So what can you do with a psychology degree? Here’s what every budding psych major should know. Despite what some may say, career choices & job opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate psychology majors are on the upswing—if you are willing to think outside the box.

Similar to many other liberal arts majors, psychology degrees require a broad interdisciplinary focus. This is actually strength, not a weakness when it comes to job-hunting. Knowledge of the processes of human thought both functional & dysfunctional, is a skill set sought after by a large variety public and private sector employers. Four in-demand career areas popular with recent psychology graduates are advertising & market research, forensic psychology, sports psychology, and social media consulting.

After reading this article you will be aware of job opportunities for psychology graduates within these 4 unconventional careers.

1. Advertising & Market Research

Companies use professionals skilled in determining how and why consumers buy things. Armed with this information, these companies develop advertising and marketing campaigns designed to influence consumers to buy the specific products which they sell. This is a huge industry called Buyer Psychology or Sales Psychology. Psychologists are employed both to gather & help interpret consumer research data so that multi-million dollar ad campaigns can be designed to be as effective as possible.

2. Forensic Psychology

Local, state, and federal law enforcement officials, private investigators, and private attorneys all seek out psychologists for assistance. Peace officers and private detectives primarily employ psychologists to help them analyze and interpret evidence, or uncover psychological behavioral patterns. Many times this information is used to help apprehend criminals, or determine whether or not a criminal act has occurred.

Attorneys most often use forensic psychological consultants as expert witnesses to determine whether or not criminal intent was present. Also psychologists are called upon to determine the competence of defendants and sometimes of other witnesses.

3. Sports Psychology

At high school, college, and minor & major league professional levels, psychologists are often called upon to assist athletes in getting them to perform at their highest levels. Modern athletes are all aware of the huge part mental aspects play in physical performance. In addition to football, baseball, basketball, soccer, and tennis, other team and individual sports often have psychologists on the payroll behind the scenes.

4. Social Media Consultant

Twitter, Facebook and other social media outlets are now common-place advertising & marketing tools for large and small business. Psychologists are skilled at interacting with individuals and groups of individuals and are therefore are well-equipped to properly communicate via these rapidly emerging technologies. More and more companies are finding out that the old ways of communicating with consumers that were honed through print advertising and television, are often not applicable in wholly-interactive social media outlets. This is a newer career path that psychology majors are just beginning to explore. However opportunities for psychology graduates in this area will continue to grow larger and larger.

In conclusion, when asking “What Can I Do With A Psychology Degree?”, students must think creatively. Due to the psychology degree’s broad interdisciplinary design the proper question is “What Do I Want To Do With My Psychology Degree?” rather than “What Can I Do….?”.

Now that you have this information, remember to take action. Locate professionals and professional associations in areas that interest you. Simply find professionals on the internet call them up and say “Hi, my name is ___________ I’m a psychology student at _________________ and I’m very interested in careers in __________________ . You’re probably busy right now but is there a time when I can call you back  for just a few minutes to get more information about what you do?”. Believe me, people love talking about what they do. You’ll get great contacts, and maybe even an internship.

By thinking outside the box, psychology majors can build a career that will be the envy of all their friends and relatives.

A PsyD (Doctor of Psychology) degree is a professional degree used to practice psychology working with patients in a clinical setting. In the United States today, half of all graduate students in the field of clinical psychology are enrolled in PsyD programs. You can choose from a variety of PsyD programs in order to earn your degree, and your new credentials will allow you to take many different career paths once you graduate.

Psychology Career Paths

Different PsyD programs are available at many universities around the world, and the program you decide to enroll in will dictate the career path you’ll take after graduation. Regardless of which program you pick, you will be required to apply for and maintain professional licensure for the duration of your career. Each state has its own licensing board and requirements, so make sure you check with your state before you begin to practice. Most universities will guide you through this process while you are working on your degree.

If you earn your PsyD degree from an accredited university and you go on to become licensed, you can expect to pursue a career as a clinical psychologist, counseling patients in a private or government setting. You will be able to conduct psychological testing, engage in studies and submit your findings in peer-reviewed scholarly journals, and carry out psychological evaluations.

Finding the Right PsyD Programs

Once you have decided upon the career path you will pursue with your degree, you need to look into different PsyD programs to determine which course of study will best suit your needs. PsyD programs differ based upon the university and departments therein, so you should thoroughly research each of your college choices before committing to one.

Compile a short list of universities you would like to attend. Make sure you have selected institutions that offer PsyD degrees. Contact the psychology department at each university on your list and make appointments to speak to someone. Take notes at the meetings, and ask about the unique qualities of each university’s PsyD program while on each campus as well.

Typical Course of Study for PsyD Programs

PsyD programs typically range from five to seven years, and require roughly 90-120 credit hours to complete the degree. There is standard coursework you must complete in the early stages of your degree, and your curriculum will generally include some variation of the following subject areas:

• Individual differences, including lifespan development and personality
• Bases of behavior
• Psychopharmacology
• Legal and ethical issues
• Development of psychological theories and practices
• History and systems
• Research design and statistics

Once you have completed your initial coursework, clinical experience is the next step in most PsyD programs. Most universities require three or four years of working with patients under close supervision in a clinical setting. This portion of the program, called “practicum placement,” starts in either the first or the second year of study. The next step is your doctoral internship, during which time you must complete an intensive placement period in a clinical setting. This part of the program generally lasts one to two years.

Finally, all PsyD programs require you to write a dissertation before you graduate. You are free to write your dissertation about any topic from your coursework that interests you. However, once you select your topic, your dissertation committee must approve it before you begin writing. Your dissertation must involve completely original quantitative or qualitative research, as well as critical literature analysis or clinical analysis and application. The dissertation portion of PsyD programs takes roughly two to three years to finish.