Some college students may believe that there are a limited number of job opportunities within the fields of their majors, and therefore, they may feel limited to a small number of career paths. However, any major can lead to a larger variety of career opportunities than people may realize, most of which can be reached with additional education or experience. This can especially be said about students with Bachelor’s in Psychology. Anything is possible. Here are a few of those possibilities:
Clinical Psychologist
Clinical psychologists identify and treat patients with behavioral, mental, and emotional disorders by counseling them and forming treatment plans that will help improve their patient’s mental health. They handle the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of disorders from schizophrenia to bipolar disorder to ADHD. The educational requirements are a possible Master’s in Psychology, Counseling, or another related field, and a Ph.D. or Psy.D. Doctorate, which should involve some clinical experience under the supervision of a professional. They will also need to earn a state license to practice within each state.
Marriage and Family Counselor
Marriage and family counselors use therapeutic techniques to repair damaged relationships between family members and couples. They usually help couples, and family members work through their issues together by first helping them understand how the issues began and working with their clients in group and individual settings to get the full picture. The educational requirements are a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, or a related field, and two years of clinical experience under professional supervision. They will also need to earn a state license to practice within each state.
Psychiatrist
Psychiatrists diagnose and treat patients with cognitive and behavioral mental disorders by conducting procedures like electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and prescribing medications. They primarily deal with medical conditions that cannot be properly treated with just counseling and therapeutic services. The educational requirements are a Doctor of Medicine degree, medical residency, and certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN).
Social Worker
Social workers provide counseling and resources to clients who are struggling and experiencing challenges by collaborating with other organizations and offering support and resources to those in need of help. Some common challenges are addiction, terminal illness, trauma, and disabilities or illnesses, but everybody’s situation and needs are different. The educational requirements are an internship or professional experience under the supervision of a licensed social worker. Two years of experience is required to obtain licensure, but a master’s in social work may be recommended beforehand.
Career Counselor
Career counselors help unemployed or questioning individuals find a job or career path by teaching them techniques for interviewing and good resume building and counseling them on their suitable career options. Most career counselors evaluate their clients using the results of achievement or aptitude tests, which help pinpoint each client’s strengths and weaknesses in a workplace. The educational requirements are a Master’s degree in Counseling, an internship under a professional, and certification.
Parole Officer
Parole officers supervise those who have recently been released from prison by providing them with information, resources, and support to help them reintegrate into society. They tend to provide their parolees with rehabilitation and/or substance abuse counseling, assist them in finding a good educational program or job, visit them in their home or workplace, and observe and evaluate the environment their parolee lives in. The educational requirements are the completion of a government-sponsored training program as well as any additional training based on specialty. They also must pass a government-issued exam to obtain certification and undergo firearms certification, a psychological exam, and a background investigation.
Human Resources Manager
Human resources (HR) professionals manage staff organizations as well as lead and support department employees, recruiting new employees to the organization by overseeing interviews and the hiring process, and ensuring the effectiveness of the protocols and practices of the company. The educational requirements are a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) or Human Resources and obtaining training while in an entry-level or associate-level role within a company. Certification is available to those who want it, but it is not a requirement to work in the HR department of most companies.
Professor
College professors instruct students and help them learn a variety of concepts by creating lesson plans and using classroom discussion. They also grade papers and supervise students. The educational requirements are a Ph.D. in Psychology, passing a written exam, having their dissertation approved, and being able to orally defend their research.
Writer
There are various types of writers and authors in the world that use their gifts to share knowledge, creativity, imagination, love, and so much more. With a Bachelor’s in Psychology, students gain a lot of writing-intensive skills that prepare them for jobs like advertising copywriters and newspaper reporters. However, it can also prepare people to use those skills to express themselves, share their knowledge, and maybe even transport people to new worlds just in a few sentences. If you enjoy writing, you should write, whether it be to publish or just for fun.
Many other job opportunities…
There are many other career options for those with a Bachelor’s in Psychology, especially in health care, art and media, education, sports and recreation, corporate management, law and government, marketing, and research fields. There are also a large variety of types of psychology, counseling, and therapy that students can specialize in later down the line. Each of these jobs has a wide range of responsibilities, salaries, benefits, and requirements.
Every one of these jobs is different in some way, but all of them have one thing in common: helping people. It takes a lot of compassion to work with people in a psychology-related field. If you feel called to a career in psychology, you are a blessing to all of those you will help, guide, teach, and inspire.
Remember to never hold yourself back from exploring other job and career opportunities, whether it be working as a counselor while also teaching or working as a social worker while also writing. Always explore your passions, try new things, travel new places, help more people, and most of all, be happy with yourself. Live life without regrets by following your dreams and never giving up on your passions.