Jobs for Psychology Majors
Jobs in the field of Psychology almost always require a Master's degree and may require a doctorate. If you want to work in teaching, research, or counseling/therapy, you should plan to go to graduate school. However, before you rush off to graduate school, you should look very carefully at the kinds of jobs for which a Bachelor's degree in psychology prepares you. Many students graduating with a Bachelor's degree will work in some division of human or social services. Some common job titles in the area include:
- Case management
- Career counselor
- Rehabilitation specialist
- Psychiatric technician
- Drug and alcohol abuse consultant (not professional counseling)
- Probation officer
- Psychological technician in certain research and governmental agencies
- Employment agency counselor
- Personnel worker
- Social worker
- Animal trainer
- Vocational rehabilitation worker
- Behavioral modification or psychological technician in a psychiatric institution
If you are interested in working more directly in the field of psychology or in its related helping professions (e.g., counseling, marriage and family therapy), you may want to, or need to, earn a Master's degree. With a Master's degree, you could:
- Teach in a community college or a small college
- Work with patients in a mental hospital or a private clinic (initially uunder the supervision of a PhD or MD; requires state licensure)
- Be a part of a research team in industry or government (under the supervision of a PhD)
- Work in industrial psychology
- Supervise psychological technicians in schools, hospitals, and government agencies
- Work as a school psychologist (may require certification or licensure in the state in which the practice is located)
If you are interested in teaching at the unversity level, practicing clinical psychology, or planning and conducting research, you will want to earn a doctorate in psychology.