CAREER WITH A B.A. OR B.S.
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- What can I do with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology?
- What should I be doing to prepare for my career with a B.A. or B.S.?
You can pursue several types of careers with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology because an undergraduate degree in psychology develops a set of knowledge, skills, and abilities that are highly attractive to organizations. As psychology students, you will graduate knowing how to plan, organize, and problem-solve in novel and complex situations. You will possess valuable communication and interpersonal skills. You will understand some of the laws governing human behavior. You will also be comfortable examining difficult research questions and understanding how best to answer these questions using statistics and logic.
Click on any of the following topics for information about how to prepare for a career with a B.A. or B.S. in Psychology: (This information will be most appropriate for those students that have followed a psychology program of study)
What kind of jobs can I expect to get with a Bachelor's degree in pscyhology?
Independent professional work in psychology is typically limited to those with graduate degrees in psychology, however there are other career options for individuals with Bachelor’s degrees in psychology. Many individuals with Bachelor’s degrees in psychology work for business, government, or health oriented organizations. The following diagram breaks down the areas in which Baccalaureate degree recipients in psychology work.
Students graduating with a degree in psychology are competitive for a number of jobs. Some more specific areas/jobs that psychology students are well-suited for are: administration (youth programs, social services, government work), advertising (market research, creative advertising), community relations (promotions, fund-raising), human resources (recruitment, compensation & benefits, training, employee development, consumer relations), counseling (case management, rehabilitation, criminal justice, victim assistance, social worker), public relations, research (university or corporate research assistant), retail/sales, teaching (child development, special education, classroom aid), and human factors. Some of these careers do require additional education (e.g. MA or MS). Please talk to a PUP advisor or visit Career Services to find out more.
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What should I be doing to prepare for my career?
As you’ve probably already discovered, there are many options for psychology students. Due to this diversity, the path some students take may not be appropriate for other students. However there are a few strategies that should be useful for all students.
Take relevant coursework
If you think that you’re interested in pursuing a career in a certain area then take advantage of Wright State’s wide variety of course offerings. Be aware of what courses are being offered and take those that you think may help your future career. For example, Industrial/Organizational courses will be useful for human resources positions. You can keep up to date on what classes are being offered by looking at the planning guide posted on the psychology bulletin board (3 rd floor Fawcett) as well as by viewing the tentative schedule available online at Wings Express. You can also view syllabi from previous and present psychology courses in a notebook available in the Psychology Undergraduate Program Office (PUP Office) in 342 Fawcett Hall to get an idea of what a particular course will involve. Talking with other psychology students and attending meetings and other departmental functions can also help to give you an idea of what courses may be most beneficial to take.
Get applied experience (summers represent a great time to get some applied experience, particularly the summers before your Junior and Senior year)
Having some applied experience in the area you would eventually like to get a job in can only help you during your job search. There are a couple of ways in which you can get applied experience.
One way is participate in a student Practicum (PSY 432). The PUP Office maintains a practicum folder containing information about organizations that have already agreed to allow students to work in their organizations. This folder is available in the PUP Office (342 Fawcett). The student practicum is an efficient way for you to gain valuable applied experience while receiving course credit towards toward your degree.
There are several areas in the Practicum folder from which to choose, including:
- Child development
- Senior care
- Social services
- Animal care/training
- Management consulting
- Counseling
Career Services offers something similar to the Practicum in their CO-OP program. The CO-OP program provides students with applied experience with local industries/organizations through contract employment opportunities. The CO-OPs typically have minimum GPA requirements (e.g., 3.0 for psychology) and they are a great way to begin to network with professionals in the field and get some experience. Additional information and contact numbers for Career Services are listed below.
A third way to get information about applied experiences is to use the internet. There are numerous websites pertaining to internship/CO-OP opportunities. The website for APA, www.apa.org, has a great deal of information about student internship opportunities for psychology students. Career Services can help you identify websites and other resources that have internship listings for whatever career you seek.
Get volunteer and leadership experience
Student organizations within the Department of Psychology, Psych Club & Psi Chi, along with student organizations in other departments (i.e., Management, Human Resources), represent good opportunities to put in some volunteer time and perhaps serve in a leadership role. Employers of just about all jobs like to see that potential employees are willing to help others and have leadership skills. Student organizations may also be a good way to network with professionals in the field. You can contact the club officers to inquire about membership.
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What resources do I have available to me?
As you progress through your student career at Wright State University, there are several resources you can and should take advantage of to help you in your job search. The PUP Office (342 Fawcett) is a useful resource. The PUP office offers one-on-one advising sessions, class consultation, practicum assistance, and many job search reference books.
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(937) 775-4155 |
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342 Fawcett Hall |
Career Services is also a valuable resource for students. It is also strongly recommended for students to visit the Career Services early, preferably by your sophomore year. Career Services offers several benefits to students such as resume assistance, job and internship/CO-OP listings, mock interviews, online resume posting, job fairs, personalized job search assistance, and several references to assist in job search in psychology-related and other fields. This office has individuals trained specifically to help psychology students like yourself to succeed in finding a good job, so please take advantage of these services that are available to you free of charge. Career services also offers several assessments to help students to match their interests/skills with a career field that provides a good fit for the individual. A summary of these tests can be viewed at http://career.wright.edu/parents/explorecareers/assessments.html
A successful career is in reach, especially if you take advantage of all the resources you have available to you here at Wright State University. Good Luck!
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