Psychology what job can i get with a degree

Experience as a research assistant is also relevant. Typical employers Although some psychology graduates become professional psychologists, many go on to work in related fields. A degree in psychology provides a useful foundation for a range of careers and employers. Major employers of psychology graduates include: careers and counselling services commercial and industrial companies financial organisations human resources departments legal firms and organisations providing advice local and national government marketing companies the media the NHS police forces, the National Probation Service and prisons schools, sixth form colleges, colleges of further education and higher education institutions social research organisations social services.

Skills for your CV Transferable skills include: written and verbal communication, including report writing and presenting information technology handling of data and statistics analytical research problem solving the ability to work in teams as well as independently project management. What do psychology graduates do? Destination Percentage Employed Type of work Percentage Childcare, health and education 22 Legal, social and welfare How would you rate this page? On a scale where 1 is dislike and 5 is like Something went wrong.

Please try again. Tell us why Do not fill this in. Earning a bachelor's degree in psychology generally takes four years for full-time students and about two years for transfer students who already hold associate degrees. A master's degree in psychology prepares graduates for careers that do not require a doctorate, like school psychologist or therapist.

Earning master's degrees also helps psychology students specialize their training before pursuing doctorates. During a master's in psychology, students take courses focused on research, theory, and psychology methods. Most master's programs take around two years for full-time students. After meeting coursework requirements, master's students often complete thesis projects or comprehensive exams. Enrollees also typically complete supervised internships to gain practical experience.

Many programs offer concentrations in specialties such as neuropsychology, developmental psychology, and educational psychology. Specialized programs may also cover child psychology or forensic psychology. A doctorate in psychology is a prerequisite for becoming a licensed clinical psychologist, which covers careers like child psychologist, counseling psychologist, and neuropsychologist. The degree also prepares graduates for careers as psychology professors. At the doctoral level, psychology students can earn either a doctor of philosophy Ph.

Earning a doctorate in psychology generally takes around years, including coursework, a dissertation, and an internship. Some psychology doctoral programs are specialized in areas like school school psychology , clinical psychology , or organizational psychology. A specialized doctoral program helps students prepare for specific career paths in psychology after graduation. The highest-paying job for psychology graduates depends on the degree level.

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 BLS 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 , 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 LinkedIn. Megan Pietrucha, Psy.

She holds a bachelor's in psychology from Illinois Wesleyan University and a master's and doctorate in clinical psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University.

Her clinical interests include the treatment of eating and body image concerns, college student and student-athlete mental health, mood disorders, health and wellness, mindfulness, sport and performance psychology, and consultation. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Pietrucha has served as the training director for an APA-accredited internship program and has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology.

She has also worked with high school and college athletes and teams, as well as recreational fitness programs, to provide mental skills training for athletic performance and fitness adherence. Are you ready to discover your college program? A BS in psychology focuses on quantitative skills, while a BA is more theory-based and requires a broader selection of classes in the humanities and social sciences. Some BA programs, like Iowa State's BA in psychology , require students to add a second major or minor in another area.

This type of requirement expands a student's area of study and provides more opportunities to pursue careers in fields outside of psychology. Regardless of whether you choose a BA or BS in psychology, the curricula for these programs focus heavily on research. Baker notes that experience gained through conducting research can be applied to many careers:. While most psychology students do not go on to pursue a graduate degree, the APA has found that earning a graduate degree in psychology is likely to increase rates of job satisfaction and your likelihood of finding employment in the field.

Some psychology majors may not even know that many occupations related to psychology require a graduate degree. Randi Brown, a school psychologist, remembers realizing that many of the career paths she was interested in required at least a master's degree. A master's in psychology opens the door to counseling careers, including marriage and family therapists or school or career counselors. Students who enjoy designing studies, creating surveys, and analyzing data can also find work as survey researchers with a master's in psychology.

If you have your sights set on a career as a clinical psychologist , then earning a Ph. It's also worth noting that growth rates and wages vary for different specialties within psychology. Considering the high cost of many graduate programs, the decision to pursue an advanced degree should not be made lightly. Career Counselor A career counselor your goal is to help career oriented students and job seekers discover their potential.

Working as a career counselor you'll assist people perform self assessments, find careers, make career changes or in vocational rehabilitiation. Not only is being a career counselor fulfilling, psychology graduates are uniquely qualified to help individuals in the career discovery process - since some much of career discoverly involves self discovery.

Case Manager Case managers, also referred to as social and human service assistants, provide advice and counseling to people in difficult situations. They help develop treatment and recovery plans, identify service providers, monitor client progress, and coordinate with other health and human service providers. Not only should case managers have a compassionate heart, they need to be critical thinkers and understand human nature and behavior.

Individuals who complete a bachelor's degree in psychology are well qualified to excel as case managers. Child Care Worker Earning a degree in psychology allows graduates to work directly in psychology by becoming a partial care worker in a mental health setting such as child care. Childcare workers work in daycare, after-school programs and other child care settings. Laboratory Assistant Pursuing a career as a laboratory assistant is a great way to put a bachelor's degree in psychology to good use.

Laboratory assistants are heavily involved in research and experimental psychology, two subjects covered in my undergraduate psychology programs.