Psychology major

[Trizxo]

hi guys! Hope everyone is doing good. I was a pharmacy major but I’m not very good at doing the labs. And chemistry is really hard for me. I’ve been looking into psychology. It catches my attention and it looks really interesting. I’m currently a teacher assistant and I work with children. I think psychology and working with children make a good combination. But I need some advice. Is anyone a psychology major? Are jobs available after you get your bachelors. Thanks again!

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[PsyDuck90]

Psychology jobs available for a BA are pretty sparse. Typically a BA is not a terminal degree within Psychology. What exactly is your career goal?

 

[Trizxo]

I want to get a bachelors in science. Maybe, work as a school counselor. Since I like working with children. Or work as a research assistant.

 

[PsyDuck90]

To be a school counselor, you will ultimately need at minimum a masters degree in counseling or an MSW. You can also look at PhDs in school psychology.

A research assistant isn't usually a career path. Normally people work as research assistants while completing a graduate degree or to become more competitive for PhDs. The salary of a research assistant is typically pretty low.

 

[Temperance]

Are jobs available after you get your bachelors. Thanks again!

Someone with a bachelor's degree in psychology can work as a behavior technician or assistant behavior analyst. There may be other options, particularly outside of areas traditionally considered to be psychology (e.g., human resources, insurance claims, market research) that may be worth exploring. If you can find a book on careers for psychology majors, then they would have more detail. I can't speak to how difficult it was to find work outside of research after a bachelor's degree, but I have known many graduates who went into behavior analysis. They started while still a student.

A research assistant isn't usually a career path. Normally people work as research assistants while completing a graduate degree or to become more competitive for PhDs. The salary of a research assistant is typically pretty low.

I agree with this. Research assistant jobs are typically based on availability of grant funding and offered on one- or two-year terms, so it's not a stable line of work. Typical salary ranges for bachelor's-level research assistants are $30,000 to $35,000. Very rarely are they $40,000+. These jobs are also highly competitive, so you would need to start getting research experience now while you are working on your degree.

A clinical research coordinator may be a potential career path but more difficult to break into with a psychology degree.

 

[Trizxo]

Thank you all for your responses!