What Are the Different Career Opportunities for Psychology Majors?

Career opportunities for psychology majors are wide and diverse, and mainly depend on the field of study the psychology major specialized in at school. Psychology majors can specialize in counseling or industrial psychology, as well as psychological therapy, such as art or exercise therapy. Other career opportunities for psychology majors include working with the public through social work, as well as in areas of child, teen, and older adult counseling. Many forensic centers will employ forensic psychologists to work with both crime victims and offenders, and many schools and universities will employ education and developmental psychologists to help further the emotional and mental health of students.

Many psychology students will specialize in a certain area of study, so it will prepare them with the knowledge they need to know before entering a specific field of work. One area of interest to many students is counseling psychology, which deals with people on an individual or group basis, and uses talk therapy and coping mechanisms to help ease mental and emotional problems. Counseling psychologists can be found in school or hospital settings, as well as in their own private practices. This type of work, as with most psychological counseling, typically requires a PhD in psychology.

Therapeutic psychological careers can also be of great interest to those who are majoring in psychology and wish to use techniques to help people heal their bodies as well as their minds. Art therapy, for instance, is one form of therapy that can be a specialized area of study for some psychology students. This type of therapy can be useful for patients who do not express their feelings well in words. Exercise therapy is another method that helps ease stress and calm the mind, and most exercise therapists can be found in nursing homes and hospitals, as well as private practice.

Career opportunities for psychology majors also include working directly with the public through social work. A clinical social worker, for example, is a person who has studied psychology and is certified to work with people who are experiencing social dysfunction. Some police forces and forensic centers hire forensic psychologists, who give aid to certain cases by talking to victims as well as offenders, and who may be able to provide clues as to what a certain individual might be thinking in a crime situation. Another career opportunity for psychology majors is being a developmental or education psychologist, who aid children and students to help develop and grow mentally as they move forward in life.