Are you considering attending a university that offers a psychology major? Are you interested in learning about the typical career path for psychology majors? This article helps you understand what psychology is, what a psychologist does, where they work, and some of the typical career paths of psychology majors. By the end of this article, you will better understand the career paths available when you graduate from our Psychology degree program.
What is Psychology?
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behavior. Specifically, it is the study of how the mind works, and how it affects behavior. This includes the functions of the brain, child development, and ageing, to name a few. This field also studies ways to help people overcome health and developmental challenges, to understand how groups function, and explores how technology and people work better together.
What Does a Psychologist Do?
Psychologists learn theories and test them through their research. This knowledge is used to support clients and patients. Psychologists work in a various arenas:
Where Do Psychologists Work?
Psychologists can be found in laboratories, hospitals, courtrooms, schools, community health centers, and corporate offices. They may work independently or with scientists, physicians, lawyers, engineers, and policymakers.
What are Some Subfields of Psychology?
There are a few subfields within Psychology that serve different purposes. They include:
Clinical Psychology
Integrating science, theory, and practice to understand, predict, and relieve programs with adjustment, disability, and discomfort. It concentrates on human performance’s intellectual, emotional, biological, psychological, social, and behavioral aspects.
Cognitive Psychology
Investigating internal mental processes like problem-solving, memory, learning, and language. It focuses on how people think, perceive, communicate, remember, and learn.
Developmental Psychology
The study of how systematic psychology changes a person over their lifetime. Focuses include motor skills, problem-solving, moral understanding, acquiring language, emotions, personality, self-concept, and identity formation.
Evolutionary Psychology
A theoretical approach to psychology that examines human behavior with an evolutionary perspective. Evolutionary psychology looks at how psychological adjustment has affected human behavior during evolution.
Forensic Psychology
Applies psychology to criminal investigations and the law. Forensic psychology assesses the psychological factors influencing a case and presents the findings in court.
Health Psychology
Observes how behavior, biology, and social context influence illness and health. Health psychologists use science to promote health, prevent illness, and improve individuals’ health care.
Neuropsychology
A neuropsychologist is an expert in how brain injuries affect behavior, mood, and thinking skills. Look at the brain’s structure and function in relation to behaviors and psychological processes.
Occupational Psychology
Assesses and makes recommendations about the performance of people at work. Occupational psychology can help improve effectiveness, efficiency, job satisfaction, and employee retention.
Social Psychology
Uses scientific methods to understand how social influences impact human behavior.
Brain Science and Cognitive Psychology
Brain Science and Cognitive psychologist study how human mind thinks, remembers, and learns. They apply psychological science to understand how we make decisions and perceive the world.
Climate and Environmental Psychologist
They use psychological science to improve the interactions of people with the world around us.
Rehabilitation Psychology
They study individuals with disabilities and chronic health conditions and help to improve their overall quality of life.
Counseling Psychology
Counseling Psychologist focus on facilitating personal and interpersonal functioning across the lifespan.
Experimental Psychologist
They use science to explore the processes hind the human and animal behavior.
Industrial and Organization Psychologist
They use science to study human behavior in organizations and the workplace.
Social Psychologist
They use psychological science to understand how we perceive ourselves in relation to the rest of the world and how this perception affects our choices, behaviors, and beliefs.
Sports and performance psychologist
Thy use science to study human behavior and abilities in sport, exercise and performance. They also help people overcome psychological barriers that can impede their achievements and professional success.
Human Factors and Engineering Psychologist
They strive to make everyday experiences easier more comfortable, and less frustrating by applying the psychological science of human behavior to the products, systems, and devices we use every day.
What is the Typical Career Path for Psychology Majors?
There are many options for those who major in Psychology. The typical career paths include:
Social and Human Services Assistant
Social and human services assistants provide clinical services to support families in psychology, rehabilitation, and social work. Initially, they evaluate their patient’s needs and develop a treatment plan. They may research services that will help their patients, including Medicare and SNAP food stamps. Part of their duties may include helping a patient complete paperwork to apply for assistance programs. They also check in with patients to make sure the services are adequate.
When a social services assistant works with children, they ensure they live in a safe home and that parents have the necessary services to care for their children. When they work with older adults, they may help them stay in their own homes, coordinate meal delivery, and identify personal care aides.
Behavioral or Psychiatric Technician
Behavioral or psychiatric technicians are an entry-level allied healthcare provider that cares for mentally disordered and developmentally disabled patients. They will do a basic assessment of the patient’s mental health, then plan, execute, and intervene with a care plan. Then, we will evaluate the intervention compared to the care plan executed. Additional responsibilities of the behavior or psychiatric technician include:
- Basic nursing services.
- Administration of medications.
- Listening to patient’s concerns.
- Observing behavior.
- Leading patients in therapeutic and recreational behaviors.
- Educating the patient on self-care.
Behavioral or psychiatric technicians work in state hospitals, day treatment centers, acute care facilities, outpatient behavioral health facilities, group homes, long-term care facilities, educational institutions, residential care facilities, and skilled nursing facilities.
Postsecondary Teacher
Postsecondary teachers, also known as professors or faculty, instruct students in academic subjects beyond high school. They develop an instructional plan for students that meets college standards, plan lessons and assignments, assess student progress, and advise students.
Postsecondary teachers may conduct research, publish original work, apply for grants, and supervise graduate students. They will collaborate with colleagues and attend conferences to keep up with the trends in their field.
Elementary School Teacher
Elementary school teachers help students develop foundational knowledge, teach children essential concepts with hands-on problem-solving approaches, and develop critical thinking skills. They typically teach first to fifth-grade students with lesson plans that teach students general subjects like reading, science, and Math. These teachers observe students, offer an evaluation of their abilities, grade students’ assignments, communicate with parents on their child’s progress, and develop and enforce rules to teach students proper behavior.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker
Mental health and substance abuse social workers assess and treat individuals with mental, emotional, or substance abuse problems. They may help clients with group therapy, crisis intervention, case management, client advocacy, prevention, and education.
Educational or School Counselor
School counselors are licensed educators who improve students’ success by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. To maximize student success, school counselors apply academic achievement strategies, manage emotions, apply interpersonal skills, and plan for postsecondary options.
School counselors help students plan their academics and set proper goals, collaborate with families for student success, advocate for students in student-focused meetings, analyze data to identify student issues, needs, and challenges, and act as an agent of change to improve equity and access, achievement, and opportunities for all students.
Clinical, Counseling, and School Psychologist
Clinical Psychologists assess, diagnose, and treat mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They use their findings to help improve processes and behavior.
Counseling psychologists help people recognize their strengths and find resources to cope with adversity. They focus on the interactions between people and their environment and educational and career development.
School psychologists apply expertise in mental health, learning, and behavior to help children succeed academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. School psychologists address student learning and behavioral problems with individual and family counseling. They can design and implement performance plans and evaluate performance.
Marriage and Family Therapist
Marriage and family therapists help people manage problems with their family and personal relationships. They discuss emotions and experiences in-depth to help clients process their reactions and adjust to life changes. Marriage and family therapists help clients plan, create coping strategies, and refer clients to support groups and inpatient treatment facilities.
Rehabilitation Counselor
Rehabilitation counselors help clients with physical, mental, developmental, and emotional disabilities so they can live independently. They help clients manage the personal, social, and psychological effects of their disabilities and how it affects their employment and independence.
These counselors may develop treatment plans, arrange for services like medical care, help them find employment, adjust to the client’s limitations, and locate resources. Rehabilitation counselors also advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.
Final Thoughts
Make a positive change in the lives of children and adults with a degree in Psychology. It is rewarding when you help someone achieve something they thought was impossible. Make a difference in your community and create a career path as a graduate of our Psychology degree program. It is a win-win.
Eager to Learn More?
This program prepares the students for entry-level positions and advanced professional education in psychology. Students will be exposed to the significant domains of psychology. They will acquire a solid base of knowledge in each of these domains and be able to integrate and apply knowledge and meet their career goals. Upon program completion, Florida National University awards a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology.
If you are interested in psychology, let Florida National University answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to learn more about our Psychology Degree program.
