Bachelor of Arts in psychology jobs?
What kids of jobs should I be searching for and applying for? I type in "entry level" In job search engines, is that what I'm qualified for? I have no additional training other than my university degree, and I don't have the money to get another degree. I'm so stuck with options and lost with this degree.
What College Minor fits me? (Psychology Major)?
Well, I am happy to learn that you do know that majoring in Psychology will require an Advanced Degree in order to become an actual Psychologist. You would be surprised at the number of people that are shocked to learn they need a PhD or PsyD. Even those that have graduated with a Bachelor Degree are dumbfounded afterward! Anyway, back to your question. Do you know what Client Population you would want to work with? If you want to work with Children, a minor in Child and Family Studies could be good. If you want to work with the Elderly, a minor in Gerontology could be good. However, those won't really lead to any good job prospects while waiting to get your PhD. So, maybe try a Double major in Social Work and Psychology, because that will open the doors to places like Child Protective Services, Family and Youth Counseling Centers, etc. If you don't want to Double Major, look at getting a minor in Human Services or Community Psychology. This will give you enough background to work as any of the following: Mental Health Aide, Behavioral Health Aide, Day Treatment Facilitator, Basic Skills Specialist, Psychosocial Rehabilitative Specialist, and Direct Care Provider for the Developmentally Disabled.
What can one do with a bachelor's degree in psychology?
You canNOT work as a private practitioner, nor can you consult in courtrooms, for businesses, or as unsupervised therapists. You must have at least a master's for that privilege. However... you *can* do therapeutic work... under the supervision of fully qualified (master's and above) psychologists. There are many state-funded counseling centers that have B.A.-degreed individuals working, who are supervised by fully licensed psychologists. You can also work as a case manager for non-profit organizations that provide services for developmentally challenged individuals, or in social work, such as state-run department of family services. You can also become a teacher in some cases... but more and more states are requiring master's degrees for that as well. However, substitute teaching is very within your reach, as only an associate's is required to be able to do that. You can also work in management positions for many types of businesses, from fast food to sales; all businesses benefit from the knowledge you have in how people "work". Where I live they have a thing called Drug Court, and the case manager for the court only has to have a B.A. So look around, be creative, and don't be afraid to try a job you might actually be quite qualified for. You never know, you just might find the dream job you've always wanted. ;)
What type of jobs/careers can I get with a Psychology and Social Behavior major?
Many of the jobs you can expect to find will be in mental health or case management, most likely direct work with clients. With just a bachelor's degree, you will most likely be doing community support work. With a Psychology and Social Behavior (PSB) degree, you can possibly bridge into a PhD Psychology program. Most likely, if you intend to pursue any graduate level education in this field, this degree will prepare you best for a graduate social work program such as a Master of Social Work (MSW) or a masters degree in counseling, MA or MEd. If you you plan to get an MSW, MA, or MEd, you can do more therapy/clinical work with clients by getting the degree and then getting your professional license, e.g. LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) for MSW-level social workers and LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) for MA or MEd level Counselors. I'm not sure where you're at, but here in the United States, many places do allow both LCSWs and LPCs to provide mental health diagnoses, however, many states and government agencies such as the military reserve this privilege only for LCSWs and Clinical Psychologists. Right now? You likely can get a job doing direct patient support work such as being a residential technician or residential specialist at residential mental health or residential drug treatment agencies to see if this is even something you want to do as a career. Working in mental health is definitely rewarding as a career. I'm a licensed social worker at a community mental health agency and it's definitely one of the most interesting jobs I've ever had.
Has anyone ever heard of community psychology? It sounds really cool but I'm skeptical about the job prospects. Are there any community psychologists on here?
I have my BA in community psychology. It's a great fit if you want to pursue a master's degree in social work. Community psychologists focus on how the community impacts the individual (very simplified). It's the notion that, the individual is only as healthy as the community and the community is only as healthy as the individuals that make it up. Social workers also work at the individual and community levels, while other forms of psychology only deal with the individual.
BA in Psychology, a big mistake?
Need to face reality: psych majors don't find any real jobs unless they possess some kind of great skill on the side built up through work experience. Nobody is going to hire a psych major just because you have a piece of paper saying you received xx degree from. Also, a master's degree in psych isn't anymore impressive either. You'll need a doctoral degree to get anywhere. If you don't want to live poor, then you better look at real career options. I'd highly suggest you looking into human resources. It deals a lot with organizational behavior, cross cultural psychology, and community psychology, all of which are subsets of psychology. The bonus here is that with an HR degree, you will be able to find real career work AND you'll be able to apply organizational behavior into the workplace. If you're ambitious, you could also minor in psychology if your school offers it. And law school -- don't do it. There's too many unemployed lawyers as it is now. Not a good field to get into. Being an unemployed lawyer is horrible because you'll be overqualified to do any other type of work, you get into a situation of being unhireable for professional work.