6 answers
Hafsa
Student
Pearland, Texas
1
Question
Updated
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What are some career options for a major in Psychology (non-medical school)?
What are some lucrative career options if I decide to major in Psychology without following the pre-med route? I will be an incoming freshman in college and am still considering options of what I want to major in and fields I may potentially want to work in the future.
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6 answers
Sharie Richardson, PMP
Management and Advisory Consulting
10
Answers
Baltimore, Maryland
Updated
Sharie’s Answer
Hi Hafsa,
Psychology is a versatile degree that opens doors to many careers beyond clinical psychology or psychiatry. Here are some career options for psychology majors that don't require medical school:
Human Resources Specialist: You can use your understanding of human behavior to help recruit, train, and retain employees, as well as to resolve conflicts and improve workplace environment.
Market Research Analyst: This role involves studying market conditions and consumer behavior to help companies understand what products people want, who will buy them, and at what price.
Social Worker: Social workers help individuals and families cope with a variety of life challenges. You'll need a master's degree for clinical roles, but a bachelor's degree in psychology may suffice for some positions.
School Counselor: School counselors help students develop academic and social skills. This role typically requires a master's degree in school counseling or a related field.
Career Counselor: Career counselors use their understanding of human behavior to help people make career decisions.
Public Relations Specialist: This role involves managing the public image of companies or high-profile individuals. Your psychology background can help you understand public perception and behavior.
Advertising Specialist: Psychology majors can use their understanding of human behavior to create compelling advertisements that drive consumer behavior.
User Experience (UX) Researcher: This tech industry role involves studying how people interact with products and suggesting improvements based on your findings.
Probation Officer: Probation officers work with and monitor offenders to prevent them from committing new crimes.
Behavioral Analyst: Behavioral analysts work with individuals or groups to improve behaviors, often focusing on children with autism or individuals with developmental disabilities.
Each of these positions can benefit from the study of human behavior, thought processes, and emotions that a psychology degree provides. Remember to consider your individual interests, skills, and career goals when exploring these options.
Psychology is a versatile degree that opens doors to many careers beyond clinical psychology or psychiatry. Here are some career options for psychology majors that don't require medical school:
Human Resources Specialist: You can use your understanding of human behavior to help recruit, train, and retain employees, as well as to resolve conflicts and improve workplace environment.
Market Research Analyst: This role involves studying market conditions and consumer behavior to help companies understand what products people want, who will buy them, and at what price.
Social Worker: Social workers help individuals and families cope with a variety of life challenges. You'll need a master's degree for clinical roles, but a bachelor's degree in psychology may suffice for some positions.
School Counselor: School counselors help students develop academic and social skills. This role typically requires a master's degree in school counseling or a related field.
Career Counselor: Career counselors use their understanding of human behavior to help people make career decisions.
Public Relations Specialist: This role involves managing the public image of companies or high-profile individuals. Your psychology background can help you understand public perception and behavior.
Advertising Specialist: Psychology majors can use their understanding of human behavior to create compelling advertisements that drive consumer behavior.
User Experience (UX) Researcher: This tech industry role involves studying how people interact with products and suggesting improvements based on your findings.
Probation Officer: Probation officers work with and monitor offenders to prevent them from committing new crimes.
Behavioral Analyst: Behavioral analysts work with individuals or groups to improve behaviors, often focusing on children with autism or individuals with developmental disabilities.
Each of these positions can benefit from the study of human behavior, thought processes, and emotions that a psychology degree provides. Remember to consider your individual interests, skills, and career goals when exploring these options.
Annah Edmonds
Licensed Clinical Counselor and Art Therapist
120
Answers
Seattle, Washington
Updated
Annah’s Answer
Hafsa, it is great you are thinking ahead! I will say that understanding psychology may benefit you in any career- perhaps not directly but indirectly. Most of us work with people or build products that people use. For this reason, it is important to understand how people think, feel, and are motivated. As an undergraduate degree, you can then go on to apply it to most graduate degrees- from psychology, counseling, marketing, social work, law, politics, and more. In the United States (with an Associates or Bachelors) you could work in social services, become a PEER counselor (with additional PEER training- very brief and inexpensive), enter the non-profit world, or advertising. And these are just a few examples. You can begin to home in on your specific interest(s) in psychology as it is a broad topic. What is it that makes you want to study psychology? Do you want to learn more about how your own brain works, how to help others, are you more interested in the history, or do you want to put the learning into direct practice? This might help you in deciding what path to follow. Consider what type of work environment you enjoy as well- do you want to be in an office, in a classroom, therapist or medical office, or have your work involve travel? As for income, it varies widely depending upon the degree level, your location in the world (cost of living can affect salaries), and your own preference- to climb a professional 'ladder' into corporate management, or to work in a community or public health or nonprofit sector. Psychology is a vibrant career field rich with opportunity. Good luck!
Thank you so much, Annah!
Hafsa
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
617
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hello Hafsa,
There are several lucrative career options for individuals with a major in Psychology, even if you choose not to pursue a medical route. Here are some additional lucrative career paths individuals with a major in Psychology might consider.
1. Industrial-Organizational Psychologist: These professionals work in organizations to improve workplace productivity, employee satisfaction, and overall organizational effectiveness. They may be involved in areas such as employee selection and training, performance evaluation, and organizational development.
2. Human Resources Manager: With a Psychology background, you can work as an HR manager responsible for recruiting, hiring, and managing employees within an organization. This role involves strategic planning, employee relations, policy development, and talent management.
3. Market Research Analyst: As a market research analyst or consumer behaviour specialist, you can apply your knowledge of human psychology to analyze consumer trends and behaviour patterns. This helps companies make informed business decisions regarding product development, marketing strategies, pricing models, etc.
4. Forensic Psychologist: If you have an interest in the intersection of psychology and law enforcement/criminal justice system requirements without going into medicine or psychiatry specifically – becoming a forensic psychologist might be the right path for you. You will evaluate criminals' mental state during trials or provide therapy within correctional facilities.
5. School Counsellor/Educational Psychologist: With additional training or certification beyond your undergraduate degree (such as pursuing a master's degree), you can work as a school counsellor helping students with academic challenges or providing guidance on personal issues affecting their education.
6. User Experience (UX) Researcher/Designer: In this field related to technology design and user interface experiences with software/apps/websites/etc., understanding human behaviour through psychological principles is crucial for creating products that meet users' needs effectively.
7. Rehabilitation Counsellor: These professionals assist individuals with disabilities by providing counselling services aimed at helping them overcome barriers to employment or independent living.
8. Training & Development Specialist: Organizations hire these specialists to create training programs that enhance employee skills/knowledge and meet organizational goals regarding professional growth initiatives.
9. Social Worker/Counsellor/Therapist Positions : While becoming licensed requires further education beyond an undergraduate degree (e.g., master's degree), careers such as mental health counsellor or social worker allow individuals to provide therapy and counselling services to individuals, couples, families, or groups.
10. Researcher/Academic: If you have a passion for research, you can pursue a career as a psychologist in academia or research institutes. This involves conducting studies, papers, and contributing to advancements in the field of psychology.
Lastly, it is good to note that while some of these careers may require additional education or certifications beyond your undergraduate degree (such as master's or doctoral degrees), they can be rewarding and financially lucrative options for those interested in psychology. It's important to explore internships, volunteer opportunities, and networking within your chosen field of interest to gain practical experience and make informed decisions about your career path.
Best wishes.
There are several lucrative career options for individuals with a major in Psychology, even if you choose not to pursue a medical route. Here are some additional lucrative career paths individuals with a major in Psychology might consider.
1. Industrial-Organizational Psychologist: These professionals work in organizations to improve workplace productivity, employee satisfaction, and overall organizational effectiveness. They may be involved in areas such as employee selection and training, performance evaluation, and organizational development.
2. Human Resources Manager: With a Psychology background, you can work as an HR manager responsible for recruiting, hiring, and managing employees within an organization. This role involves strategic planning, employee relations, policy development, and talent management.
3. Market Research Analyst: As a market research analyst or consumer behaviour specialist, you can apply your knowledge of human psychology to analyze consumer trends and behaviour patterns. This helps companies make informed business decisions regarding product development, marketing strategies, pricing models, etc.
4. Forensic Psychologist: If you have an interest in the intersection of psychology and law enforcement/criminal justice system requirements without going into medicine or psychiatry specifically – becoming a forensic psychologist might be the right path for you. You will evaluate criminals' mental state during trials or provide therapy within correctional facilities.
5. School Counsellor/Educational Psychologist: With additional training or certification beyond your undergraduate degree (such as pursuing a master's degree), you can work as a school counsellor helping students with academic challenges or providing guidance on personal issues affecting their education.
6. User Experience (UX) Researcher/Designer: In this field related to technology design and user interface experiences with software/apps/websites/etc., understanding human behaviour through psychological principles is crucial for creating products that meet users' needs effectively.
7. Rehabilitation Counsellor: These professionals assist individuals with disabilities by providing counselling services aimed at helping them overcome barriers to employment or independent living.
8. Training & Development Specialist: Organizations hire these specialists to create training programs that enhance employee skills/knowledge and meet organizational goals regarding professional growth initiatives.
9. Social Worker/Counsellor/Therapist Positions : While becoming licensed requires further education beyond an undergraduate degree (e.g., master's degree), careers such as mental health counsellor or social worker allow individuals to provide therapy and counselling services to individuals, couples, families, or groups.
10. Researcher/Academic: If you have a passion for research, you can pursue a career as a psychologist in academia or research institutes. This involves conducting studies, papers, and contributing to advancements in the field of psychology.
Lastly, it is good to note that while some of these careers may require additional education or certifications beyond your undergraduate degree (such as master's or doctoral degrees), they can be rewarding and financially lucrative options for those interested in psychology. It's important to explore internships, volunteer opportunities, and networking within your chosen field of interest to gain practical experience and make informed decisions about your career path.
Best wishes.
Katrine F.
Actuarial Analyst
6
Answers
New York, New York
Updated
Katrine’s Answer
Hello Hafsa,
There are a variety of lucrative career paths in psychology that don't require the pre-med route, here is a list of a few of them:
(1) Industrial-Organizational Psychology
(2) Forensic Psychology
(3) Sports Psychology
(4) Educational Psychology
(5) Clinical Psychology
(6) Counseling Psychology
(7) Neuropsychology
Industrial-Organizational Psychology offers careers within Human Resources and Organization Development. Job titles such as Human Resources Business Partner, Organizational Development Specialist, Talent Management Consultant as well as Compensation and Benefits Analyst involve fostering employee engagement/satisfaction, assessing and improving organizational effectiveness, designing talent training programs, conducting job analysis and developing performance appraisal systems. Industrial-Organization roles within
Forensic Psychology offers a variety of lucrative career paths that don't require following the pre-med route, such as a Forensic Psychologist, Criminal Profiler, Police Psychologist and Correctional Psychologist. These roles involve conducting psychological assessments of individuals involved in legal cases, providing those involved with the criminal justice system as well as inmates with therapy, and offering expert testimony for court proceedings.
Sports Psychology has an abundance of lucrative opportunities to explore within organizations such as professional sports teams, private practices and academic institutions. Some examples of sports psychology career titles to look into are Sports Psychologist, Performance Enhancement Consultant, Mental Skills Coach and Athletic Counselor.
Educational Psychology offer careers involving tasks like assessing students' academic and emotional needs, developing intervention programs to support learning, researching educational practices and interventions as well as designing educational materials and programs. Some examples of job titles under Educational Psychology are School Psychologist, Educational Consultant, Learning Specialist and Curriculum Developer.
Clinical Psychology doesn't involve following the pre-med route and involves careers that assess, diagnose, and treat individuals with various mental health issues. Examples of career titles for Educational Psychology are Clinical Director, Clinical Neuropsychologist, Clinical Psychologist as well as Marriage and Family Therapist.
Counseling Psychology has many career paths to choose from such as School Counselor, Career Counselor, Marriage and Family Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor. These roles involve provide counseling and psychotherapy to individuals, families, couples, and professionals to address issues such as anxiety, addiction, depression, relationship pain points and career concerns.
It's important to note that there are distinctions between Clinical Psychology and Counseling Psychology. Clinical Psychology involves professionals who diagnose and treat individuals with mental health issues that typically work in hospitals, clinics or private practices. Counseling Psychology focuses on helping individuals with general stress, mental health concerns and personal issues. Counselors work with individuals to improve their well-being as well as improve personal growth and development.
Neuropsychology involves jobs where professionals assess cognitive and motional functioning, developing treatment plans, conducting research on brain-behavior relationships and diagnosing neurological disorders and brain injuries. Career titles in this area are Neuropsychologist, Clinical Neuropsychologist, Research Neuropsychologist and Neuropsychological Assessor.
Research each career area and title to find what aligns best with your areas of interest based on the role's responsibilities, required qualifications and salary ranges.
Find ways to network with Psychology professionals via LinkedIn, College Alumni from your University, or professionals found on social media to learn about their career path, insights and experiences.
Stay current with trends, opportunities and developments within the Psychology field.
Reach out to your academic advisor for advice, guidance and information on the different areas of Psychology that align with your career goals, skills and interests.
There are a variety of lucrative career paths in psychology that don't require the pre-med route, here is a list of a few of them:
(1) Industrial-Organizational Psychology
(2) Forensic Psychology
(3) Sports Psychology
(4) Educational Psychology
(5) Clinical Psychology
(6) Counseling Psychology
(7) Neuropsychology
Industrial-Organizational Psychology offers careers within Human Resources and Organization Development. Job titles such as Human Resources Business Partner, Organizational Development Specialist, Talent Management Consultant as well as Compensation and Benefits Analyst involve fostering employee engagement/satisfaction, assessing and improving organizational effectiveness, designing talent training programs, conducting job analysis and developing performance appraisal systems. Industrial-Organization roles within
Forensic Psychology offers a variety of lucrative career paths that don't require following the pre-med route, such as a Forensic Psychologist, Criminal Profiler, Police Psychologist and Correctional Psychologist. These roles involve conducting psychological assessments of individuals involved in legal cases, providing those involved with the criminal justice system as well as inmates with therapy, and offering expert testimony for court proceedings.
Sports Psychology has an abundance of lucrative opportunities to explore within organizations such as professional sports teams, private practices and academic institutions. Some examples of sports psychology career titles to look into are Sports Psychologist, Performance Enhancement Consultant, Mental Skills Coach and Athletic Counselor.
Educational Psychology offer careers involving tasks like assessing students' academic and emotional needs, developing intervention programs to support learning, researching educational practices and interventions as well as designing educational materials and programs. Some examples of job titles under Educational Psychology are School Psychologist, Educational Consultant, Learning Specialist and Curriculum Developer.
Clinical Psychology doesn't involve following the pre-med route and involves careers that assess, diagnose, and treat individuals with various mental health issues. Examples of career titles for Educational Psychology are Clinical Director, Clinical Neuropsychologist, Clinical Psychologist as well as Marriage and Family Therapist.
Counseling Psychology has many career paths to choose from such as School Counselor, Career Counselor, Marriage and Family Counselor and Licensed Professional Counselor. These roles involve provide counseling and psychotherapy to individuals, families, couples, and professionals to address issues such as anxiety, addiction, depression, relationship pain points and career concerns.
It's important to note that there are distinctions between Clinical Psychology and Counseling Psychology. Clinical Psychology involves professionals who diagnose and treat individuals with mental health issues that typically work in hospitals, clinics or private practices. Counseling Psychology focuses on helping individuals with general stress, mental health concerns and personal issues. Counselors work with individuals to improve their well-being as well as improve personal growth and development.
Neuropsychology involves jobs where professionals assess cognitive and motional functioning, developing treatment plans, conducting research on brain-behavior relationships and diagnosing neurological disorders and brain injuries. Career titles in this area are Neuropsychologist, Clinical Neuropsychologist, Research Neuropsychologist and Neuropsychological Assessor.
Katrine recommends the following next steps:
Thank you so much, Katrine!
Hafsa
Lee Shuwarger
Optometrist
3
Answers
Pueblo, Colorado
Updated
Lee’s Answer
I majored in Psychology at USC, but I’m an optometrist. It’s amazing how often I use psychology in order to communicate better with my patients. Best of all, optometry allowed me to get into the health field, become a doctor, avoid the sight of blood, help patients without painful treatments or hospitalization, while avoiding the “pre-med route”.
Loved reading this, thanks!
Hafsa
Hafsa Khan
5
Answers
Woodlawn, Maryland
Updated
Hafsa’s Answer
Hello Hafsa!
I chose psychology as my major because I always knew I wanted to be a counselor. What's great about having a psychology major is that it paves the way for you to pursue graduate studies in counseling. This could be in the realm of school counseling or clinical counseling/therapy. But that's not all! Your degree can also lead you to become a professor or a teacher. You even have the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with researchers as an assistant. Psychology is a highly valued major that opens up a world of possibilities! And the best part? You don't need to have all the answers right now!
I chose psychology as my major because I always knew I wanted to be a counselor. What's great about having a psychology major is that it paves the way for you to pursue graduate studies in counseling. This could be in the realm of school counseling or clinical counseling/therapy. But that's not all! Your degree can also lead you to become a professor or a teacher. You even have the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with researchers as an assistant. Psychology is a highly valued major that opens up a world of possibilities! And the best part? You don't need to have all the answers right now!