Psychology majors can pursue a variety of careers, and there are many ways to make use of their skills.
Psychology majors have a wide range of skills that can be applied in many different careers. The most obvious career path for psychology majors is to become a psychologist. However, there are many other options available as well.
When it comes to alternative careers for psychology majors, the possibilities are endless. Psychology majors can choose from careers in education, business, law enforcement, marketing and advertising, journalism, entertainment and media production, social services and counseling, among others. It is important to note that these are only a few examples; there are many more options available for psychology majors who want to pursue alternative careers after graduation!
Psychology Majors Can Become Educators
A psychology major may decide that they want to become an educator after graduation. This means teaching children about their minds and how they work through school programs like elementary school or college level courses like child development classes or early childhood education classes which teach children about how their brains develop throughout life and how this affects their behavior as well as what they learn during childhood years leading up into adulthood years when they become full-fledged adults capable of making decisions on their own without having parental guidance anymore until they
Alternative Careers For Psychology Majors
Experimental Psychology Careers
Some non-clinical psychologists work exclusively as researchers and investigate different aspects of human behavior. Research psychologists examine various subjects, perform experiments, and add to our body of scientific knowledge.
Experimental psychologists research a wide range of topics. In many cases, experimental psychologists might specialize in a particular area of psychology, such as child development, the aging process, social behavior, or cognitive psychology.
They often work at colleges and universities and conduct research in addition to teaching courses, or they might work in settings such as private corporations, research centers, and government organizations.
Applied Psychology Careers
Applied psychologists use their knowledge of psychology to solve real-world problems. People who work in applied fields are employed in a wide range of settings, including universities, private businesses, government offices, law enforcement agencies, and private consulting.
Law and Criminal Justice Careers
Some people with a background in psychology work in legal settings to assess and evaluate people who have come into contact with the criminal justice system. Forensic psychology is one field that combines psychology with the law.
Forensic psychologists perform a range of duties, including assessing competency to stand trial, making sentencing recommendations, performing child custody evaluations, and consulting with members of law enforcement.
People who have studied psychology may also work in other roles within the field of law and criminal justice. They may work as addiction counselors, parole and probation officers, behavior analysts, and victims’ rights advocates, among other jobs.
Sports, Exercise, or Athletics Careers
Some professionals work with professional and amateur athletes to improve motivation and performance. Professionals who work in sports psychology explore how different psychological factors impact physical activity. This may include everyday exercise as well as elite athletic performance.
Sports and exercise psychologists may work with people to improve focus, work on motivation, and build a sense of teamwork.
Organizational Psychology Careers
Industrial-organizational psychology is a field that explores psychological principles in workplace settings. People who work in this field may be involved in organizational development and employee selection. They may also work to develop products, improve worker productivity, and train employees.
Recap
Forensic psychology, sports psychology, and industrial-organizational psychology are all examples of applied psychology fields.
Careers Outside of Psychology
Another option is to use your knowledge of psychological principles in a career outside of psychology. Such careers often apply principles of psychology and knowledge of human behavior to alternative fields such as marketing or consumer research.
According to one job survey, only 26.7% of people who recently graduated with an undergraduate degree in psychology work in a “closely related” field to psychology.2
Most psychology majors work in jobs described as “somewhat related” or “unrelated” to psychology, such as marketing, advertising, sales, communications, and other areas.2
Alternative career options to consider outside of psychology include:
- Advertising
- Career counseling
- College admissions
- College recruiting
- Consumer research
- Data analysis
- Education administration
- Financial aid counseling
- Human resources
- Journalism
- Marketing
- Politics
- Public policy
- User experience design
- School counseling
- Teaching
If you enjoy statistics, then you might find the field of psychometrics appealing. Psychometricians specialize in studying and developing psychological assessments. They might develop tests to measure intelligence, aptitude, personality, or educational achievements, often through surveys and questionnaires.3
Recap
In addition to looking into non-clinical psychology jobs, you might also consider searching for a career outside of psychology. Such fields draw on psychology knowledge and apply it to different areas including education, research, marketing, and politics.
A Word From Verywell
Where clinical psychology jobs involve working directly with clients in mental health, non-clinical psychology jobs involve working in research, business, education, and government settings.
The field of psychology is very diverse and provides many jobs that focus on aspects of the human mind and behavior other than mental health treatments.
