What Can You Do With a Psychology Degree?

Have you ever wondered, “What can you do with a psychology degree?” You’re not the only one. While the field tends to attract the interest of many juniors and seniors who enjoy their first psychology class in high school, they oftentimes aren’t sure exactly where the degree can take them after college. They don’t realize that psychology degrees aren’t just for people who want to become psychologists. A psychology degree is versatile and useful in many different careers and specializations. Having a solid understanding of how people think and behave is useful in everyday life and can be applied to many career fields. 

So exactly what can you do with a psychology degree? Can you be a counselor with a bachelor’s in psychology? What concentrations can you pursue with the degree? And how do you go about finding internships? Let’s dive into all of these questions and more!

Can you be a counselor with a bachelor’s in psychology?

If you only have a bachelor’s degree in psychology, you cannot become a counselor in the state of Indiana. (The licensing process differs from state to state). However, a bachelor’s in psychology is a great place to start your accreditation process. After completing your bachelor’s in psychology, counseling, or social work you will need to earn your master’s degree in counseling in order to obtain licensure. During your master’s, you are required to complete a certain amount of hours of supervised practice, as well as a practicum. After completing those prerequisites, you can take your LMHC exam and finally apply for your LMHC License. Once you have your LMHC license, you will be officially certified as a counselor! Read about the full accreditation process here.

What can you do with a psychology degree?

A bachelor’s degree in psychology is a great stepping stone for many different careers. Many careers can use psychology as a jumping off point to get more education. Careers that may start with psychology, but require more education after your bachelor’s include:

• Psychologist
• Counselor
• Social Worker
• Clinical researcher
• Lawyer
• Teacher
• Doctor

What careers are you qualified for with just a bachelor’s in psychology?

Psychology is not just a precursor to more education, however. A bachelor’s in psychology can qualify you for a variety of positions right out of college, including:

• Behavioral Analyst
• Human Resources Specialist
• Market Researcher
• Project Manager
• Director of Family Ministries

What can you do with different psychology concentrations?

• Child Life Specialist Concentration – This degree is primarily for those who want to work with children, such as school counselors, child psychologists, or a child life specialist. 
• Clinical and Integrative Health Concentration – This degree emphasizes the clinical side of psychology and trains students to work in the mental health field, as a psychologist, mental health counselor, psychiatrist, and more. 
• Comprehensive Concentration – This concentration is a general overview on all areas of study within psychology. This is ideal for anyone trying to decide on a concentration or anyone wanting to get a look into all of the different concentrations.
• Industrial and Organizational Concentration – This concentration prepares you for jobs in social work, therapy, and case management. It focuses on engaging and improving management systems within the corporate world.
• Sport Psychology Concentration – Sport Psychology majors focus on the psychological effects on athletic performance, and this degree prepares you for jobs working with athletes and sports teams.

What classes do psychology students take?

Psychology students take a variety of courses, mainly focused in behavioral and social science classes. Psychology majors primarily take classes on motivation and emotion, brain and behavior, and social psychology. Where sports psychology focuses on physiology, biomechanics, sports counseling, and motor learning, a childhood psychology major may take classes on grief and loss, therapeutic play, and child and adolescent psychology. This is the beauty of choosing a concentration that will allow you to focus on the courses that most interest you. 

What internships are available for psychology students?

Internships for psychology students are usually at places such as hospitals, counseling centers, and psychiatry offices. They are usually placed in supervised situations, providing psychological assessments, intakes, or simply observing. In other cases, depending on the intended career of a psychology student, a student may intern as a research assistant or work in the forensic science field. Internships are usually the last step in deciding what you want to do with your psychology degree, but they can also be used to decide what field you want to pursue. 

If you have ever considered a psychology major, but found yourself asking, “What can you do with a psychology degree?” then you are not alone. Fortunately, a psychology degree lays a solid foundation which can open up countless possibilities. 

Learn more about Grace College’s psychology program.