Explore jobs and outcomes for an online bachelor’s in psychology
Earning a psychology degree means becoming a psychologist, right?
Not necessarily.
You may be surprised to learn that 50% of psychology bachelor’s degree-earners don’t wind up working in health care at all. The skills gained in a psychology degree program are widely valued by employers and applicable to a variety of settings.
According to Oregon State University senior instructor Kristen Yax, psychology is “the Swiss Army Knife of degrees” — one that can lead graduates in countless rewarding directions.
“First and foremost, it’s a direct path to many career opportunities in the field – from clinical or social to research or education,” says Yax. “But psychology is also relevant if not critical in almost every profession imaginable, and a psych degree opens many doors in many industries that more specialized degrees of study often do not.”
And as someone interested in studying psychology, you likely want to learn what drives people, whether that’s in the workplace, social structures, or through their purchasing habits or technology usage.
So, with a core focus on human behavior, what can you do when you earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology online from Oregon State University? Let’s explore.
Social services
Perhaps most related to health care work is the field of social services. While social services could include mental health therapist and psychologist roles (with a master’s or Ph.D. under your belt), helping people in your community can reach far beyond those two roles.
With skills like counseling techniques, problem-solving, communication aptitude and strong empathy responses, psychology graduates are primed for helping roles.
“Social services work revolves around a shared set of values and combines insights from cognitive science, advocacy, psychotherapy, and public policy,” according to The Best Schools social services career guide.
Jobs in the field of social services for psychology bachelor’s graduates include social and human service assistant, probation officer or correctional treatment specialist, community health worker and social and community service manager.
Human resources
One adjacent outcome for a psychology bachelor’s graduate is working in the field of human resources. This career path requires interpersonal skills, data analysis and ethics and diversity knowledge — all competencies that you can gain through your coursework as a psychology student.
According to Learn.org, “Individuals with a psychology degree have diverse career opportunities in human resources.”
This category of work includes a variety of entry-level and advanced positions, including HR generalist, recruitment coordinator, compensation and benefits manager, human resources manager and even career coaching.
Oregon State grad Tracey Campion said this of her experience gaining the skills needed to become a career coach: “A bachelor’s degree in psychology could not be a more fitting education for a coach, and I am so appreciative that the OSU Ecampus [psychology] program was available for me to return to school online as an older, working student from outside the country.”
Marketing and communications
Another field psychology graduates are qualified to enter is marketing and communications. At first glance, psychology and marketing may seem unrelated. But with core knowledge in areas like behavioral motivation, research skills and statistical analysis, the parallels shift into focus.
“Psychology majors are well-suited for careers in marketing. The courses you take in your undergraduate studies, such as social psychology, human behavior, research design and statistics, directly apply to many roles within the umbrella of marketing,” according to a report published by Psychology.org.
Career opportunities in marketing for psychology bachelor’s graduates include advertising, promotions or marketing management, public relations and fundraising, or market research analysis.
Technology
Psychology and technology? Minus the final five letters, you may wonder what these two fields may have in common. The short answer is people. The more precise answer is knowledge in topics like cognitive processes, evaluation development and the building and coding of qualitative assessments.
“UX designers make products and services more intuitive, enjoyable, and streamlined for users — often in a digital environment, like a business’s website or app,” according to Psychology.org. “An understanding of psychology fits well with this profession. Concepts like memory limitation, cognitive load, and the psychology of colors all make for a better designer.”
In the field of technology, psychology bachelor’s graduates can look for job opportunities as a UX designer, a cognitive scientist, or an AI ethics specialist.
If you decide to go on to graduate school, you can put a master’s in human-computer interaction to work in the field of research.
What about graduate school?
Graduate school is a common next step for students who earn a psychology bachelor’s degree. Because the knowledge gained in an undergraduate psychology program is so broad, students often choose to pursue a more specific master’s or Ph.D. after graduation.
“Oregon State University and their rigorous psychologyprogram did help me to [feel] reallyprepared. I was always on time for early admissions applications and things of that sort. Ilook forward to going into my graduate school, and all thanksto everyone here,” saidKaren Baek, who earned her B.A. in Psychology online.
We’ve already explored a few outcome-specific post-secondary degree options, but let’s take a look at a few of the most common graduate degrees for psychology students:
- Master’s in Clinical Psychology
- Master’s or Ph.D. in Research Psychology
- Juris Doctor in Law
- Master’s in Criminal Justice
- Master’s in Social Work
So, how do you make your next move?
Apply to Oregon State University today.
If you’re not ready just yet, you can connect with an Oregon State Ecampus enrollment services specialist to learn more.
