Careers in Psychology.
Psychology is a rewarding and diverse area of study that for many can provide a wide array of job and career opportunities. Since the level of education one has in psychology combined with a specific area of specialty has a great effect on career availability to psychology students, I have organized this article with headings by level of education under which I have listed some types and careers available for that level of education.
Associates Degree- In psychology this degree is unfortunately not very valuable for a career in psychology and may be useful for those looking for life education and who just have an interest in learning more about themselves and others.
Bachelor’s Degree- The bare minimum degree one needs in psychology in order to pursue a job in the field. Again like the associates degree in psychology, a bachelor’s degree is severely limiting in job opportunities available however can be a great liberal arts degree or stepping stone to higher education. Some jobs that those with bachelor degrees in psychology can pursue include aides to teachers and psychology professionals, day care aides, high school psychology teachers,or guidance counselor. Of course this degree can prepare one to become well rounded and well equipped to deal with many jobs that involve high interaction with others such as retail and customer service.
Master’s Degree- At this level, the area of study within psychology becomes more specific and at this level there are some counseling opportunities available to those holding a masters. Teaching at the high school and college level becomes available, social work jobs become available, as well as some counseling jobs such as acting as a counselor for high school students, government work, and more.
Doctorate Degree- At this education level there are two equal yet slightly different ways to go. One can choose to go and pursue a PhD. in psychology to focus on research and academia or one can pursue a PsyD. which puts more emphasize on practicing psychology and is good for those who hope to work one on one with clients and be available as a practicing psychologist to the public. Those with either degree can counsel although many PhD.s choose not to counsel rather sticking to research and teaching. A doctorate can be combined with a specialized masters degree in something such as human sexuality, education, or addictions.
Doctors of Psychology are the highest paid of degree holders in this area of study and have the most job options available to them, so those passionate about pursuing psychology as a career should look to obtain their doctorate. An interesting fact is that unlike many areas of study, a Masters or Doctorate in Psychology can be obtained without having a bachelor’s degree in psychology; and a master’s degree is not required for admittance into many doctorate programs.
As you can see, those serious about pursuing a career in psychology should strongly consider continuing their education to the highest level in order to reap the most fulfilling careers in this exciting field.
