Jobs With a Bachelor’s in Psychology

Advertising or Marketing Manager

The art and science of persuasion is a major topic in psychology, which is why advertising or marketing is often an ideal job choice for people with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Careers in this field often involve researching the target audience for a product or message and developing advertising materials based on this research.

If you are interested in a career in this field, look for ways that you can gain practical experience now. Internships are an excellent way to get experience, find professional mentors, and build networking relationships in your chosen field.

Sales Representative

Undergraduate psychology programs help students acquire a wide range of interpersonal skills. Understanding how to determine and then meet a client's needs is valuable in sales and marketing positions.

Employers value skills such as the ability to speak well and communicate effectively. If you are interested in working in this field, take classes that will improve your understanding of people and human behavior. Courses in social psychology, personality, and communications can be especially beneficial.

Psychiatric Technician or Partial Care Worker

Many people with a bachelor’s degree in psychology find jobs directly in the field of health and human services. These jobs allow psychology majors to pursue a career in psychology without a graduate degree, or to gain experience prior to enrolling in a graduate degree program. Some bachelor's in psychology jobs in this category include:

• Case manager
• Mental health technician
• Psychiatric technician
• Rehabilitation specialist
• Social work assistant
• Partial care worker

These workers aid clients in inpatient and outpatient settings who have a variety of mental health concerns. In most cases, people in these jobs work under the supervision and guidance of a licensed clinical psychologist or social worker.

Job duties involve helping patients with basic daily needs, teaching life skills, conducting applied therapy sessions, and performing related case management tasks.

Career Counselor

If you enjoy helping people discover their potential, then working as a career counselor can be a fulfilling choice. This job often involves helping people select a career, assisting those in the process of changing careers, or providing vocational rehabilitation to individuals returning to the workforce.

Some psychology majors choose to work with adults with disabilities who may need skills training, job search help, on-the-job training, and regular workplace supervision.

Writer

Earning a bachelor's degree in psychology generally requires a great deal of writing. After graduation, you could put those communication skills to work in a writing-related career. With a psychology degree, jobs such as technical writer, advertising copywriter, or newspaper reporter may be of interest to you.

Probation and Parole Officer

If you are interested in criminal justice, you might want to consider a career as a probation or parole officer. Typically hired by local or state governments, probation and parole officers work directly with people who have been convicted of criminal offenses.

These professionals supervise offenders in home, work, and school settings to track behaviors; make recommendations to the courts; and coordinate with drug treatment professionals or therapists.

Market Researcher

People working in the field of market research perform a variety of tasks, including conducting interviews, performing opinion polls, collecting data, and interpreting results. A bachelor's in psychology prepares students for jobs in this field by training them in statistical and scientific methodologies.

Child Care Worker

Another way to use your bachelor's degree in psychology is to become a childcare worker. You would have an immediate and direct impact in helping children learn and grow in a safe environment. You might consider working in a child care center, preschool, or after-school program or even opening up your own child care center or family child care home.

Research Assistant

If you have an interest in research and experimental psychology, working as a psychology laboratory assistant could be a great way to put your bachelor's degree to work. Some settings that might employ psychology lab assistants include university psychology programs, government agencies, and businesses that study human behavior.

If this kind of job with a bachelor's in psychology interests you, you can gain valuable research experience while you're still an undergrad. Sign up for a research assistant position at your university, or consider taking an internship in a psych lab.

Social Service Specialist

Individuals with a bachelor's degree in psychology can also find job opportunities working in the social services sector for government agencies or non-profits. These positions might entail helping individuals locate psychological resources in their community, providing counseling services directly to clients, and other types of case management services.

Some important skills for those working in the social service field include the ability to assess client needs, keep thorough and accurate records, express care and empathy, and act as advocates for clients.

Teacher

Students who also earn a teaching certificate along with their bachelor's degree in psychology can also become teachers. Some graduates may opt to apply their knowledge of psychology indirectly as an elementary or middle-school teacher, while others may choose to teach psychology at the high school level.

If you already hold a bachelor's degree in psychology, you might be able to enroll in an accredited teacher education program in order to earn a teaching certificate in your state. Contact your state's board of education to learn more about the requirements and any alternative routes to becoming a credentialed teacher that might be available.

Another option is to work as a paraprofessional, in which you assist a teacher in a classroom or serve as a one-on-one aide to a student with special needs. These positions do not require a master's degree or teaching certificate.