After the Bachelor's Degree

Careers in Psychology

Psychology is an incredibly versatile degree that offers a wide array of career opportunities.  Students who graduate from the psychology program with a B.A. or a B.S. degree may find employment in a variety of areas relevant to human services.  Students who graduate with the specialized Bachelor of Science Education Major (B.S.E.) are prepared to teach psychology in secondary schools.  The job opportunities in psychology range from human services to research, teaching, and beyond.  Although in some cases, further education and training are needed, the career roles for graduates with a degree in psychology may include the following:

• Providing services: Helping people overcome social, cognitive, and emotional problems and counsel individuals and families.
• Teaching: From elementary schools to post-graduate institutions, teaching psychology, training others for careers in psychology, and helping students to understand behavior.
• Research: In universities, businesses, and government agencies, engaging in basic or applied research and seeking to understand behavioral phenomena of all kinds.
• Consulting: Providing advice and expertise to public and private organizations to improve systems designs, organize personnel management procedures, develop new policies, and design client services.

For more information on careers in psychology please visit UW-W Career Services and UW-W Career Services for Psychology Majors.  This brochure also provides information on careers in psychology.

Employers of Our Graduates

Many graduates with a Bachelor's degree in psychology from UW-Whitewater have found employment in a variety of settings that utilize their education in psychology.  Others have chosen to continue their education in graduate programs in psychology.  The following list is a sampling of some of the careers and positions that UW-Whitewater Psychology alumni hold:

• Case Manager at Jefferson County Human Services
• Counselor at Lydia Group Home
• Graduate Student of Physiology and Neuroscience at New York University
• Guidance Counselor at Westbend West High School
• Intake Specialist at Rogers Memorial Hospital
• Rehab Skills Coordinator at Opportunities Inc.
• Research Assistant at University of Wisconsin-Madison
• School Psychologist at Milwaukee Public Schools
• Senior Therapist at the Wisconsin Early Autism Project
• Special Education Teacher at Yorkfield School District
• Social Worker at Yorkfield Public Schools
• Youth Care Worker at Norris Adolescent Center

Which psychology-related careers require an advanced degree?

Many upper-level careers in the social sciences require an advanced degree.  Many psychology students attend or consider attending graduate school.  Students thinking about graduate school should consult their faculty advisor for more information.

• Counselor/Therapist requires a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology or Social Work
• Professor/teaching at the college level requires at least a Master's degree, but a Ph.D. is required for tenure-track positions
• Psychologist requires a Ph.D. in Clinical, Counseling, or School Psychology
• Private Practice requires a Master's degree in Counseling or School Psychology, Social Work, or a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology
• Researcher requires a Ph.D. in any field of psychology, however, Experimental Psychology is common due to the field's heavy emphasis on research
• School Psychologist requires a Master's degree in School Psychology

For more information about graduate school, please visit the Thinking About Graduate School? page.