option is to find an entry-level job in the psychology field and gain a few years professional expertise that you can later apply to a higher-level position. Another popular choice is to pursue an advanced degree in psychology or a related subject, as having a master’s degree or doctoral degree can qualify you for more advanced jobs in psychology.

Many graduates with psychology majors also choose to enter a different field, like business or sales, which can allow them to use their psychology skills in customer-facing interactions.

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Best Jobs For Psychology Bachelors Degree Graduates

A bachelors degree in psychology is often the minimum educational requirement for many employers in the psychology and social work fields, making it a good option if youre still trying to figure out what job you can get with a psychology degree. Becoming a psychologist or counselor is one of the most popular psychology degree jobs, there are many career paths you can pursue with a bachelors degree in psychology. In fact, the wide variety of options open to psychology degree holders may surprise youonly about one quarter of psychology undergraduates end up working in psychology or a closely-related field.

Other common psychology degree jobs for those with a BA or BS include roles in human and social services and education. If youre wondering what to do with a psychology degree at the bachelor level, check out these ten popular careers.

Psychologists Support Community And Individual Well

Community psychologists focus on changing community settings to increase opportunities for individuals and families to successfully participate in community life. While they may work in different locations , they collaborate with professionals and community activists from different disciplines and with the people who are being served. They use their psychological training to address community issues and use community-based participatory research to guide community decision making.

Dr. Meg A. Bond, PhDCommunity psychologist, professor of psychology, researcher and activist

Through a career in community psychology I have been able to live my passion for promoting social justice. As a professor of psychology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, I teach in our community social psychology program conduct applied research addressing gender, racial and ethnic differences and direct a Center for Women and Work. I am also a resident scholar at the Brandeis University Womens Studies Research Center. But I did not start out knowing that this is what I wanted to do.

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What Can You Do With A Masters Degree In Psychology

Masters degrees in psychology generally take about two years to complete and during that time, students build on the knowledge they gained during their undergraduate studies in order to have a deeper understanding of human behavior and social science research. In addition to taking core classes, students are able to choose a specializationlike health, industrial/organizational, and clinical psychologythat will enhance their knowledge of a particular subject based on their career goals. The following are some of the careers that students can qualify for when earning a masters psychology degree.

Requirements?

Voluntary certifications are available

These workers help to collect data by creating surveys based on their own research on the topic being studied, working closely with the survey interviewers, and analyzing and reporting data collected. Also, they analyze how effective surveys were at eliciting information and make changes as needed.

What Kind Of Degree Do I Need For A Career In Psychology

Psychology jobs require all different types of degree levels, from an associates degree or bachelors degree to a masters degree or doctoral degree. Before you decide on a degree level, you should examine your career goals and decide on the type of psychology career you want to have. Then, you should pursue the degree level needed to land that job. If you plan to practice clinical psychology, you will need a Doctor of Psychology or PhD in Psychology degree. Find out more about psychology degrees on our Degrees page.

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Best Jobs For Psychology Bachelors Degree Majors

• Job Outlook: 10 percent

A bachelors degree in psychology equips you with the knowledge you need to work in human resources. They handle employee relations within an organization and handle things like compensation, training, and keeping a healthy working environment. Strong interpersonal skills will be important in this line of work.Elementary School Teacher

• Job Outlook: 7 percent

Elementary School Teachers teach younger children. Sometimes in schools, there are children who do not have a safe place at home or have behavioral issues, so it would be helpful to have experience with psychology to help those children.

Social Worker

• Job Outlook: 12 percent

Social workers are usually court-appointed to children or adults who are unable to care for themselves. They make sure that their wards are in a healthy, safe environment and are being cared for correctly. They also make sure that clients have access to any food or necessary resource they may need.Medical Lab Assistant

• Job Outlook: 11 percent

These experts work in medical laboratories, assisting the medical laboratory technicians. They help with research, disease diagnosis, quantitative and qualitative test screening. They may also assist in the examination of the human body.

Substance Abuse Counselor

• Job Outlook: 23 percent

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What Are The Most Common Career Paths For Psychology Majors

An undergraduate major in psychology prepares you for multiple different career paths. At times the choice of career path may feel overwhelming, particularly if you have friends who have very clear career paths or have known what they want to do for a long time. However, for most students the reality is more complex – alumni with psychology degrees go into an extremely wide variety of careers – so wide that there isnt an easy way to summarize the top couple of career paths!

Recently we analyzed the jobs that psychology majors from Pitt go into. This report looks at alumni who graduated from Pitt with bachelor’s degrees in psychology between 1992-2010 this was done so that it captures people who arent just a few years into their careers. This analysis is done by EMSI, a labor market analytics company. It is not perfect because it aggregates data based on social and professional profiles from many different online sources. But still, it gives a decent picture from the table below.

Key findings:

Because we have limited data about Pitt alumni, here are some details about psychology majors nationally.

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Career Goals For Psychology Majors

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed’s data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Psychologists provide different forms of treatment to help people manage their mental health. In this profession, psychology professionals help identify emotional and behavioral patterns of the brain, provide diagnoses and offer counseling to those with emotional, social and behavioral conditions. Psychology majors and recent graduates working toward a successful career as a psychologist can benefit from outlining the goals they hope to achieve. In this article, we discuss the importance of career goals for a psychology major and provide you with 10 achievable objectives to consider.

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Why Pursue A Career In Psychology

As discussed above, graduates with a degree in psychology may successfully find employment in the field of psychology or in a wide range of careers that are related to psychology. In fact, according to a 2019 survey by the National Science Foundation , only 7.7% of employed college graduates with a bachelors degree in psychology were working in the S& E field.2 So what is it about the field of study that provides such a broad range of options? Students who study psychology:

• Take coursework on how people and animals think and behave in various situations, in both ordinary and extreme cases.
• Are exposed to the scientific method of data collection and analysis that has very practical application in many occupations .
• Gain critical thinking skills by studying and applying various psychological paradigms to problem-solving, as well as a background in data analysis using the scientific method.
• Build written and oral communications through essays, group projects, and class participation.

Mastery of these skills creates well-rounded candidates that many employers seek. A background in psychology can be applied to jobs in almost every industry and in roles that involve understanding or guiding human behavior such as business, counseling, teaching, and social services. Continue reading to learn more about psychology-related careers by degree level.

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