What Jobs Can You Get with a Psychology Degree

There comes a point in life when you question where your future career lies, and with that you may already have an idea or feel completely stuck. One thing to keep in mind is that there is no rush to decide, some people do not even start their dream career till their 50s. On average people change careers about six to seven times in their lifetime, it's completely normal!  

Are you interested in how the beautiful mind works? If psychology is a route you have considered, then hopefully this blog will be an enjoyable read. We will be going through some of the possible career routes you can start once graduating with a psychology degree. 

It is important to note that when taking on a future in psychology you need to be someone who is determined and up for continuous learning as most job roles require further training.  

Now we have gone over the basics, let’s look into psychology in more detail.  

Counsellor: 

Millions of people are struggling with personal issues daily, whether it’s a mental health battle or substance abuse, counsellors are essential in helping people resolve their issues by building a trusted relationship and supporting them.  

Listening is the most important skill you can bring to the table when starting this role, everyone deserves to be heard and enabling your clients to talk about their feelings is your goal.  

When working as a counsellor you could work in environments like: 

- A therapy clinic 

- GP practice 

- A school 

- A college 

And could end up taking a role as a: 

- Career counsellor 

- Marriage and family counsellor  

- Mental health counsellor 

- Rehabilitation counsellor 

- School counsellor 

- Trauma counsellor 

Those mentioned above are not the only options. To find out more about your options for careers you can follow the link here. 

By taking relevant work experience while studying psychology, you can leave university prepared for this challenging yet rewarding career! 

Chartered Psychologist 

Are you someone with excellent verbal communication skills? Or maybe you have great patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations. Becoming a recognised chartered psychologist by The British Psychological Society could be a career that you thrive in.  

So, what does the role consist of? Well, psychology is just the umbrella for all the subfields that fall within the category. Once you become qualified you could choose to specialise in areas such as: 

- Clinical psychology 

- Cognitive psychology 

- Educational psychology 

- Health psychology 

You will never be left feeling limited with options as these are not even half of the areas you could dive into. Psychologists study people; how they think, how they act, react and interact. If you want to truly understand the functions of a mind this is the way to go. 

For this career, you will need to be someone who can bring a strong mindset to the table as times can get emotionally demanding. However, you have the delight of supporting people and improving their wellbeing which makes it all worthwhile.  

Psychotherapist 

Unfortunately, emotions such as stress are very common and do not always go away by themselves. As a psychotherapist, you could support individuals, families and groups who may be going through these emotions, as well as relationship problems or bad habits. We always need someone we can trust and lean on; psychotherapists fill that void for a living! 

Just like a psychologist, there are many different routes you can take within psychotherapy with a few being: 

- Arts and play therapies 

- Cognitive behavioural therapies 

- Hypno-psychotherapy 

- Systemic and family psychotherapy 

Upon research, you can discover all the wonderful opportunities you could enjoy and make a real difference. The skillset required is very similar to that of psychologists, and you may work in settings like a health centre or the NHS.  

There are many different industries you could delve into with a psychology degree, including prison work, social work, sports and more. But what’s important to remember is to follow your passion and ensure you have done the correct research based on that decision. 

At the University of Bolton, many benefits come with taking our BSc (Hons) Psychology degree, let’s go through some: 

- We have the relevant accreditations to ensure you can pursue the careers mentioned above, including The British Psychological Society and BABCP 

- The University of Bolton has been ranked number one for Student Satisfaction for the past five years 

- You will study in a stimulating and supportive environment, with access to great electronic facilities, an excellent suite of laboratories and dedicated practice therapy rooms to enhance your learning potential 

- The course is designed to ensure that when you graduate you are confident and prepared to take on the real world with quality employability skills due to securing work placements while studying  

We also take pride in providing a #UniAsItShouldBe experience for students, by offering a diverse, inclusive and friendly campus. 

If you are looking to apply to the University of Bolton via clearing, follow this page linked here to find out all the information you need to know on how to successfully be prepared. If you are unsure of what direction to head in, you will also find our quiz that helps to identify your strengths and what areas you are likely to excel in!  

 For any further questions, contact us at enquires@bolton.ac.uk or call us on 01204 903903. We are always happy to help! 

*Complete University Guide – Student Satisfaction – Northwest – 2023