- What can I do with this major?
- Career Planning Resources
- Psyc Alumni Career Database
- Graduate School Information
- Suggested Courses (for different career paths)
- Professional Resources and Organizations
What can I do with this major?
A degree in psychology prepares you for a myriad of careers.
Career Options for Psychology Majors:
- Business and Industry
- Education
- Human Resources
- Human Services
- Research
Highlighted Careers
- Advocacy
- Applied Behavior Analysis
- Art Therapy
- Case Management
- Counseling
- Environmental Psychology
- Human Factors / Engineering Psychology
- Marketing & Communications
- Mental Health Services
- Medicine
- Psychotherapy
- Rehabilitation Services
- Research
- Social Work
- Sport Psychology
- Teaching
- Testing/Test Development
View our alumni updates/careers database to see what career paths our majors have followed!
“The career opportunities for students with a psychology degree are endless, which means there’s a lot to learn about what opportunities you have. Start researching and talking to people now. There are so many jobs out there that a psychology degree will help qualify you for. Set up informational interviews or find a company or job you think look interesting. Look at the staff page and then find those people on LinkedIn to learn about their career history. This will give you great insight into what they did to get to the point they are now. Reach out to them and ask to set up a phone call to learn more. People are always happy to help!” Sara Morgan Watters ’10, communications & leadership development consultant for Evans Consulting
Career Planning Resources
- Psyc Alumni Career Database: Explore the career paths psychology alumni have followed and learn who employs them
- Dr. Mohini Tellakat’s 10/29/2020 Career Preparation Workshop Materials (video and Google slides) – must have an @smcm email to access
- An Online Career-Exploration Resource for Psychology Majors
- St. Mary’s College of Maryland Center for Career and Professional Development
- HireSMCM is the Career Center’s internal job and internship database, designed to enable students and alumni to easily connect with local, regional, and national employers. Check it out!
- PsychologyDegree411.com
- APA Science in Action / Careers in Psychology
- After-Graduation Guidebook to Non-Psych Jobs
- Científico Latino (mentorship, workshops, open-access resources on scholarships, fellowships and blog posts on professional development)
- Recognizing the Value of Your Psychology Degree
- Guide to Careers that Help People
- Making a Difference with Psychology | Learn Psychology.org
- How to find a job with an undergraduate degree in psychology
- Highest Paying Jobs in Psychology | Psychology.org
- Research careers with a bachelor’s degree in psychology
- Choosing a Psychology Specialty
- Explore Psychology Careers | Psychology.org
- Counseling Degree Programs
- CounselingDegreeGuide.Org (programs, career outlooks, state-by-state guides to licensure, expert advice, job boards)
- Psychology Today’s Careers in Psychology (The advice you need) Blog
- Beginner’s Guide to College Success Blog Post: Preparing for Medical School–What Should Be Your Major?
- Careers in Psychology | Psychology Degree Guide (salary numbers, career descriptions, interviews with successful psychologists, industry links, and more)
- Entry Level Jobs for Psyc Majors
- Pre-professional Experiences in Psychology
- Pursuing Careers in Psychology
- psycCareers | Psychology Jobs & Careers | American Psychological Association (APA)
- Career Decision Tree for Psychology Students
- Nursing for Psychology Majors
- Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET Online (tool for career exploration and job analysis sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration)
- Psychology & Public Service Guidebook
- LearnPsychology.org (just a really great and thorough resource; gives lots of info about psyc careers, interviews with experts, degree programs and salaries)
- International Opportunities for Careers and Volunteering Abroad (NGoAbroad)
- Today’s Job Market (apa.org) and Job Advertisements in Psychology (apa.org)
Suggested Courses
Requirements: (*) Master’s degree (**) Ph.D. or Psy.D.
Career: College Teaching and Research
Potential jobs: Lab Director, Research Assistant, Professor**
Suggested Courses & Experience: Lab Courses, Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant, Internship, other research projects
Potential jobs: Lab Director, Research Assistant, Professor**
Suggested Courses & Experience: Lab Courses, Teaching Assistant, Research Assistant, Internship, other research projects
Career: Elementary/Secondary Student Services
Potential jobs: Guidance Counselor, School Social Worker, Substance Abuse Trainer, School Psychologist
Suggested Courses & Experience: Social Psychology, Exceptionality, Educational Psychology, Infant & Child Development, Lifespan Development, some Advanced Topics in Development and Learning, Cognitive Psychology, Topics in Learning Theory, Psychology of Learning plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Learning Theory, internship in a school setting
Potential jobs: Guidance Counselor, School Social Worker, Substance Abuse Trainer, School Psychologist
Suggested Courses & Experience: Social Psychology, Exceptionality, Educational Psychology, Infant & Child Development, Lifespan Development, some Advanced Topics in Development and Learning, Cognitive Psychology, Topics in Learning Theory, Psychology of Learning plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Learning Theory, internship in a school setting
Career: Elementary/Secondary Teaching
Potential jobs: Teacher
Suggested Courses & Experience: Educational Psychology, Exceptionality, and a course with a developmental focus. Infant and Child Development is recommended for students who wish to pursue elementary certification; Lifespan Development is recommended for students who wish to pursue secondary certification or K-12 certification in Art, Music, or theater.
Other courses good for education: Topics in Learning Theory, Psychology of Learning plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Learning Theory, Developmental Psychology plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Development, some Advanced Topics in Development and Learning
Potential jobs: Teacher
Suggested Courses & Experience: Educational Psychology, Exceptionality, and a course with a developmental focus. Infant and Child Development is recommended for students who wish to pursue elementary certification; Lifespan Development is recommended for students who wish to pursue secondary certification or K-12 certification in Art, Music, or theater.
Other courses good for education: Topics in Learning Theory, Psychology of Learning plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Learning Theory, Developmental Psychology plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Development, some Advanced Topics in Development and Learning
Career: Mental Health Services
Potential jobs: Mental Health Worker, Counselor**, Therapist*, Clinical Psychologist**, Counseling Psychologist**
Suggested Courses & Experience: Counseling Theories and Methods, Psychopathology, Cognitive Psychology plus Laboratory, Laboratory Seminar in Biological and Sensory Psychology, Drugs, Brains, and Behavior, Counseling Psychology plus Laboratory or some sections of Laboratory Seminar in Health and Counseling, some Advanced Topics in Health and Counseling
Potential jobs: Mental Health Worker, Counselor**, Therapist*, Clinical Psychologist**, Counseling Psychologist**
Suggested Courses & Experience: Counseling Theories and Methods, Psychopathology, Cognitive Psychology plus Laboratory, Laboratory Seminar in Biological and Sensory Psychology, Drugs, Brains, and Behavior, Counseling Psychology plus Laboratory or some sections of Laboratory Seminar in Health and Counseling, some Advanced Topics in Health and Counseling
Career: Community Services/Social Services
Potential jobs: Activity Director, Child Care Worker, Foster Care Worker, Volunteer Coordinator, Social Worker, Case Worker
Suggested Courses & Experience: Social Psychology, Sociology of the Family, Developmental Psychology Courses, Psychology of Gender, Counseling Theories and Methods, Social Psychology plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Social Psychology, some Advanced Topics in Social and Cognitive Processes, internship in human services, volunteer service
Potential jobs: Activity Director, Child Care Worker, Foster Care Worker, Volunteer Coordinator, Social Worker, Case Worker
Suggested Courses & Experience: Social Psychology, Sociology of the Family, Developmental Psychology Courses, Psychology of Gender, Counseling Theories and Methods, Social Psychology plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Social Psychology, some Advanced Topics in Social and Cognitive Processes, internship in human services, volunteer service
Career: Business/Industry
Potential jobs: Personnel Manager, Productivity Consultant, Sales Representative, Market Researcher, Customer Relations Rep., Risk Analyst*, Quality Control Analyst, Haman Factors Specialist*
Suggested Courses & Experience: Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Development, Social Psychology plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Social Psychology, some sections of Laboratory Seminar in Biological and Sensory Processes, some Advanced Topics in Development and Learning, Business/Economics Courses, leadership in organizations, internship in human resources
Potential jobs: Personnel Manager, Productivity Consultant, Sales Representative, Market Researcher, Customer Relations Rep., Risk Analyst*, Quality Control Analyst, Haman Factors Specialist*
Suggested Courses & Experience: Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Development, Social Psychology plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Social Psychology, some sections of Laboratory Seminar in Biological and Sensory Processes, some Advanced Topics in Development and Learning, Business/Economics Courses, leadership in organizations, internship in human resources
Career: Health/Medical Services
Potential jobs: Medical Technician, Nurse, Physical Therapist*, Psychiatric Aide, Child Life Specialist, Occupational Therapist*, Health Psychologist**
Potential jobs: Medical Technician, Nurse, Physical Therapist*, Psychiatric Aide, Child Life Specialist, Occupational Therapist*, Health Psychologist**
Suggested Courses & Experience: Social Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Development, Social Psychology plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Social Psychology, Business/Economics Courses, leadership in organizations, internship in human resources
Career: Law/Criminal Justice
Potential jobs: Corrections Officer, Probation Officer, Investigative Officer, Lab Technician, Case Worker, Juvenile Counselor, Forensic Psychologist**
Suggested Courses & Experience: some Topics in Health & Counseling, some Advanced Topics in Health and Counseling, some Advanced Topics in Development and Learning, Drugs, Brains, and Behavior, Cognitive Psychology plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Cognitive Psychology, Counseling Psychology plus Laboratory or some sections of Laboratory Seminar in Health and Counseling, Sociology of Law, Crime and Deviance, internship in corrections; may benefit to double major psychology and sociology
Potential jobs: Corrections Officer, Probation Officer, Investigative Officer, Lab Technician, Case Worker, Juvenile Counselor, Forensic Psychologist**
Suggested Courses & Experience: some Topics in Health & Counseling, some Advanced Topics in Health and Counseling, some Advanced Topics in Development and Learning, Drugs, Brains, and Behavior, Cognitive Psychology plus Laboratory or Laboratory Seminar in Cognitive Psychology, Counseling Psychology plus Laboratory or some sections of Laboratory Seminar in Health and Counseling, Sociology of Law, Crime and Deviance, internship in corrections; may benefit to double major psychology and sociology