Career Opportunities for Psychology Graduates: Potential Roles and Strategies, Study notes of Psychology

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Job Prospects for Psychology Graduates

This handout was adapted from the American Psychological Association Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major (August 2013).

Potential Careers with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology

Area Examples of Positions Strategies

Human Services (^)  Caseworker/case manager  Child protective investigator  Corrections or police officer  Criminal investigator  Crisis counselor  Employment counselor  Mental health technician  Parole or probation officer  Substance abuse counselor  Volunteer coordinator  Victim’s advocate  Obtain related practical experience while still in school (volunteering, internships, part-time work)  Develop your communication and interpersonal skills  Familiarize yourself with the human service organizations in your community  If your degree plan permits, consider earning a minor in behavioral healthcare, applied behavior analysis, or criminology Research (^)  Market research analyst  Research assistant  Research coordinator  Gain research experience while still in school by volunteering in a faculty member’s lab  Contribute to a manuscript or poster; present at a professional conference  Develop strong quantitative and statistical skills Education (^)  Admissions evaluator or recruiter  Adult educator/instructor  Financial aid counselor  Teacher  Trainer  Tutor  University/college staff  Obtain practical experience while still in school (e.g., volunteer in a school, work part-time as a tutor)  If interested in teaching, obtain a teaching certification after graduation  If interested in higher education, find an on-campus part-time job while still in school and get involved in student organizations and leadership roles  Develop strong communication and public speaking skills Human Resources (^)  Benefits manager  Employee relations specialist  Human resources professional  Labor relations manager  Recruiter  Obtain a human resources or business-related internship while still school  Develop your leadership skills by holding leadership positions in student organizations  If your degree plan permits, consider earning a minor in business or leadership Business & Industry (^)  Business owner  Claims supervisor  Customer service representative  Loan officer  Manager  Pharmaceutical sales representative  Real estate agent  Obtain related practice experience while still in school (e.g., business-related internship, part-time work in sales or retail)  Develop your leadership skills by holding leadership positions in student organizations  If your degree plan permits, consider earning a minor in business or leadership Other (^)  Animal trainer  Fundraiser  News writer  Technical writer  If interested in writing, take courses that provide you with the opportunity to improve your writing; consider pursuing a minor in English or mass communications (if your degree plan permits)  If interested in animal training, take courses in biology (if your degree plan permits); obtain experience working with animals, such as at the zoo or aquarium through an internship or part-time work

Job Prospects for Psychology Graduates

This handout was adapted from the American Psychological Association Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major (August 2013).

Subfields of Psychology

Clinical psychology Cognitive psychology Community psychology Consumer psychology Counseling psychology Developmental psychology Educational psychology Experimental psychology Forensic psychology Health psychology Industrial/organizational psychology Neuropsychology School psychology Social psychology Sport psychology Quantitative psychology

Potential Careers Requiring Education Beyond a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology

Area Examples of Positions Strategies

Human Services (^)  Art therapist  Clinical social worker  Clinical or counseling psychologist  Forensic psychologist  Marriage and family therapist  Mental health counselor  Music therapist  Psychotherapist  Vocational rehabilitation counselor  Obtain practical experience while completing undergraduate degree (volunteering, internships, part-time work)  Develop your communication and interpersonal skills  If your degree plan permits, consider earning a minor in behavioral healthcare, applied behavior analysis, or criminology  For careers that require a doctoral degree, gain research experience while completing undergraduate degree  Prepare for and take the graduate school entrance exam (GRE) Research (^)  Applied statistician  Program evaluator  Researcher  Gain research experience while completing undergraduate degree by volunteering in a faculty member’s lab  Contribute to a manuscript or poster; present at a professional conference  Develop strong quantitative and statistical skills Education (^)  Academic advisor  Guidance counselor/school counselor  School psychologist  University/college professor  Gain relevant research and/or practical experience – university/college professors need extensive research experience  Make contact with individuals working in these professions and try to obtain shadowing experience Health Professions (^)  Dentist  Neurologist  Nurse  Occupational therapist  Pharmacist  Physical therapist  Physician  Psychiatrist  Veterinarian  Obtain shadowing experience while completing undergraduate degree  Complete the appropriate science/math prerequisite coursework and earn a high GPA  Prepare for and take the appropriate admissions exam for entry into a professional program (e.g., MCAT for medical school, PCAT for pharmacy school) Other (^)  Lawyer/attorney  Obtain a relevant internship while completing undergraduate degree  Take courses towards a pre-law track or political science minor (if degree plan permits) and earn a high GPA  Prepare for and take the law school admissions exam (LSAT)