Career Planning

• What can I do with this major?
• Career Resources
• Psyc Alumni Career Database
• Graduate School Information

• Suggested Courses
• Professional Resources

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
• Law Enforcement
• Mental Health Services
• Medicine
• Psychotherapy
• Rehabilitation Services
• Social Research
• Social Work
• Sport Psychology
• Teaching
• Testing/Test Development

View our alumni updates/careers database to see what career paths our majors have followed! 

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Career Resources

• Psyc Alumni Career Database: Explore the career paths psychology alumni have followed and learn who employs them
• An Online Career-Exploration Resource for Psychology Majors
• St. Mary’s Career Development Center
• 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!
• Undergraduate Researcher’s Grad School Registry (sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research)- “The purpose of this registry is to facilitate matchmaking between undergraduates with research experience and a desire to pursue an advanced degree, and graduate schools seeking high-quality students who are well prepared for research.”
• APA Science in Action / Careers in Psychology
• After-Graduation Guidebook to Non-Psych Jobs
• Careers in Psych
• Recognizing the Value of Your Psychology Degree
• Guide to Careers that Help People
• How to find a job with an undergraduate degree in psychology
• Research careers with a bachelor’s degree in psychology
• Choosing a Psychology Specialty
• Counseling Degree Programs
• Psychology Today Careers in Psychology Blog
• Beginner’s Guide to College Success Blog Post: Preparing for Medical School–What Should Be Your Major?
• Careers in Psychology
• Entry Level Jobs for Psyc Majors
• Pre-professional Experiences in Psychology
• Pursuing Careers in Psychology
• PsycCareers
• Career Decision Tree for Psychology Students
• Nursing for Psychology Majors 
• Howtobecome.com
• Occupational Outlook Handbook
• Psychology & Public Service Guidebook
• LearnPsychology.org (just a really great and thorough resource; gives lots of info about psyc careers, degree programs and salaries)
• International Opportunities for Careers and Volunteering Abroad (NGoAbroad)

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Graduate School

Undergraduate Psychology majors frequently go on to post-baccalaureate programs in psychology (clinical, counseling, developmental, family, I/O, neuroscience), teaching, social work, medicine, law, nursing, occupational therapy, human resources, business, and other various fields.

Students should start planning for graduate school in the junior year. Gaining research experience beyond the requirements for the major is strongly encouraged.

How to Prepare

• Check for the dates of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
• Familiarize yourself with Graduate Study in Psychology
• Request applications from your chosen graduate programs
• Register to take all required admissions tests (GRE, MAT, etc.)
• Complete application forms

What they are looking for?

• Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores
• Good grades (official transcript)
• Research experience 
• Presented research
• Letters of recommendation from your current professors

Recommendation Request Form (pdf)

Personal statement

• Why you are interested in their program?
• How do your interests compare to their interests?
• Used to assess your writing ability (looking for writing that is organized, coherent, and succinct)
• Helps programs evaluate students in the mid-range (average grade & test scores)

How to write a personal statement

• Answer all the questions
• Integrate academic, research, practical & life experiences to show your determination to pursue your goals
• Show how the graduate program will maximize your ability to pursue these goals

Tips

• Conform to structural specifications
• Avoid discussing personal problems
• Avoid using cliche’s such as “I want to help people” or “I want to make the world a better place”
• Demonstrate that you have researched the school to which you are applying such as the type of program, general research interests of the faculty, etc., and that it would suit your goals
• Be careful not to be so specific however, that you narrow your options and decrease your chances of being accepted
• Check your grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization carefully

Resources

• View our alumni updates/careers database to see what career paths our majors have followed and what graduate programs they completed to get there! 
• APA video modules: Preparing and Applying to Graduate School
• Get Acquainted with the GRE
• GRE Subject Test in Psychology; download the practice booklet
• How to ACE the Psychology GRE Subject Test  (pdf)
• Ways That Graduate School Different From Undergrad
• Factors To Consider Before Attending Graduate School
• Graduate School Directory
• Sign up to be included in the Registry of Undergraduate Researchers (hosted by the Council on Undergraduate Research)
• Which Graduate School is Right for You?
• Graduate School Options for Psychology Majors
• Master’s in Clinical Psychology, PhD in Clinical Psychology
• Master’s in Counseling Psychology, PhD in Counseling Psychology
• Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychology, PhD in Forensic Psychology
• Master’s in Psychology, PhD in Psychology
• Masters in Social Work, PhD in Social Work
• How to Avoid the Kisses of Death in the Graduate School Application Process
• Advice on letters of recommendation from the Social Psychology network
• The Grad Prep Quiz (pdf)

Helpful Hints

• Apply to multiple programs
• Peterson’s Graduate School Channel
• When requesting a transcript, ask when the transcript will be sent and then follow up to verify in was sent when promised.
• If you haven’t heard back from the school in a timely manner, follow up! This should be done at least three weeks before the school’s deadline for applications to be completed.

MAT

St. Mary’s offers a Master of Arts Degree in Teaching.  Many psychology majors take advantage of earning a BS and and MAT in 5 years at St. Mary’s.

• MAT admissions checklist for psychology majors (pdf) 
• MAT Website

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Suggested Courses

Requirements: (*) Master’s degree (**) Ph.D. or Psy.D.

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Professional Resources & Organizations

• American Psychological Association (APA)
• Become an APA Student Affiliate
• Association for Psychological Science (APS)
• American Counseling Association (ACA)
• Eastern Psychological Association (EPA)

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