What Can I Do With a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology?

Psychology Degrees Provide Valuable Skills for Versatile Careers 

If you’re considering a BA in psychology, then you may have also wondered, what can I do with a bachelor’s degree in psychology? Though the answer may not be as obvious for psychology majors as it is for undergraduate students in other fields of study, a bachelor’s degree in psychology is as versatile as it is popular. 

Students who choose to earn an undergraduate degree in psychology open the door to a range of career possibilities. Exploring the human experience develops interpersonal, communication, and research skills that are in demand in many fields. 

Counseling: Make an impact with your psychology bachelor’s degree

Wondering what you can do with a psychology degree to make a difference? Many psychology majors are attracted to counseling because they want to help people in need. Counselors work with individuals, couples, or families on a broad range of issues. Specializations in the counseling field may include:

• Marriage and family
• Substance abuse
• Career and vocational
• Mental health 

Additional training, professional certifications, or graduate-level degrees are required for counseling careers, but having your undergraduate degree in psychology gives you the background you need to know where you will make the most impact as you decide on the type of counseling career you would like to pursue. 

Jobs in the community and social service fields are projected to grow 12% through 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s nearly 350,000 jobs!

Social Services: Build better communities with psychology skills       

Some psychology majors may feel called to serve in public service. In a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree program, you will focus on service and inclusivity to help solve challenges in government or nonprofit agencies. Look for job and career opportunities to use your psychology knowledge:

• Working in residential care settings
• Fundraising or grant-writing for nonprofits
• Advocating as a public policy consultant
• Empowering at-risk youth through community programming

Jobs in the community and social service fields are projected to grow 12% through 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s nearly 350,000 jobs!

Education careers and psychology graduates: a natural fit

A fundamental understanding of individual behavior and group dynamics makes psychology graduates a natural fit for educational settings. With a psychology bachelor’s degree, you will be equipped to help guide students of any age as you work through behavioral or developmental challenges and build relationships with them and their families. Though teaching requires further education, you can help lead the next generation in jobs like: 

• Guidance counselor
• Childcare provider
• Adult education instructor
• Higher education recruiter
• Alumni director

With school enrollment projected to increase, more qualified educators will be needed to meet the demand. More than 440,000 new jobs are expected to be added to the education field by 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.    

Human Resources: apply your psychology B.A. in the workplace

The relation between the human resources field and psychology is right there in the name. Many organizations hire psychology graduates to manage all things human personnel related—from recruitment and training to overseeing benefits and developing wellness initiatives. Decision-making, collaboration, and other skills gained from a bachelor’s degree in psychology can easily translate into helping organizations improve their work environments. 

The median annual salary for human resources specialists was over $60,000 in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 

Marketing: A solid choice for analytical psychology majors

Understanding your audience is one of the most important factors in successful marketing campaigns. Strategic communication skills plus an understanding of people and behavior make psychology graduates valuable assets to employers in marketing and advertising. Use knowledge and experience gained in a psychology degree program to thrive in roles that:

• Analyze data
• Interpret sales trends
• Research consumer demand
• Define target audiences
• Facilitate focus groups
• Write advertising copy

The median annual salary for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers was nearly $150,000 per year in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Business: Choose your industry or put your psychology degree to work for yourself

Studying topics like personality, motivation, and influence in a psychology undergraduate degree program can help you find success in every corner of the business world. Whether you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, a budding entrepreneur, or a local, small-business owner, psychology will help you better understand the people you hire, sell to, or interact with on a daily basis.  

About 15% of psychology degree holders worked in business management jobs in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. These jobs include administrative services; financial managers; business executives; and property, real estate, and community association managers.    

Law: Apply your psychology skills in the legal system

Principles of psychology provide a relevant foundation for a career in law, starting with going to law school after earning your psychology degree. Anxious to start your career faster? Other ideas for careers with a bachelor’s degree in psychology? In the legal field – plenty. Psychology majors may be employed by law firms as legal assistants, paralegals, or law librarians. Apply emotional intelligence and empathy as a victim advocate. Conflict resolution, problem-solving, and negotiation skills learned in psychology programs can also be useful in mediation roles.    

Jobs for paralegals and legal assistants are projected to grow by 10% through 2029 – much faster than the average for all occupations – according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Healthcare: Better health through psychology’s better understanding of people

Not sure about committing to graduate school for clinical psychology practice options? Get started in a clinical setting with your Bachelor of Psychology as a technician or assistant. Promote well-being through art or recreational therapies. Work to increase public awareness as a health educator. Your bachelor’s degree in psychology qualifies you for numerous jobs and careers in healthcare.

As efforts to improve healthcare grow, demand for health education specialists and community health workers is expected to increase, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Criminal Justice: Put your psychology decision-making skills to work

Like the legal field, criminal justice careers require an understanding of both criminal behavior and the impact of crime. Analytical, judgment, and decision-making skills developed in an undergraduate psychology degree program are key for law enforcement jobs like police officers, detectives, and forensic investigators. Interested in both counseling and law enforcement? Jobs in corrections may be for you. Case managers, correctional treatment specialists, and probation officers all participate in rehab plans, helping inmates or probationers work toward leading productive lives. 

Police and detective jobs are expected to grow faster than average, adding nearly 60,000 jobs each year through 2029, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Writing: Better engage audiences with a bachelor’s degree in psychology

Psychology majors have plenty of opportunities to hone their writing skills and thus open the door to continue writing as a career. As a journalist, you may follow current events and trends, research various subjects, and interview people to produce media that informs your community. Use your psychology degree to interpret and translate complex subjects as a technical or science writer. The versatility of this career path may be its biggest draw, allowing for a wide range of job possibilities to engage different audiences, including:

• Producing self-help articles
• Blogging 
• Copyediting
• Grant writing
• Social media management
• Web content development

Demand in the media and communication fields is expected to grow as the number of online platforms to disseminate information increases. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects this will result in over 46,000 new jobs by 2029.

Research: Contribute to developments and discoveries in the psychology field 

Though leading clinical psychology research requires advanced degrees, possessing a psychology bachelor’s degree can qualify you to support and assist in academic research. Get a head start on this path by looking for opportunities to participate in psychology department research during your undergraduate program in psychology. 

Common job duties for research support specialists include:

• Gathering surveys
• Performing literature review
• Behavioral observation
• Preparing reports
• Managing lab equipment
• Submitting Institutional Review Board applications

Enjoy your statistics courses? Careers in data analysis could be a good fit for you. As research and data analysis is important in many industries, psychology majors can find opportunities aligning with their other interests. Interested in politics? Analyze data, implement surveys, or evaluate policies in political science research jobs.

A Bachelor of Psychology Degree with more ROI

When you earn your Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree at Thomas More University, you receive an education rooted in morality, truth, humanity, and meaningful work. Our expert faculty provide individual attention as you transform into a well-rounded leader ready for a range of career possibilities. You’ll gain a better understanding of yourself and others through our online psychology program’s applied and scientific approach to exploring human behavior. And we’ll help you use that knowledge to make an impact on the world in a meaningful career. 

A recent Georgetown University report named Thomas More as the top institution in Kentucky for ROI. Through an accelerated, flexible, online psychology degree program, we help you learn the critical thinking and decision-making skills needed for any career path you may take. You will have all the attributes for a resume that stands out in any field. 

So, when you ask yourself, what can I do with a bachelor’s degree in psychology? The answer is anything you choose! And at Thomas More University, we can help you take the first step. 

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