5 Career Options with a Bachelor’s in Psychology

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5 Jobs You Can Get With a Bachelor’s in Psychology

  • Social Worker
  • Substance Abuse Counselor
  • Organizational and Human Resources Professional
  • Training Manager
  • Market Researcher
Many people think the only way to pursue a career with a degree in psychology is to earn an advanced degree. Nothing could be further from the truth. Psychology is a broadly applicable field, and several career options exist for students who complete a bachelor’s in psychology. According to Forbes, nearly forty percent of psychology majors received a job offer by the time they graduated. Here are five career options with a bachelor’s in psychology.

1. Social Worker

Social workers are found in a wide variety of environments, from public schools and universities to human resource and social services offices. Social workers leverage the knowledge of psychology and interpersonal and intrapersonal dynamics to help individuals they counsel. These skills help to creatively problem-solve, especially in situations of difficulty or high stress. For psychology majors interested in this path, a minor in social work, sociology, or social welfare may be highly beneficial. However,  many career options lay open to those with a straight degree in psychology.

2. Substance Abuse Counselor

Substance abuse counselors help clients develop healthy coping mechanisms. At the same time they  work to eliminate or reduce self-destructive or harmful ones. Substance abuse counselors work in a broad array of settings, including:
  • psychiatric hospitals
  • prisons
  • schools
Psychology majors interested in this path may wish to declare a minor in:
  • counseling
  • neuroscience
  • pharmacology
  • public health
While some positions in this field still require a master’s degree, many are open to those with a bachelor’s degree.

3. Organizational and Human Resources Professional

Organizational and human resources professionals utilize psychology and sociology to help company employees:
  • work through interpersonal problems
  • plan effective training and seminars
  • recruit employees based on skillsets and personality
For psychology majors interested in human resources, minors in marketing or business may be helpful. It’s also god to take organizational and industrial psychology courses.

4. Training Manager

Large companies frequently offer a variety of trainings to their employees, especially for management track positions. Training managers design and implement a wide variety of training programs. These include baseline associate training up to management track training. Training managers assist managers in training to  become successful at management.These include:
  • operations training
  • interpersonal skills training
  • financial management
  • motivational keys
The role of the training manager is one of the most lucrative for job candidates with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. This is especially true for those took minors in:
  • marketing
  • business
  • another relevant area.
Related Resource: 30 Great Small Colleges For A Teaching Degree

5. Market Researcher

Market research is another highly lucrative path for psychology majors. It’s helpful to also have a minor in:
  • statistics
  • marketing
  • probability
  • data science
Market research informs every industry on earth, from healthcare and agriculture to  technology. Market researchers collect and analyze data from a variety of sources. They make recommendations based on that data. They advise market campaign managers on how best to utilize that data and create new materials to attract new customers. Market researchers are commonly found in mid-size and larger companies and are a vital part of an effective market strategy for sustaining and growing business. Each of these job positions represents a different application of psychology as a skill. Each can offer an excellent starting point to a highly lucrative career.

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Brenda Rufener
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