What to Do with a Psychology Degree
A psychology graduate has a myriad of career possibilities to choose from, depending on the type of degree obtained. Job openings for psychology graduates are expected to soar in the next five years because of the increased demand for psychological needs in many industries such as in the academe, private companies, social service agencies, hospitals, rehab and mental health centers and even consulting firms.
Bachelor’s Degree
As an undergraduate student, you have probably been tasked to do tons of researching and writing on many related fields. You may have also developed excellent communication skills by constantly interviewing people around you. These can prove to be vital in your professional career where you may be asked to keep accurate company records, take care of client needs, express care and empathy to patients and possibly represent clients.
Make a list of all the skills you have acquired as a student to help you assess your talents and interests. The list will then guide you in choosing a job that is suited to what you have learned and what your current professional goals are.
A bachelor’s degree in psychology can land you jobs in the human resources, social services, management, administrative, sales and marketing departments. There are also possibilities as a guidance or career counselor, library assistant, rehabilitation specialist, probation officer, psychiatric technician and high school teacher, among others.
Master’s or Doctorate Degrees
Those with a master’s or doctoral-level degree in psychology can expect more career choices. There is a high demand for trained clinicians and therapists while there are also many opportunities in education, government and even in the private sector.
Most of those you have master’s or doctoral degrees go into social services and become successful counselors and social workers. The education and research is also a common destination for these highly trained individuals.
Most universities and colleges hire masteral and doctorate graduates to become faculty members where they are expected to teach undergraduate and graduate-level students. Research conducted by government and business groups also usually hire graduates with advanced degrees. Other job titles may include school counselors and psychologists, and industrial-organizational psychologists.
Remember though that it takes patience and dedication for you to be able to earn a degree in this field. It takes around four to five years of full-time study to get a bachelor’s degree in psychology while a master’s degree can take about two years to complete. Meanwhile, it will take you around five more years to finish any Ph.D. or PsyD programs.