What Can I Do With My Psychology Degree

Get Started In Psychology

Experience a university-level psychology course for yourself to see if psychology might be a good fit for you.

Study the fundamentals in the Introduction to Psychology from Yale, learn about human behavior in Social Psychology from Wesleyan, or browse a variety of popular psychology online courses. If youâre thinking about furthering your education, explore a certificate in Foundations of Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvaniaâall available on Coursera.

Social Or Human Services Assistant

Ever wonder what it would be like to help disadvantaged members of your community obtain the support and services they need to make it through hard times? You typically only need a certificate or associate degree to begin assisting social workers or similar professionals.

• Average yearly pay: $37,050
• Employment growth: 13 percent

Masters Degree In Psychology

Counselling Psychologists are professionally trained health professionals that work with individuals, couples, families, and/or communities. These individuals must be registered with the HPCSA and follow a strict scope of practice that defines the ethical nature of the profession. These Psychologists aim to treat patients by using therapy designed to optimize the clients emotional functioning and psychological well-being. Counselling Psychologists work in a variety of settings including such as private practice, different government departments and schools, to name but a few.

Completing the appropriate professional training required in order to register as a Counselling Psychologist takes between 2 or 3 years depending on the university and the offered HPCSA accredited programme. Students will do 1 or 2 years of intensive practical training before entering into an approved internship site whereby their skills will be further refined for another year. Following the successful completion of training, internship, and a Masters dissertation, students qualify to write the HPCSA board exam.

Counselling Psychology is one of the HPCSA recognized categories the others and their training can be found on the Cognition & Co website.

Additional options to consider

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Is Graduate School Right For You

Considering the high cost of many graduate programs, the decision to pursue an advanced degree should not be made lightly. Baker advises against using graduate school to explore career paths or to delay entering the workforce. She suggests taking a gap year to build skills and gain work experience, which will help clarify your career goals.

“The cost of an advanced degree should be seen as an investment in one’s career and passion,” Baker said. “If attending graduate school will help a person get to where they want to be professionally, then easily it is worth the cost.”

Lastly, it is important to remember that each state has its own requirements for psychologist licensure, and you should research the requirements for the state where you plan to work before deciding whether to pursue a master’s or doctorate.

Careers You Might Expect

When people think about psychology, they often think first about mental health and careers related to studying the mind.

But First: About Licensure

For many of these careers, your bachelors degree is just the first step, followed by a Masters degree and a licensure application process that varies by state. Here in Massachusetts, this process involves several hours of supervision by a licensed mental health counselor.

Without an advanced degree, you could provide unlicensed services such as life coaching. You wouldnt legally be able to call yourself a mental health counselor, as that implies youre licensed. Licensure opens more doors, such as into .

1. Mental Health Counselor

One of the first careers people associate with the study of psychology is actually pretty broad itself. Mental health counseling can refer to a number of fields that include individual, group or marriage and family talk therapy. This can include many specializations, such as addictions counseling.

2. Career Counselor

If youre more interested in helping people accomplish specific goals, you could enter a specialized field that focuses on this. Career counselors provide mental health support by helping clients with a major life stressor: career transitions. Another field closely related to this is academic counseling, which helps students like you get their careers started.

3. Psychologist

4. Clinical Researcher

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Psychology Jobs In Health And Wellbeing

Clinical Psychologist This is a specialised position that requires dealing with and treating individuals with serious mental health issues, addictions and/or disorders.

Sport Psychologist If youre intrigued by an athletes mental ability, sports psychology might be your calling. This involves helping athletes achieve mental excellence when performing, whilst improving their natural ability, training methods.

How to get there: An accredited BPS qualification is essential along with supporting experience in both clinical and sports psychology. If you dont have the experience needed, starting out as a Research Assistant can be useful. Working under a Senior Therapist can also be a great starting point, and allow you to experience the industry first-hand.

Other Potential Roles To Consider

A psychology degree will also mean youre eligible for many roles outside of the field just as long as you make use of the many transferable skills youve built up as part of your course. Examples of careers you could move into include:

Brand Consultant These individuals provide marketing strategies through effective analysis to help drive sales in a companys products and services.

Researcher As a Researcher youll be tasked with using your investigative and analytical prowess to provide accurate data collection and research.

Financial Advisor If numbers are your thing, you could consider a role in finance. Financial advisors provide investment advice to clients, suggesting products and services that will help them meet their financial goals. This will of course, in most cases, require additional training and qualifications.

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What Is Unique About The Psychology And Crime Law & Justice Department At Eastern Nazarene College Is That Class Discussions Are Very Interactive And Embrace Students From Many Different Cultures And Backgrounds This Makes For A Broader Richer Learning Experience For Students Andres Medina Psychology Class Of 2023

8. Probation or Parole Officer

Work with adults or minors on probation or with offenders on parole is also supported by psychological study. Like social workers, probation and parole officers help connect offenders with resources to help them succeed in society within the confines of the law.

9. Attorney or Arbitration/Mediation Professional

While a law degree from a law school is necessary to become an attorney, psychology is a useful subject of pre-law studies at the bachelor level. Many types of law from divorce to business contracts involve negotiation. Again, problem solving and strong communication skills are a plus.

10. Sales Professional

Speaking of negotiation, this is one of the skills required to be successful in a variety of sales roles. Whatever youre selling from cars to software to real estate assessing a buyers needs, listening carefully to connect concerns with solutions, and clearly communicating approaches to solve problems are also essential skills honed in psychology studies.

11. Market Researcher

If youre interested less in working with customers directly than in the math and science of sales and marketing, a psychology major easily lends itself to this type of work. Many market researchers, those who help determine where best to direct advertising investments, among other tasks, find the analytical side of psychological study very applicable to their work.

Are You Ready To Discover Your College Program

A psychology degree can lead to many different careers, making it one of the most popular majors for undergraduates.

Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior and the mind. A psychology degree can include training in abnormal psychology, human development, and experimental psychology.

With psychology degrees, graduates can find work as school psychologists, clinical psychologists, and therapists. The degree can also lead to job opportunities in marketing, human resources, social work, and education.

This article introduces prospective students to popular psychology degree jobs, explores careers at different psychology degree levels, and examines earning potential for psychology careers. Read on to find out exactly what you can do with a psychology degree.

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Psychology Careers With An Undergraduate Degree

Earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology gives students an understanding of human behavior, as well as honing skills related to research, writing, analysis, and more. Employers know that psychology graduates have many of the soft skills that make for successful professionals. The following are just some of the career options open to those who hold an undergraduate psychology degree.

• Clinical Psychology

  This specialization focuses on assisting patients who are seeking treatment for mental disorders. Clinical psychologists work in hospitals, counseling centers, private practices, and more. They are responsible for performing evaluations to determine diagnosis or the appropriate treatment, as well as working collaboratively with physicians to develop care plans. Clinical psychologists can work with groups, families, or individuals.

• Counseling Psychology

So What Can You Do With A Psychology Degree

There are many different options available to psychology degree holders, depending on your specializations and interests, such as:

• Media roles

Although many roles will be available to you with an undergraduate degree, some more highly specialized roles may require further study. Of the psychology careers which dont require further study, training is usually available on the job to ensure you continue moving forward in your career.

Read on for some insight into the types of careers open to you with an undergraduate psychology degree .

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Bpsych / Bpsych Equivalent

A BPsych or BPsych Equivalent is a practically orientated training programme with two possible registration options following the successful completion of the course, the 720 hour supervised practicum, and the HPCSA board exam.

The two outcomes are as follows

HPCSA Psychometrist and an HPCSA Registered Counsellor.

An HPCSA Psychometrist is a professionally trained individual that works within the field of psychological assessments and provides a wide range of services related to the needs of their clients.

An HPCSA Registered Counsellor is a psychological practitioner that performs psychological screening, basic assessment, and short-term supportive counselling with individuals and groups.

More details on the training associated with these registrations can be found on the Cognition & Co website by following the highlighted links above.

A Healthy Dose Of Science

A psychology degree isn’t just scintillating discussions about areas of the mind it’s a science, which means an understanding of biology is required, eek! Experiments, lab settings and neuro pathways all have one thing in common, science! Most universities require students to have at least one A-level in a scientific subject.

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Jobs You Can Get With A Bachelor’s In Social Psychology

Earning a bachelor’s degree in social psychology can expand your career options and boost your earning potential in the field. The jobs below are examples of jobs you can pursue with this degree.

In Depth: Salary Potential For Psychology Careers

Psychology professionals tend to earn good salaries across the country, though some states and specialties are more lucrative than others. At the same time, the different subfields in psychology, such as marriage and family therapy and clinical psychology, have varying earning potential. Rising professionals should research their potential salary according to both career specialty and location. The map below illustrates the earning potential across the country of five categories of psychology professions:

• Clinical, Counseling & School Psychologists

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Make An Important Discovery About Your Future

You’ve just seen how useful it can be to have an educated understanding of the psychological mechanisms that cause people to act in certain ways. Knowing how to apply that knowledge to real-world situations can be a big asset in nearly any careerânot just within the field of psychology.

Even so, a lot of people still ask, “What can you do with a psychology major?” That’s why it helps to have both a general idea of the career possibilities as well several specific examples. Looking at the bigger picture, it’s apparent that people with backgrounds in psychology can do things such as:

• Help people overcome personal obstacles and make better choices to improve their lives
• Discover and promote healthier ways to live that help prevent mental illnesses and social problems
• Find clues to almost any aspect of human behavior that might otherwise continue to be clouded in mystery
• Help businesses or other organizations identify and implement new methods for improving productivity, raising morale, and attracting and retaining good employees
• Contribute to public safety by using insights about human behavior within the criminal justice system
• Help improve the educational system by discovering better ways to instruct, motivate, or test students based on how they learn and perceive the world
• Discover new ways to inspire people to act for the benefit of their communities and the environment

Where Do Most Psychologists Work

After earning their credentials, psychologists are able to provide care to people, groups and businesses facing mental, emotional, and organizational health challenges in a variety of settings. The following are some of the places where psychologists can find employment.

• Substance abuse treatment centers

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What Can You Do With A Certificate Diploma Or Associate Degree In Psychology

Believe it or not, two years or less of psychology-related training may be all you need to qualify for meaningful, rewarding, or growing occupations. From business to healthcare, multiple industries benefit from providing opportunities to people who’ve completed short programs or courses in psychology.

Is A Psychology Degree Worth It

According to the American Psychological Association , the number of people earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology has declined slightly since 2013. However, the overall number of psychology degrees awarded has increased from about 87,000 in 2004 to 124,497 in 2017. In 2015, 3.4 million people in the United States held a bachelor’s degree in psychology, with 57% reporting it as their highest degree.

Even though psychology is a popular major, some students may wonder whether a bachelor’s in psychology alone can lead to a rewarding career that is actually relevant to their degree. In 2015, the APA reported that 64% of American workers who held a bachelor’s degree in psychology as their highest degree worked in jobs related to that degree. That number jumped to 87% for those with a master’s degree and 96% for those with a doctorate in psychology.

Although a 2017 APA survey suggests that 85% of professionals with a bachelor’s degree in psychology are satisfied with their jobs, this figure lags slightly behind job satisfaction in other fields. However, reported job satisfaction was higher among those with doctoral degrees in psychology compared to other fields. Professionals with a master’s degree reported satisfaction with certain aspects of their jobs, like their level of responsibility, but were less satisfied with their salaries and benefits.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Psychology Degree Jobs

The highest-paying job for psychology graduates depends on the degree level. The mean annual wage for human resources managers, who must possess work experience or a degree in human resources, reached $121,220 in 2020.

There are many psychology degree jobs that graduates can pursue, including careers in social work, community organizations, healthcare, and business.

Psychology degrees provide graduates with applicable training for many fields. Bureau of Labor Statistics data indicates that more than 3 million psychology graduates work across the country.

The psychology discipline may involve a significant amount of reading and research, but students who commit the appropriate amount of time and effort to their studies should not find it overly challenging compared to similar programs.

Doug Wintemute is a Toronto-based freelance writer with professional writing interests in higher learning and entertainment. He completed his BA and MA in English at York University, graduating summa cum laude and earning academic merit, research, and writing awards at both levels. Since 2014, he has contributed content and editorial work for award-winning digital trade publications, global SEO copywriting projects, and hugely popular online brands. He can be contacted through .

Psychology Careers With A Doctorate Degree:

9. Health psychologist. These psychologists help patients cope with an illness and support patients as different emotions related to their illness surface. Health psychologists typically hold a doctorate degree.

10. Researcher. Universities, laboratories or the government may employ psychologists as researchers. Researchers conduct scientific studies on how the brain functions . They also conduct experiments to determine solutions or therapies that best work to evaluate or change behaviors. If a researcher works at a university, he or she likely may also teach courses on psychology as well. A doctorate degree is typically required for this career path.

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Psychology Careers With A Masters Degree

While most students in masters degree programs for psychology go on to pursue a PhD or PsyD , some do enter the field with a masters degree. A masters degree, though it may not be required for a career in psychology, could improve opportunities for and increase the competitiveness of candidates applying for jobs in the field. A masters in psychology might increase ones chances of being hired and enhance ones effectiveness in the following areas:

• Coaching and training, as in sport psychology
• Human resources management, as in I/O or business psychology
• Police chiefs, sheriffs, and investigators, as in criminal psychology
• Product design, as in human factors and engineering psychology