The study of psychology is the study of the human mind. Those who study psychology examine the mental and emotional things in humans that influence the ways that they behave in certain situations. Since psychology is such a broad subject, there are many different career options for a graduate of a psychology program. Although commonly confused, there is a stark difference between a psychologist and a therapist both in terms of their responsibilities and their training. For anyone who has ever asked, “what can I do with my degree,” here are some ideas.
From working as a counselor to becoming a forensic psychologist, here are three career options for psychology graduates.
Counselors
There are a wide variety of counselors available for people to see about a variety of issues. One type of counselor is the Substance Abuse Counselor, who works with people who have become dependent on alcohol or illegal drugs. While these jobs are important, they can be challenging since recovering addicts are also suffering from withdrawal. There are also, depending on the state, different additional training that a substance abuse counselor needs to go through. Another type of counselor is the school counselor. These are professionals who work at a specific school and are working with the staff and the students to help create a safe learning environment for the students. They work with students who are troubled at home and those who are struggling at school. It is a sad place to be sometimes, but a critical one.
Experimental Psychologists
An experimental psychologist is one who is getting ready to achieve an advanced degree. In some states, a Ph.D. is needed for you to be called a psychologist. These jobs include working in a lab, being a research assistant, or working in marketing. As students are furthering their education in this field, they can choose to specialize in a particular subfield, like developmental psychology or cognitive psychology. These psychologists run studies in their specific subfield and then analyze the data that they have collected. Experimental psychologists need to be aware of the different ethical considerations of running an experiment, while also having an understanding of those methods and an ability to communicate with others, both written and verbally.
Forensic Psychologists
A forensic psychologist is someone who works in the justice system and the penal system and requires a master’s degree. This job will include criminal profiling, but it will also involve working to create new policies, judge the mental health of defendants, and help victims of crime work through their trauma. There are many jobs available for someone trained as a forensic psychologist. These can include jobs in healthcare, the prison system, or the judicial system. This job can be a stressful one and there can be times when forensic psychologists are threatened or fear for their safety. It is critical, therefore, that a forensic psychologist is thick-skinned and mentally tough.
When graduating with a degree in psychology, there are many options for future careers. By laying out the different career options available, a student can find the perfect job and be prepared to step into that role after graduation.
