3 answers
Hannah
Student
San Ramon, California
1
Question
Asked
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How hard would it be to move into a career like occupational therapy with a major in Psychology?
What other career paths are there for a psychology major besides counseling or therapy?
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3 answers
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
1207
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hi Hannah,
Thinking ahead about how your psychology degree can fit into other job pathways, particularly occupational therapy (OT), is great. The good news is that a psychology major can serve as a solid basis for a career in occupational therapy. Understanding psychology helps you better understand human behavior, mental health, and developmental stages, all of which are very important in occupational therapy.
But in order to enter the field, you would still need to work toward a master's degree in occupational therapy (MOT) or a doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD), which usually requires completing prerequisite courses like biology, anatomy, and physiology as well as accumulating some observation hours in an OT practice. Many majors in psychology do these things during or after their undergraduate studies.
There are many opportunities for careers outside of counseling and therapy, depending on your interests and willingness to learn new skills. Among the options are:
- Human Resources (HR) – If you enjoy working with people, this field allows you to focus on workplace behavior, employee well-being, and organizational culture.
- User Experience (UX) Research – Psychology majors do well in this area because it focuses on how people interact with products, apps, or websites.
- Behavioral Analysis – Particularly with children or in criminal justice settings, applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a growing area.
- Market Research or Consumer Psychology – For those curious about how people make decisions and interact with products or brands.
- Social Work – A slightly different path from therapy, social work can focus more on advocacy, community resources, or case management.
- Rehabilitation Specialist – Helping individuals with physical or mental challenges navigate day-to-day life.
Psychology students gain abilities like communication, critical thinking, and human behavior knowledge that are valued in all of these fields. You can take more than one path, and it's acceptable if your course changes over time. Remaining curious and receptive to learning is important.
You're on a good path, so be confident. You're asking the right questions already!
Best wishes!
Thinking ahead about how your psychology degree can fit into other job pathways, particularly occupational therapy (OT), is great. The good news is that a psychology major can serve as a solid basis for a career in occupational therapy. Understanding psychology helps you better understand human behavior, mental health, and developmental stages, all of which are very important in occupational therapy.
But in order to enter the field, you would still need to work toward a master's degree in occupational therapy (MOT) or a doctorate in occupational therapy (OTD), which usually requires completing prerequisite courses like biology, anatomy, and physiology as well as accumulating some observation hours in an OT practice. Many majors in psychology do these things during or after their undergraduate studies.
There are many opportunities for careers outside of counseling and therapy, depending on your interests and willingness to learn new skills. Among the options are:
- Human Resources (HR) – If you enjoy working with people, this field allows you to focus on workplace behavior, employee well-being, and organizational culture.
- User Experience (UX) Research – Psychology majors do well in this area because it focuses on how people interact with products, apps, or websites.
- Behavioral Analysis – Particularly with children or in criminal justice settings, applied behavior analysis (ABA) is a growing area.
- Market Research or Consumer Psychology – For those curious about how people make decisions and interact with products or brands.
- Social Work – A slightly different path from therapy, social work can focus more on advocacy, community resources, or case management.
- Rehabilitation Specialist – Helping individuals with physical or mental challenges navigate day-to-day life.
Psychology students gain abilities like communication, critical thinking, and human behavior knowledge that are valued in all of these fields. You can take more than one path, and it's acceptable if your course changes over time. Remaining curious and receptive to learning is important.
You're on a good path, so be confident. You're asking the right questions already!
Best wishes!
Annah Edmonds
Licensed Clinical Counselor and Art Therapist
221
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Annah’s Answer
Hannah, to work in OT you need a graduate degree in OT. There is no way around this. However, your undergraduate degree may be almost anything. I know people who studied fine arts and early childhood education (and entered into this field). This most important thing is that you want to help others learn how to function better- in their bodies and in/around their environments. It is a fantastic career; I sometimes wish I had chosen OT instead of counseling. You get to problem solve and work collaboratively and creatively with your patients. You may specialize in working with a certain population- pediatrics, adults, geriatrics. What I love about OT is that you get to see people's lives improve significantly. Having an interest and aptitude for science is useful- such as kinesiology. Being an outside-the-box thinker will also serve you well. I suggest you look at the occupational therapy licensing association website to learn more about education requirements and career outcome. You might need to complete some pre-requisites for graduate school; if so, don't let this intimidate you. I had three for my program and did them all through two community colleges. I also always suggest you visit a school and sit in on classes if possible; it can be a great way to get clarity for yourself that it is a commitment you want to make. Cheers!
Gustavo Miranda Ureña
Talent Acquisition Consultant
6
Answers
San José, Costa Rica
Updated
Gustavo’s Answer
You can research the different Universities or Colleges and check their plan of studies (curricula). Then ask if some of the credits you already took can be credited to the new career plan. is likely!!
Thanks for the advice.
Hannah