4 Jobs You Can Get with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology
Graduation season has passed, and many students are having to face some hard decisions about what to do next - Will I be able to get a job with my degree? Will I be happy with the degree I chose? What kinds of jobs can I get with this degree? There are many opinions out there about what majors and degrees are the best and worst, and it can be a little intimidating to go out into the ‘real’ world and face the feedback that people have on what you chose to study. If you’re a psychology major, you may have heard that there is little to be done with only a bachelor’s degree. However, I’m here to tell you that there are possibilities out there for a freshly graduated psychology student with a bachelor’s degree! Here are four jobs for the psych students who are in transition to graduate school, professional school (e.g. MD program), or the ones who would like to stop at their bachelor’s degree:
1. Research Assistant
Probably the most popular option for new psychology graduates, a job as a research or lab assistant can prepare them for graduate programs and medical school. These jobs tend to be found through the school, by networking with professors and graduate students. Research assistants can perform various tasks, such as entering data, preparing and running experiments, and conducting literary searches for the project they are working with.
2. Probation Officer
The versatility of a psychology degree allows students to work in many different fields, including criminal justice. Having a position as a probation officer will allow a psychology student to work directly with people who are involved in the prison system, and also be able to work directly with their client’s families, friends, and employer. By playing a large role in the rehabilitation of criminal offenders, probation officers can help them lead a successful life.
3. Social Work Assistant
Social work is another field in which psychology can help to reach clients and their families. As a social work assistant, a student can expect to work under a licensed social worker and assist families, children in foster care, disabled people, and the elderly population. Social work assistants help to unload the burden of the work required by social workers, and it allows psychology graduates to work closely with people in need.
4. Market Researcher
Psychology is a field that studies human behavior, which is a big component of the advertising business. For that reason, a bachelor’s degree in psychology is a good choice for a student to have if they are interested in working for the advertising industry. Having a position as a market researcher will allow a person to conduct research on products, customer satisfaction, corporate image, and other aspects of finance, technology, and business corporations.