Samantha
What are the different career options that are psychology-based?
I am passionate about psychology, but do not quite know what exactly I want to do with the psychology degree I am pursuing. It would be helpful to have some ideas as to what types of careers I can go into with a psychology degree. #psychology
8 answers
Abby Lupi
CareerVillage.org TeamAbby’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team
Hi Samantha! I’m sorry no one’s answered your question yet. We're working hard to get it answered by Professionals with the best insights, but in the meantime I've included a link to a relevant Q&A here on CareerVillage.org that should be super helpful for you to read through.
Gregory asked: What are the not usually known career paths for psychology?, and one of the Pros who answered it said:
You can do so many things with a Psychology major! Of course the typical paths lead to clinical and counseling work, you can also go onto to several other fields. A Bachelor's degree in Psychology serves as an excellent foundation for many careers or graduate school. Some fields you could consider is Human Resources, Criminal Justice System, Animal Assistance programs, government.
Some Psychology graduates go onto Law School to become a lawyer. Others go onto the police academy, work in a Juvenile Corrections Center, or work as a Probation Officer...
Click the question to read more of what this Pro and others had to say!
Good luck!
Abby
Community Management Intern at CareerVillage.org
Reading and asking about these avenues can help you rule in or out what you would like to do. They are very different.
I pursued a doctorate in clinical psychology and waited until I was in the program before I had enough information to decide exactly what was for me. Many many people change their career path over the course of their lives because we do not always know until we get there.
Erica Matthews, Psy.D.
Christine Goodnight
Christine’s Answer
Jimmy Lam
Jimmy’s Answer
A few career options in psychology that I'm familiar with are behavior interventionist for children with special needs or being a psychology lab researcher. There are entry level positions to be a behavior interventionist, so it would be a good way to get your feet wet to see whether you're interested in this path. For the psychology lab researcher, check within your psychology department at your college and see if they have an opening as a lab assistant. These two career options are great for anyone studying psychology and are in the midst of their college years.
Additional career options can be teaching a particular psychology topic of interest in a higher education setting, counselor, human resources, or therapist. If these career options don't peek your interest, I would encourage you to explore in ventures that may interest you. As a psychology major, I believe that psychology is useful in any career path that revolves around working with other human beings. It also doesn't hurt to start at the bottom of the ladder and gain enough experience to climb up the ladder. Best of luck to your future endeavors!
It seems that you are pursuing an undergraduate degree majoring in psychology- if that is the case, then many career fields relate, and the degree allows for you to build on it. If you are passionate about seeking a career in psychology, then consider an advanced degree studying marriage and family therapy, clinical (diagnosing/treating), forensic (testing/expert witness), professor, and a myriad of counseling avenues- becoming a licensed professional counselor, a psychologist, a social worker.
Erica Matthews, Psy.D.
Jazmin Burns, PsyD
Jazmin’s Answer
Great question! When I entered the field of psychology, I had the same question. The more I researched the possibilities, the more I realized that psychologists can work in many different settings -- schools, prisons, military bases, hospitals, VAs, private practice, clinics, the list goes on! I worked in a research clinic for years (I'm still there). I got a lot of training in community mental health where I worked with a lot of families who are low-income. It lit a fire in me to start a private practice because there were issues in the "system" that many families got stuck in and I felt that I could be of more service in private practice. Not to say community mental health professionals do not help because they rock and help a ton! Unfortunately, burn out is a real thing in this field so you have to set a balance for yourself. I have friends who worked in prisons as psychologists, major hospitals, schools, etc. and what's important is for you to know yourself. While in graduate school (which I recommend you doing because a BA in Psychology only gets you so far depending on where you live), I HIGHLY recommend trying to work in different settings because you never know what you might find and like (or dislike). After my years of training, I learned that I LOVED working with ages 0-21. I specialize in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and other neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions. I also learned that I really enjoy doing trauma-informed care with people and I was able to do that with people of all ages. The sky's the limit when it comes to psychology and it can be very exciting but also overwhelming. I put in some optional next steps that me and many others I know have taken and I believe they are quite helpful. :) I hope this helps! I wish you the very best on your journey!
Jazmin recommends the following next steps:
Stephanie Rosso, PhD
Stephanie’s Answer
Hi there! There are many options depending on your interests. These include direct clinical care, research, teaching and consulting. I would suggest figuring out what kind of work you would like to do and what kinds of topics interest you. Are you interested in working directly with Children and Families or are you more interested in the science of the brain and its wiring. Most of the jobs require an advanced degree and years of training. You need a PhD in order to be a university professor and to research for example. You may be able to volunteer at different organizations and nonprofits and see what you think. There are many settings including hospitals, universities, and community-based organizations that have mental health workers.
je souhaite travailler avec les familles dans le domaine de la santé communautaire.
Saa jean tolno
Saa jean tolno
Saa jean’s Answer
Could you please elaborate on this answer? It would make your response more helpful
Gurpreet Lally, Admin
Pamela Reid
Pamela’s Answer
Understanding that to be a therapist or clinical psychologist, you will need a doctorate. But therapy is not the only path… psychologists work in school settings, in industry, and in non-profit organizations.
I have seen my psychology students become successful in sales, as entrepreneurs, and as community leaders. Why? Because having a basic understanding of people and behavior. Which is what psychology can provide, underpins many professions. So students with an undergraduate degree in psychology have gone to law school, social work school, snd even into medicine. Others have become writers, teachers. and of course, like me some have continued to study psychology to become researchers and college professors.
Mohammed Almoaadi
Mohammed’s Answer
Mohammed recommends the following next steps:
psychology is a very good subject and it has various fields like Education psychology, industrial psychology, Clinical psychology, Personality psychology etc. Every field has its own importance so I think you need to read a little bit about all of them and then figure out in which you feel interested.
Regards
Aqsa fayyaz