Today’s psychology students are at a crossroads. While most undergraduates are entering the workforce relatively quickly post-graduation, psychology students are met with uncertainty regarding if their bachelor’s degree is enough to gain employment.
Around 48 percent of psychology professionals have an advanced degree, as compared to the average 37 percent across all fields. This can be uneasy to prospective, and even recent graduates, who are looking for next steps in their career.
Here’s an overview of where a bachelor’s degree in psychology can get you, as well as the possible next steps you’ll need to take to achieve your personal and professional aspirations.
What You Can Do With a Bachelor’s in Psychology
A bachelor’s degree in psychology is a very popular college program across the United States. According to the US Department of Education, psychology has consistently been in the top five most popular majors overall, alongside business, health care programs, social sciences, and history.
Students who choose this degree will gain theoretical knowledge of psychology—studying the science behind human behavior and mental health. An undergraduate degree in this field touches on many areas of psychology, including cognitive, abnormal, personality, and developmental. Since a bachelor’s degree is meant to cover a wide range of topics, this level of education doesn’t provide the kind of specialization that some psychology career paths require.
That being said, there are still plenty of psychology positions that don’t require additional education and training. For example, if you’re looking to work in counseling, there is still a possibility of gaining employment with a bachelor’s degree, but this heavily depends on what your state requirements are for licensure.
Common Job Titles With a Bachelor’s in Psychology
A career in counseling isn’t the only career path available to bachelor’s degree holders. Here are the most common job titles in the United States that only require a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
More items...