What Can I Do With A Major In Psychology?
Intrigued by the complex mysteries of human behavior and development—learning, motivation, emotion, memory, judgment, personality, mental disorders, and social interactions—psychology may be your major. Psychologists build successful careers in a wide variety of settings including medical and health clinics, schools and universities, and even fields as diverse as law, urban planning, and advertising. In fact, recent surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor have projected a steady increase in the demand for well-trained, socially-responsive psychologists.
Possible Career Options
(Some may require further education/specialization)Caseworker
Child Development Specialist
Child Welfare Worker
Clinical Manager/Therapist
Community Relations Director
Correctional Officer
Counseling Center Director
Criminologist
Day Treatment Clinician
Deaf and Hearing Impaired Service
Drug Abuse and Prevention Educator
Ethnic Organization and Service Director
Geriatric Case Manager
Grievance Officer
Hospice Health Worker
Human Factors/Industrial Psychologist
Human Resources Manager
Infant Mental Health Specialist
Intensive Family Therapy
Management Analyst
Market Research Analyst
Medical Social Worker
Minority and Race Relations Specialist
Motivational Speaker
Neuropsychologist
Occupational Therapist
Pharmaceutical Sales
Populations Studies Researcher
Probation/Parole Officer
Professor/Teacher
Psychiatric Nurse/Technician
Psychologist
Service Counselor:
Battered Spouse and Child
Divorce
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender
Family and Individual Services
Foster Care Services
Guidance
Men’s Services
Mental Retardation
Pregnancy and Maternity
Rape Crisis Services
Youth Services
Social Worker
Suicide Prevention Services Specialist
Sustainability
Trauma Support Specialist
User Experience/Usability
Types of Employers
Private & Non-Profit Organizations
Adoption and Child Care Agencies
Advertising Agencies
Banks
Correctional Institutions
Education Institutions
Financial Service Companies
Hospitals
Labor Unions
Management Consulting Firms
Market Research Firms
Mental Health Institutions
Newspapers, Magazines
Personnel Agencies
Publishing Companies
Radio and TV Stations
Real Estate Agencies
Resort Hotels
Retail Stores
Social Service Agencies
Substance Abuse Clinics
Technology Companies
Government Agencies
Civil Rights Commission
Consumer Affairs Office
County Probation Department
Department of Transportation
Division of Youth and Family Services
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Federal Communications Commission
Federal Highway Administration
Foreign Service
Health and Human Services
Labor Department
NASA
National Science Foundation
Peace Corps/AmeriCorps VISTA
Veterans Administration
Transferrable Skills
General Skills
Understand socio-cultural forces impacting human behavior
Possesses awareness of the processes involved in dynamic person-environment interactions
Operates and uses information derived from computers
Evaluates, integrates and applies knowledge
Displays sensitivity to and understanding of human development and behavior
Observes and analyzes introspectively
Develops strong quantitative and statistical skills
Problem Solving Skills
Evaluates personal problems and makes appropriate decisions
Analyzes concepts, definitions, arguments and complex problems
Organizes ideas, deals with questions of value, and extracts information
Distinguishes fine differences between views and discovers common ground
Generates ideas and formulates solutions
Communication Skills
Interprets and clearly explains psychological research and tests of all types
Presents ideas through well-constructed, systematic arguments
Listens and responds to others objectively
Expresses a distinctive view and explains difficult material
Eliminates ambiguities and vagueness in communication
Establishes and maintains rapport through interpersonal communication skills
Experiential Education
Providing career assistance to peers in a university career center
Answering a crisis hotline and supporting callers
Conducting research for community agencies
Providing support for displaced families in shelters
Assisting a consulting agency in conducting assessments and focus groups
Working in a human resources department
Counseling children at a special needs camp
Professional Associations
American Counseling Association,
counseling.org
American Psychological Association,
apa.org
Association for Psychological Science,
psychologicalscience.org
Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues,
spssi.org
Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality,
sexscience.org
Enhancing Your Employability
Join relevant student organizations to develop leadership skills
Participate in internships and field experience placements
Add a minor or double major
Become active in alumni and/or mentor networks
Plan on a graduate degree for advancement
Take part in mock interview opportunities