Biology Forums - Study Force

What are some possible jobs out there for psychology majors? I'm really curious.

After earning your psychology degree, you can choose from a wide variety of career options. Of course, the specific career you pursue will depend largely on your educational background. Some entry-level jobs are open to those with an undergraduate degree in psychology, while others require advanced or graduate-level study.

The following are just some of the many psychology-related job titles. Some are directly in the field of psychology, while others require additional training in another field or specialty area. In either case, having a solid understanding of the human mind and behavior can be beneficial in any of these careers.

It's a huge list :goofy:

Academic Counselor
Advanced Psychiatric Nurse
Advertising Agent
Animal Trainer
Animal Researcher
Art Therapist
Aviation Psychologist
Career Counselor
Case Worker
Child Care Worker
Child Psychologist
Clinical Psychologist
College Admissions Counselor
Comparative Psychologist
Community Counselor
Counseling Psychologist
Correctional Treatment Specialist
Criminal Investigator
Crisis Counselor
Cognitive Psychologist
College Admissions Officer
College Recruiter
Customer Service Agent
Developmental Psychologist
Editor
Education Administrator
Educational Psychologist
Elementary School Teacher
Employment Interviewer
Employment Recruiter
Engineering Psychologist
Environmental Psychologist
Experimental Psychologist
Family and Marriage Therapist
Financial Aid Counselor
Forensic Psychologist
Grief Counselor
Guidance Counselor
Health Psychologist
Human Factors Psychologist
Human Resources Advisor
Human Resources Manager
Industrial/Organizational Psychologist
Journalist
Lawyer
Library Assistant
Market Researcher
Mental Health Coordinator
Military Psychologist
Music Therapist
Neurologist
Occupational Therapist
Physician
Police Officer
Public Opinion Surveyor
Probation Officer
Psychiatric Social Worker
Psychiatric Technician
Psychosocial Rehabilitation Worker
Public Relations Agent
Publishing Agent
Psychiatric Aide
Psychiatrist
Recreational Therapist
Rehabilitation Counselor
Research Assistant
School Counselor
School Psychologist
Secondary School Teacher
Science Writer
Social Psychologist
Social Services Specialist
Social Worker
Sports Psychologist
Statistician
Substance Abuse Counselor
Technical Writer
University Psychology Professor
Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
Youth Counselor

My experience may be different from yours but I've found that it is pretty much impossible to get a related job with only a bachelors in psych.

Here are some opportunities that I have seen and my experience with them. Some ideas are to work as a research assistant in one of your prof's labs or apply to get your own funding for a small research project - your department will have details and info on anything like that. Also, you usually need to have a personal rapport with the prof to land a place in a lab. Research experience is also critical if you want to go on to grad school. Sometimes hospitals and private organizations are also looking for research assistants in their labs - troll the sites of likely places to see if there are any job openings. I've known people to get assistant positions in labs at other universities too - but as a general rule schools prefer their own grads. Problems with these jobs? The pay is usually garbage and you would probably be competing with grad students (or even master's grads!) - so if you want one start volunteering and getting your face known in these places now.

In Canada at least, with only a bachelor's you can have nothing to do with clients whatsoever - you are just not qualified. Maybe if they really need someone you might be able to land a job as a SLP or teaching assistant - but they have technical programs to train people for those positions so in some places you may be under qualified. If you have office administrative experience you could be able to find work as a secretary at a clinic or office (I had a friend who worked in a genetic counseling office with her BSc in psych) but again that would depend more on your office experience rather than your degree.

Some schools for individuals with developmental disorders etc. hire undergrads to work as teaching assistants to run IBI and IPP programs with their students. However, with so many qualified teachers unable to find work these days, you would be competing with them for these positions. Sometimes there are private families looking for people to work with their children (in my experience usually some form of autism or some other developmental condition) and they usually want people in positions for a minimum of 6mons to a year.

I have no idea about the area of social work - though in Canada at least you need a master's to do counseling.

I'm not saying that there are no other positions out there, or that you might not land one of the jobs I mentioned but the fact of the matter is that I have found in the field of psychology a bachelor's is a building block and nothing more - you are not as competitive as many others with only your psych degree (also FYI, as a general rule all the jobs I mentioned are rubbishy pay - don't expect to save too much). If I was you I would start volunteering now (yeah, many of the places where you would be unable to get a job would happily allow you to volunteer - perhaps another reason it is so hard?) just to get your foot in the door at the very least and to help build up your CV. I would aim for a research experience this year - even if it is unpaid you make important connections and get lab experience for any future research assistant jobs and grad school. Also, apply for grad school this year - even if you are amazing it may take a few years to get in. Really use your connections - really to get to know your profs, professionals in the field etc so if they come across something they'll have you in mind.

But then again maybe you have better connections (or luck!) than I did and you would be able to land something. Anyway, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

Psychology is a very interesting and dynamic field of study with many different possibilities for career opportunities. With a doctoral degree a clinical psychology you could do anything from teaching at a university and conducting research, to working for private companies, e.g. in the development of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of mental disorders, evaluating people with brain damage due to injury or stroke as a neuropsychologist, or work with children researching the developing brain. I was in your shoes six years ago my freshman year in college and once I learned about the breadth of the field I got really interested in the biology of the brain. I am currently planning on pursuing a doctoral degree in neuropsychology, and from what my advisers have been telling me the demand for trained clinical psychologists is increasing due to the increases in our knowledge about the human brain. Do something you love and you will never work a day in your life, the only way to find out if this is right for you is to experience the subject matter for yourself.

It really depends on you. There are a lot of options, most of which you need more than just a degree. Psychiatry usually requires medical training, so its not really the same as psychology.

Psychology is employed in a number of jobs. If you are in college, I highly recommend taking the beginning psych class, you will learn about a number of jobs you can do as a psychologist. Like I just told someone else though, if you are planning on studying psychology, plan also to go to graduate school if you want a related job.

I got this information from a university website, but it's helpful in answering your question.

With a graduate degree (M.A./M.Sc. or Ph.D.), psychologists specialize in many different areas within the field. Once you have your B.A. in Psychology, it typically takes 2-3 years to complete a master's degree (M.A. or M.Sc.) and another 4-5 years to complete a doctoral degree (Ph.D.), including internships for clinical or counselling psychologists. Graduates with an Master's or a Ph.D. in psychology work in research, in clinical or counselling private practice, in educational, sport or health psychology, or industrial psychology or forensics. Clinical psychologists assess and treat mental and emotional disorders, while counselling psychologists counsel couples and families who are having difficulties, or help people deal with "problems in living", difficult life events and change. Industrial/ organizational psychologists apply psychology theories and research findings to the workplace, to improve the management of human resources, productivity and job satisfaction. Neuropsychologists study the relationship between the brain and human behaviour and cognition, and assess and treat people with traumatic brain injury. Developmental psychologists specialize in human cognitive, emotional, and psychological development across the lifespan. Other psychologists specialize in topics like sports psychology, health psychology (health, stress, and illness), forensic psychology (legal and criminal issues), educational or school psychology, and social psychology.

Hope it help :thi:

Looky here ;D

also...

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1. Career or Vocational Counselor

Average Salary: $46,000

Due to the rapidly changing job market, many people are searching for a new job in their chosen field or even changing careers. Career counselors help individuals make career decisions and utilize tools including personality assessments, interest inventories and other evaluation measures. They often start by looking at a client's interests, job history, education, skills and personality characteristics in order to determine which careers are a good match. They also help clients work on building skills, practicing interviews, improving resumes and locating job openings. Assisting clients who are dealing with job loss or employment-related stress is also common.

2. School Psychologist

School psychologists work in educational settings to help children deal with emotional, academic and social problems. Thanks to increased interest in the mental health of children and federal education legislation, school psychology has rapidly become one of the fastest growing fields. The demand for qualified school psychologists exceeds the number of candidates available, which means that job opportunities are plentiful.

3. Counselor

Average Salary: $47,530

Counselors help a people with a wide variety of problems, including marriage, family, emotional, educational and substance abuse issues. Nearly half of all counselors work in health care or social welfare settings, while another 11-percent work for state and local governments. While requirements vary, almost all states require at least a master's degree in order to become a licensed counselor. Typical work settings include K-12 schools, colleges and universities, hospitals, mental health clinics and private practice offices.

4. Genetics Counselor

Average salary: $71,100

Genetics counselors help provide information about genetic disorders to couples and families. These professionals typically have graduate training in both genetics and counseling, and many have undergraduate degrees in areas such as psychology, social work, biology, nursing and public health. Genetics counselors often work with a team of medical professionals, including doctors, nurses and geneticists to offer support, guidance and assistance to families who have a family member with a genetic disorder or who may be at risk of passing down an inherited disorder to their offspring.

5. Forensic Psychologist

Average Salary: $59,440

Forensic psychologists apply psychology to the fields of criminal investigation and law. This has rapidly become one of the hottest psychology career trends thanks to numerous portrayals in popular movies, television programs and books. While the field may not be as glamorous as it is depicted in the media, forensic psychology is still an exciting career choice with a lot of potential for growth. Forensic psychologists often work with other experts to resolve child custody disputes, scrutinize insurance claims, perform child custody evaluations and investigate suspected child abuse.

6. Engineering Psychologist

Average Salary: $79,818

Engineering psychologists use psychology to investigate how people interact with machines and other technology. These professionals use their understanding of the human mind and behavior to help design and improve technology, consumer products, work settings and living environments. For example, an engineering psychologist might work as part of a team to redesign a product to make it more efficient and easier to use in a work situation. Those working in academic settings report the lowest earnings, while those working in the private sector report higher salaries.

7. Clinical Psychologist

Average Salary: $63,000

Clinical psychologists assess, diagnose and treat clients suffering from psychological disorders. These professionals typically work in hospital settings, mental health clinics or private practices. Clinical psychology is the single largest employment area within psychology, but there are still plenty of jobs available for qualified professionals. In order to become a clinical psychologist, you must have a doctoral-level degree in clinical psychology and most states require a minimum of a one-year internship. Most graduate school programs in clinical psychology are fairly competitive.

8. Sports Psychologist

Average Salary: $45,000 to $80,000

Sports psychologists focus on the psychological aspects of sports and athletics, including topics such as motivation, performance and injury. The two major areas within sports psychology are centered on helping improve athletic performance or using sports to improve mental and physical health. Sports psychologists work in a wide variety of settings including universities, hospitals, athletic centers, private consulting practices and research facilities.

9. Industrial-Organizational Psychologist

Average Salary: $97,820

Industrial-organizational psychologists focus on workplace behavior, often using psychological principles to increase worker productivity and select employees that are best-suited for particular jobs. There are several different specialty areas within industrial-organizational psychology. For example, some I-O psychologists train and assess employees, while others evaluate job candidates. While there are some job opportunities at the master's-degree level, those with a doctoral-level degree in industrial-organizational psychology are in greater demand and command significantly higher salaries.

10. Special Education Teacher

Average Salary: $47,650

While slightly outside of a traditional psychology career, the field of special education offers a great deal of opportunity for those who enjoy helping children. Special education teachers work with students with a variety of disabilities. In order to become a special education teacher, you must have at least a bachelor's degree and complete a teacher training program in special education. Because of the increased enrollments in special education programs and a shortage of qualified teachers, job demand is strong and expected to grow.