A psychology degree is very broad and it covers a lot of different areas so people are often at a loss when it comes to finding a career after they graduate. People often put down psychology degrees and say that there aren’t any direct career options from it but that’s not true at all. There are so many amazing jobs that you can get with a psychology degree, these are the best ones.
1. Psychologist
Obviously, the most direct career trajectory for people with a psychology degree is to become a psychologist. A clinical psychologist works with clients that have a varied range of mental health issues including anxiety, depression, and addictive behavior. It’s your job to diagnose these problems and then decide what the best course of treatment will be. You can also pursue a career as a counseling psychologist; it’s a similar role but there is less focus on medical issues, you’ll be spending more time helping people to deal with traumatic events in their life such as bereavement or abusive relationships. If you like the idea of working at a school but you don’t want to become a teacher, you can get a job as an educational psychologist. It’s your job to help the children with any problems that they might be having and help them to make sure that they’re equipped to learn properly.For those who want to earn a psychology degree quickly and advance their career, some institutions offer a fast PsyD degree program.
2. Social Worker
You learn a lot about how to deal with people in difficult situations when you do a psychology degree and those skills are incredibly useful in a career as a social worker. You won’t be able to find a position with just a psychology degree, you’ll need to do an online msw degree first. You can do it at your own pace in your own time and work while you do it so you don’t have to deal with the financial difficulties of going back into full-time education. Being a social worker can be an incredibly rewarding job but it’s very emotionally draining. You’ll be exposed to some incredibly traumatic situations and a lot of people find it difficult to switch off and separate themselves outside of work. It’s worth thinking about whether you can handle what the job will throw at you before you decide to pursue a career in social work.
3. Detective
There is no fast track route to becoming a detective. You need to get a job as a police officer first and then apply for a detective position when you’ve got enough experience. However, if you’ve got a psychology degree you’ll be more likely to be accepted, especially if you studied aspects of criminology as part of that degree. If you’re considering a late career change and you want to make use of that degree, a career as a detective is a good choice. Just be aware that you’ll have to put in a good few years as a normal police officer before you’ll even be considered for a detective role.
These are just some of the amazing career options for people with psychology degrees so get out there and make use of yours.
