Source: Ball State University Department of Psychological Sciences
What Can You Do With a Degree in Psychology?
(These pages were written with a number of different audiences in mind: high school students, undergraduate college students, parents of these students, and graduate students. )
Psychology is a popular subject in school. During each year of the 1990's, about 1.4 million students took an introduction to psychology course, about 65,000 students earned a bachelor's degree in Psychology, and about 14,000 students enrolled in graduate work. These numbers reveal that psychology is not only a popular general studies course, it is the second most popular undergraduate degree.
Psychology is a diverse field. It is a relevant and useful science to people in many different walks of life. Some students entering college know something about psychology and are interested in a career in clinical, educational, industrial, or some other special area of psychology. Many other college students don't know as much about the careers, but they find psychology very interesting. If you are wondering "What can a person do with a degree in psychology?" then you may find the information included here useful.
There are two main career directions you can take with an undergraduate degree in psychology: get or job or go to graduate school. The majority of students who earn an undergraduate degree search for a job, one that requires or prefers someone with a bachelor's degree. There are many of these kinds of jobs. A small percentage of students who receive a bachelor's degree go to graduate or professional school. Competition for graduate school is intense. Schools search for the most capable students they can get. Most of the students who get into these programs will obtain a Masters and/or Doctoral degree. This degree will enable them to obtain a job that requires such an advanced degree.
Having a undergraduate degree in psychology makes a person eligible for some jobs they would not be eligible for without the degree. The Career Development Center at CSULB has a computer system to help you identify many of these jobs and a variety of resources to help you find openings.
Jobs obtained by students with a Psychology BA
Many students who obtain an undergraduate psychology degree go into the business world at starting level management positions (10-30%). They often start out as "management trainees", "administrative support personnel", or some other similar beginning position. In many companies, an undergraduate degree turns out to be valuable for promotions. Ann Howard (1986) published a 20 year longitudinal study of the relationship between aspects of people's college experience (e.g., major and grades) and their managerial qualities and performance. Psychology majors, along with majors in other social sciences, were very successful and rated highest in many qualities. Higher in many areas than students who had majored in business administration. This article is available in many libraries (see, Howard, A. (1986). College experiences and the managerial performance. Journal of Applied Psychology Monograph, 71, 530-552.)
A sizable percentage of students with a bachelor's degree (about 20%), get a position in public affairs or social services. They may be probation officers, interviewers, employment counselors, or any of hundreds of other jobs in social services.
Students with undergraduate degrees in psychology are found in many other jobs. About 14% go into education, many as high school teachers. Approximately 10% go into a sales career. Surveys also find them in health professions, computer science, service positions, and many other jobs.
A very large percentage of students who have entered the work force with an undergraduate degree in psychology believe that the degree was very useful. But, if you want to get a job with an undergraduate degree, you really should note what traits or skills employers typically look for in job candidates with undergraduate degrees. Although your experiences may turn out to be quite unique, surveys of employers suggest that they are interested in finding candidates with the following traits or skills:
good communication skills
good interpersonal and teamwork skills
strong analytical abilities
flexibility
willingness to relocate
creative thinking
proficiency in field of study
computer skills
Many of these skills and abilities can be developed by taking undergraduate classes and making an effort to develop them. For example, this is probably the best way for most students to develop both some mathematical/statistical competence and broad competencies in their knowledge of psychology.
Some of the skills employers are seeking, for example interpersonal and teamwork skills, are difficult to develop in most classrooms, especially lecture only courses. But these skills can grow as a result of participating in organizations and societies such as Psi Chi, the psychology honors society. Members of Psi Chi, especially the officers and the others who are really involved, can develop many of these social skills.
Most of the skills employers seek, but particularly communication and specific proficiencies in the field of study, can be enhanced by getting involved in research projects with faculty. There are several ways to get information about research projects. The Peer Advising Office keeps a list of faculty research interests. You can examine faculty research interests on-line by looking through the faculty biographies.
Employers are often particularly impressed by those skills that are developed through research jobs or community outreach. Community outreach refers to volunteer jobs and paid jobs that psychology students (and psychologists) do that are relevant to the field. This hands-on kind of learning is admired by many employers and sought after in applicants.
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