What Can I Do With a Psychology Major? Practical Career Information for High School Students Kristin M. Vespia, Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

Overview The Psychology major The Psychology major Careers at the BA, MS, and PhD levels Careers at the BA, MS, and PhD levels The special case of applied careers The special case of applied careers Psychology major/career preparation Psychology major/career preparation Resources for additional information Resources for additional information

The Psychology Major: An Overview Some basic statistics (NCES, 2005) Some basic statistics (NCES, 2005) – : 39,955 Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology  32.1% men; 67.9% women – : 82,098 Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology  22.2% men; 77.8% women Wide-ranging benefits for study at BA/BS Level Wide-ranging benefits for study at BA/BS Level –Facilitate critical thinking skills, knowledge of scientific method, and understanding of human behavior (APA, 2007) –Prepare for graduate education in various fields –Prepare for wide range of careers, including business, education, human services, and research

Careers at the Bachelor’s Level The nature of the liberal arts major The nature of the liberal arts major –Emphasis on communication, critical thinking, research, and other skills – not on preparation for one specific career –BA degree will not make students “psychologists” Variety of career options Variety of career options –Jobs may not be “in psychology” –Appleby (2006) lists 130 potential careers for Psychology students on the OTRP website – from claims supervisor and corrections officer to personnel recruiter and caseworker Job outlook (BLS, 2006) Job outlook (BLS, 2006) –Opportunities for BA/BS holders may be more restricted if looking for jobs in Psychology only –Broad options; see Murray, 2002 Salary information Salary information

Careers at the Master’s/Doctoral Levels Graduate degrees also increasing Graduate degrees also increasing –MS: 9,525 in vs. 17,898 in (NCES, 2005) –PhD: 3,535 in vs. 4,827 in (NCES, 2005) Master’s: 1-3 yearsDoctoral: 5-7 years Master’s: 1-3 yearsDoctoral: 5-7 years Can pursue in degrees Psychology and other fields Can pursue in degrees Psychology and other fields Master’s Degree Master’s Degree –Preparation for doctoral work or for a career (e.g., Human Resources) –Outlook in Psych: Not as strong as for PhDs (except I/O) (BLS, 2006) Doctoral Degree Doctoral Degree –Career options depend on specialty but can include: research, teaching, clinical practice, consultation, industry, government –Biopsychology options? Neuropsychological Assessment, Health Psychology, Sports Psychology, Research –Outlook: Faster than average career growth (BLS, 2006)

The Special Case of Applied Careers “Helping Professions” – pursued at Master’s and Doctoral levels and in Clinical, Counseling, & School Psychology; Counseling; MFT; and Social Work “Helping Professions” – pursued at Master’s and Doctoral levels and in Clinical, Counseling, & School Psychology; Counseling; MFT; and Social Work Master’s Level: 1-3 yearsDoctoral: about 5 years Master’s Level: 1-3 yearsDoctoral: about 5 years Involve coursework, research, & applied experience Involve coursework, research, & applied experience Process does not end with degree. Licensing laws vary by state but often require Process does not end with degree. Licensing laws vary by state but often require –Approved educational credentials –Equivalent of 1-2 years full-time, supervised, post-degree experience –Passing national and/or state exams

Psychology Major/Career Preparation Be informed. Be informed. –Be aware of common misconceptions (e.g., can be a “psychologist” with BA degree, grad school is unobtainable/unaffordable) –Research, informational interviews, and job shadowing Take appropriate background coursework. Take appropriate background coursework. –Might include things like: math, science (e.g., biology), courses emphasizing written/oral communication, foreign language, and more (See APA, 2007) Gain experience (e.g., volunteer work, science fair) Gain experience (e.g., volunteer work, science fair) Find the right program for you. Find the right program for you. Be flexible and open to possibilities! Be flexible and open to possibilities! Be cautious about taking on too much! Be cautious about taking on too much!

References American Psychological Association (2007). Careers in psychology. Retrieved July 20, 2007 from the American Psychological Association website: American Psychological Association (2007). Careers in psychology. Retrieved July 20, 2007 from the American Psychological Association website: Appleby, D.C. (2006). Occupations of interest to psychology majors from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Retrieved July 20, 2007 from the Office of Teaching Resources in Psychology website: Appleby, D.C. (2006). Occupations of interest to psychology majors from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Retrieved July 20, 2007 from the Office of Teaching Resources in Psychology website: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor (2006). Occupational outlook handbook, edition, Psychologists. Retrieved July 20, 2007 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics website: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor (2006). Occupational outlook handbook, edition, Psychologists. Retrieved July 20, 2007 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics website: Murray, B. (2002). Good news for bachelor’s grads [Electronic version]. Monitor on Psychology, 33. Retrieved July 20, 2007 from: Murray, B. (2002). Good news for bachelor’s grads [Electronic version]. Monitor on Psychology, 33. Retrieved July 20, 2007 from: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (2005, July). Degrees in psychology conferred by degree-granting institutions, by level of degree and sex of student: Selected years, through (Table 290). In Digest of Educational Statistics: Retrieved July 20, 2007 from the NCES website: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics (2005, July). Degrees in psychology conferred by degree-granting institutions, by level of degree and sex of student: Selected years, through (Table 290). In Digest of Educational Statistics: Retrieved July 20, 2007 from the NCES website: