Introduction
The study of psychology offers the opportunity to investigate unresolved issues about the brain, such as how it works under stress, how it learns language, how it retains information, or how mental illness can impact its functioning. You can specialize in health, clinical, educational, research, occupational, counseling, neuro, sport and exercise, and forensic psychology while pursuing your degree.
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:
- Psychologist
- Psychotherapist
- Social worker
- Counselor
- Educational psychologist
- Human resource manager
- Teacher
- Research roles
- Media roles
Even though you may get a lot of jobs with an undergraduate degree, some more specialized jobs could need further education. For those occupations in psychology that don’t require additional education, on-the-job training is typically offered to help you advance in your career.
You may learn more about the kinds of jobs that are available to you if you have a psychology undergraduate degree (BA or BSc) by reading on.
Typical psychology careers
Depending on your interests, a degree in psychology might lead to a career in either the arts or science. In the fields of education, social work, therapy, counseling, mental health assistance, and public and private healthcare, there are numerous alternatives. These positions could be advising, therapeutic, treatment-, or research-led.
For graduates in psychology, there are also other less common careers, such as those in the media and other creative fields. Below is a summary of these common and unusual jobs that can be pursued with a psychology degree.
Psychology careers in healthcare and therapy
Chartered psychologist
Gaining certification as a chartered psychologist will be possible with additional education and training. You will interact with patients and clients from a variety of backgrounds in this extremely specialized position. In order to better understand and offer advice on particular behaviors and/or psychological concerns, you will examine thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. You can choose to specialize in a variety of fields as a chartered psychologist, such as mental health, sport, educational psychology, and occupational psychology.
(Note: You must earn a medical degree if you want to work as a psychiatrist, a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions.)
Psychotherapist
Psychotherapists help people with psychological problems, such as interpersonal and emotional problems, stress, and even addiction. They can deal with individuals, couples, groups, or families.
You can behave as a psychotherapist in a variety of ways, depending on your interests and the area you decide to focus in throughout your degree. These include hypno-psychotherapy, art therapy, theater therapy, humanistic and integrative psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral techniques, psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapies, and experiential therapy.
Social worker
A social worker is a professional who works with individuals who are experiencing challenging times in their lives, including vulnerable adults, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and victims of abuse and crime. Their job is to protect these individuals from harm and offer support so that they can improve their circumstances. Social workers can work in homes, schools, hospitals, or other public institutions, and they typically specialize in working with vulnerable adults or children and families.
Counselor
As a counselor, you will work with individuals to explore their emotions and feelings in order to help them better understand their lives and experiences. Working in a private environment, you’ll be expected to pay close attention to what your customers have to say. The capacity to listen, empathize, show respect, be patient, and evaluate the issues at hand in order to help the client make decisions and better manage their circumstances are all important qualities of a counselor. Similar to psychotherapy, counseling is frequently a talking treatment and can cover topics such as marriage and family, health, abuse, education, grieving, mental health, career guidance, occupational therapy, and pediatrics.
Psychology careers in education
There are several choices for psychology graduates who want to work in teaching. Graduates in psychology may be eligible to teach at the primary, secondary, or university levels in addition to doing educational therapy, educational psychology, and social work in the field of education. Instead, they might work in the prison industry to support juvenile offenders or in social services to support learning in the community for people of all ages.
A master’s degree and additional training are prerequisites for becoming an educational psychologist, just like for any other psychologist. In order to improve learning and address social and emotional problems or learning challenges, this position focuses on the development of youth in educational environments.
Depending on the level you select, you will require an additional teaching credential in order to teach psychology. You will probably require an additional degree, such as a master’s or doctoral degree, to work in higher education (colleges and universities). Teaching and research are likely to be included in roles in higher education (see below).
Psychology careers in research
Research careers in psychology might be found in universities, governmental and commercial companies, or research agencies. Although they differ, university-based jobs typically involve both teaching and research. Even more diverse are research professions in other fields, which may involve addressing issues of industry significance or assisting in the formulation of public policy. Another option is to work for a nonprofit or charity, maybe doing research to address issues like brain damage, speech impairments, child development, or the effects of both legal and illicit drugs on mental health.
Less typical careers with a psychology degree
If you know where to search, you can find thousands of employment outside of healthcare and education as a bachelor’s degree psychology graduate. This is because your degree equips you with a variety of transferable abilities and since the benefits of having analytical and psychological knowledge are well acknowledged. Broadly speaking, psychology graduates are employed in every sphere of society, including the legal profession, public agencies, advertising, sports, business and management, criminal justice and rehabilitation, and the media. Below are some less common occupations for psychology graduates.
Media and advertising careers
It may not be a clear choice for psychology graduates, but media careers are diverse and offer many opportunities to put the skills a psychology degree will develop to use. In addition to providing valuable insights into human behavior, psychology graduates can impart the ability to analyze problems, listen intently, give thoughtful answers, and act with empathy and reason. As a result, media roles in all departments, including management, production, scheduling, and writing, are well within the reach of psychology graduates.
Human resources and communications careers
Understanding people and their thought processes is the main goal of psychology, which makes employment in communications and human resources a suitable fit. These positions, which may be found in both the public and commercial sectors, cover topics including internal communications, payroll, PR, training, professional development, and employee satisfaction.
Business and management careers
A psychology degree may also serve as a good foundation for careers in IT, finance, the legal sector, government administration, and market research. Business and management careers are another excellent choice for psychology graduates because of a keen sense of how to handle both data and people. Even though additional training and work experience are likely to be necessary before entering managerial roles, you could start out by pursuing careers in business consultancy, marketing, sales, advertising, or business development before working your way up the ladder.
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Conclusion:
With a psychology degree, you can pursue careers in mental health, business, research, social services, and more. Your understanding of human behavior, cognition, and emotions can be applied in a variety of fields, from human resources and marketing to healthcare and education. Those who pursue further studies, such as a Master’s or PhD, can specialize in areas like clinical psychology, forensic psychology, or academic research, offering even greater opportunities for growth. In conclusion, a psychology degree provides a versatile foundation that opens up numerous career paths.
FAQS About: What can you do with a psychology degree
1. What kinds of jobs can one pursue with a degree in psychology?
You can work in social services, business, education, research, and mental health in positions like market researcher, HR professional, or therapist.
2. Does a psychology degree suffice to become a therapist?
To work as a therapist or counselor, you will require additional training (a master’s or doctorate) and a license.
3. Can someone with a degree in psychology find employment?
Yes, psychology is used in management, marketing, HR, and organizational development to better understand behavior and build solutions.
4. Can someone with a psychology degree work in research?
Indeed, working in academic or private research is possible, albeit it frequently calls for additional education (a Master’s or PhD).
5. What kinds of occupations are available to me with a psychology bachelor’s degree?
You can work as a psychiatric technician or case manager, or in social services, human resources, sales, or research.