Career Opportunities With a Psychology Degree
Not sure if it’s worth your time to get a psychology degree? Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota helps students from all educational backgrounds earn an accelerated bachelor’s degree online. With our degree completion program, you can take advantage of the same outstanding Catholic education that our on-campus students receive. The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Applied Psychology allows you to finish your degree in as little as one year through flexible online classes.
With both an undergraduate campus in Winona, MN, and campuses for adult learners in Minneapolis and Rochester, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota provides outstanding education to people of all ages. Here, we highlight a few of the career paths for graduates of our psychology programs.
Types of Psychology Jobs
Psychology isn’t a one-size-fits-all field. Professional psychologists work in a variety of settings and with different patient populations. While many of these roles require an advanced degree, a bachelor’s degree can be a starting point toward jobs in:
- Clinical psychology: This branch of psychology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of various behavioral health disorders and other mental health issues.
- Counseling psychology: Professionals in this field provide individual or group counseling services to help clients manage their mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
- Forensic psychology: Specialists in forensic psychology use their expertise to support law enforcement, court systems, and corrections agencies.
- Organizational psychology: This type of psychologist works in industrial and corporate settings to improve efficiency, management, and employee performance.
- School psychology: These psychologists work in partnership with teachers, parents, and administrators to evaluate students and get them the support they need to succeed in school.
- Sports psychology: A sports psychologist works with college or professional athletes to help them improve their performance, manage stress, and enhance their overall mental health.
The occupational outlook for psychologists is strong: The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) anticipates about 12,800 job openings for psychologists each year over the next decade.
Other Career Paths for Psychology Graduates
If you study psychology, you don’t necessarily have to work in a clinical setting to use your knowledge. Psychology graduates are also well-suited to roles in:
Marketing
The field of marketing requires a deep understanding of what people want and need. Regardless of the product or service you want to promote, you need to understand who your target audience is and what compels them to make a purchase. Employees with a degree in psychology can directly apply their coursework in behavior, research methods, and other topics to this industry. They may work in market research, advertising, or sales.
User Experience (UX)
Those who work as UX designers are tasked with making products and services easy and enjoyable to use. As a UX specialist, you might work on a mobile app or website, applying your understanding of psychology to help end users find the information they need. You’ll apply user research and best practices to make products more intuitive and less complicated.
Politics and Government
A deep understanding of human behavior is helpful at every level of government, including local, state, and federal. Some students with a background in psychology go on to work in law enforcement or corrections, while others focus on policy design, analysis, and implementation.
Psychology is also useful for those who work on political campaigns and seek to win over potential voters.
Individuals with a psychology degree can also find jobs in industries such as human resources, social services, and healthcare.
Further Educational Opportunities
To work as a clinical or research psychologist, you will likely need a doctoral degree. Students pursuing advanced education in this field may opt for a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Psychology or a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree.
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota offers a Doctor of Psychology in Counseling Psychology (Psy.D.). This degree program consists of 87 credit hours and typically takes five years to complete. The Psy.D. program prepares students to provide psychological services for:
- Individuals
- Couples
- Families
- Groups
- Organizations
Our Psy.D. curriculum emphasizes evidence-based practices in psychological assessment and diagnosis and is accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA).
Learn More About Earning Your Psychology Degree
If you’re ready to complete your undergraduate degree in psychology, consider the accelerated online program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. Serving students throughout Minnesota and beyond, we provide person-centered education with a commitment to the principles of the Catholic Lasallian tradition. In addition to the online bachelor’s degree and doctoral program in psychology, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota offers a traditional undergraduate psychology major at our Winona, MN, campus. Students across all our programs benefit from knowledgeable faculty, robust support services, and person-centered education. To learn more about our psychology programs, request information from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota or apply for admission today.
