Eight career options if you’ve earned a degree in psychology

Earning a degree in psychology can be a dream for you if you enjoy studying human behavior. Its foundations are in science and medicine, and it aids in understanding mental processes. 

Studying psychology means you can enhance community mental health standards and shed light on various mental health challenges through research and observation. It provides fresh perspectives on how people evolve.

A psychologist, on the other hand, can assist people in improving their judgment, emotional regulation, and attitude based on their analysis of their previous history. These skills support people in having more fulfilling relationships, more consciousness, and improved coordination. 

This article will highlight eight lucrative career options you can pursue if you’ve earned a degree in psychology. 

1. Occupational psychologist

Specializing in occupational psychology means applying psychological knowledge, theory, and practice to workplace organizational challenges. It can also include issues related to culture and problems at the individual or team level, which is what an occupational psychologist does.

As an occupational psychologist, you can improve organizational effectiveness and employee job satisfaction by focusing on staff performance, behavior, health, and wellness.

However, a mere bachelor’s degree can not be enough to perform well at your job, so you’ll need an advanced degree program backing your experience and skills. You can opt for an online masters psychology degree to learn the essential skills necessary to understand human behavior and strategies for improving and optimizing professional work environments. 

Moreover, with a master’s degree in Psychology, you’ll also play a crucial role in solving problems in contemporary organizations and managing the workforce you’re assigned to. A master’s degree also helps you stay competitive by making you eligible for higher, more growth-orientated roles.

2. Clinical neuropsychologist

A clinical neuropsychologist is one of the most respected psychology professions that deals with identifying and treating psychiatric issues and mental diseases.

Psychiatric issues and mental diseases like Parkinson’s, dementia, traumatic brain injuries, epilepsy, and other learning difficulties are diagnosed and treated by clinical neuropsychologists. In addition to prescribing medication and offering to counsel, they also recommend other forms of treatment for their patients.

Clinical neuropsychologists are also well-versed in fields like brain development, neurodiagnostic techniques, and behavioral indicators of neurological diseases. As a clinical neuropsychologist, you can work in medical facilities, academic institutions, or private practice. University-level research and instruction are further options.

3. Forensic Psychologist

Forensic psychologists combine the legal system with the practice of psychology by using psychological knowledge inside the judicial system. Clinical-forensic work is a specialty of forensic psychologists, who assess clients who might appear to have mental diseases or have other characteristics that might influence court decisions.

They can make sentence recommendations, carry out child custody assessments and jury selection, provide treatment to criminal offenders, and the reverse. They further offer care to those affected by judicial disputes and delinquent proceedings.

Assisting with casework for attorneys, judges, insurance companies, and employers is a part of working with legal experts. In legal firms, courts, and police forces, forensic psychologists are employed. They can also work in prisons, jails, and juvenile correctional centers.

4. Psychiatric social worker

Psychiatric social workers deal with patients who are severely mentally ill and in need of hospitalization or other forms of acute psychiatric care are supported. They work closely with people in severe emotional distress and might be dangerous to themselves or others.

They carry out evaluations and psychotherapy, inform the patients and their families, and make referrals as required. Furthermore, psychiatric social workers are also responsible for conducting risk and psychological assessments and offering assistance and crisis intervention.

But that’s not all. Their work also includes communicating with patients’ families regularly. They deal with adults and children in outpatient facilities and collaborate with other health team members like psychiatrists and nurse practitioners.

5. Military Psychologist

Being a military psychologist allows you to conduct psychiatric evaluations, recognize and treat emotional and mental diseases, and offer counseling services are all possible aspects of studying military psychology.

The career focuses on military personnel and their families. To understand how military personnel behave and make decisions, military psychologists speak with people who live in a military environment and research the traits of military personnel (primarily veterans).

Before allowing applicants to enlist in the military, they are responsible for conducting mental exams. These tests attest to applicants’ mental and emotional stability, which is necessary to handle the pressures of military duty. 

Military psychologists also help soldiers deal with stress as they leave active duty and adjust to civilian life.

6. Educational Psychologist

Another career option is that of an educational psychologist, responsible for understanding how people learn through various instructional methods, cognitive functions, and personal learning preferences.

Typically, educational psychologists look at the psychological, social, and emotional cycles connected to learning. Many educational psychologists contact schools and collaborate with teachers to create new course curricula and test novel teaching strategies for their students. 

An educational psychologist might even train to be a counselor, personally assisting pupils in overcoming obstacles to learning. They spend a lot of time working to improve education for kids, teens, and adults, focusing on clear learning issues such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or dyslexia.

7. Environmental Psychologist

Environmental psychologists study how individuals engage with their surroundings. They consider how humans influence both natural and artificial environments and how those environments influence us.

They also contribute to the discussion of pollution and global warming and offer suggestions and ideas to those working in the public and private sectors, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and retail settings. 

8. Rehabilitation Specialist

A rehabilitation expert assists people with unique physical, mental, or health requirements. As a rehab professional, you help people according to their needs and teach them practical life skills. 

This position also requires candidates to work with interdisciplinary teams and neighborhood organizations while keeping track of client progress and case files. A rehabilitation specialist also aids individuals with physical or mental impairments.

The level of education needed for each job in this field varies. But it’s necessary to have at least a bachelor’s degree.

Conclusion

The field of psychology is broad and has several subfields of study and research. Each topic has importance, and research benefits can foster excellence and professional performance. We hope the fields listed above can help you choose a career path of your choice. If we missed something, please let us know in the comments below.