Anybody a Psychology major? What are your plans for the future?

I’m a librarian

I am not a psych major. But my sister is. She graduated exactly a year ago, actually, and spent a bit of time relaxing before getting a job at a local pizza place as the hostess. Now, she’s looking into jobs elsewhere, such as internships, and seeing what she can do more central to her interests. Basically, she’s trying to find her calling so that she can go on to get a Master’s Degree and then, possibly, a PhD to further qualify her in that field. And, at the rate I’m going, I will probably do the same..

Write a book!

I live in the UK.

My mother did Psychology with Social Welfare BA.
There aren’t really good job opportunities for Psych graduates, as there is a great surplus of them, it being a very popular course with the girls, which doesn’t really impart you with any useful knowledge or transferable skills (in terms of non-professional career options) beyond proper writing, reading and researching. But I’m sure you knew that before you picked it.

There isn’t much money to be made out of the general theories of psychology (as opposed to Finance, Business, Chemistry, Electronics, Engineering, Architecture, Law, Medicine, &c.), and because the structure and driving force of our society is money and its making, there is therefore less a demand for the skills of those versed in the general theories of psychology, than there is a supply.

In light of this, and her being an excellent student, she went on to do a Masters in Criminal Psychology. Facing a similar situation as before, she started her PhD in Criminology, whilst working on the academic staff of the University’s Criminology Dpt.

Unfortunately, she is very overworked, and has suspended her PhD, to work full-time at the Dpt. It’s a fairly decent wage of £32,000 before tax. Keep in mind though, that in a good year, my father earns three times that as an electrician.

I think Psychology is only really worthwhile if you want to go into academia/research. Obviously it can be used for graduate entry into business, but only if you have a ‘good’ degree, and the reality is you probably won’t be much better off than someone who had been working there for three years without a degree, and you’re the one with loads of debt.

In the UK, the government commissions and funds University departments to undertake research and write reports, and the departments employ people like my mother to do it.

It may well be a different story, however, in the USA.

I’m getting my BA in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. I started on this track recently but I’m considering careers such as Correctional Counselor, Correctional Officer, Parole Officer, or something similar. I’m also considering getting my Paralegal certificate after graduation and working as a paralegal for a law firm. I plan on increasing my employability by participating in an internship or two during my last two years of school.

If I enter the crimnal justice field and wish to furthur my career and get paid more, I will get a graduate degree (MA in Criminology and Criminal Justice OR MA in Forensic Psychology). There is a LOT of negative stigma associated with the psychology major, as I’m sure you know, but it’s all about making the degree work for you. Any degree is better than no degree. I have a passion for psychology, so that’s what I chose for my education. Everyone has to start off at the bottom. Unfortunately, not all of us are cut out to be doctors and engineers (the ones that DON’T have to start off at the bottom).

My original plan was to get a minor in Business and go into that field. I suppose that’s still an option, but I’m much more interested in criminal justice. I still plan on taking business courses as my electives, though, because they will help in either field.

@livelaughlove21 Sorry, I don’t think you can say that those people who study Psychology or Criminology ‘start at the bottom’, because they’re ‘not cut out’ to be doctors or engineers.

Firstly, everyone starts out at the bottom, in their first year. Obviously, people come from different backgrounds, but I wouldn’t say there is a significant difference between the socio-economic backgrounds of those on Engineering courses and those on Psychology/Criminology courses. In fact, if anything, Engineering is more working class.

Secondly, as a chemist, I would never be able to do the kind of work my mother has done (as a psychology student/criminologist). It’s just a different set of skills altogether. So perhaps I’m ‘not cut out’ to do Psych, and she’s ‘not cut out’ to do Chem.

The only reason there is negative stigma attached to Psych is because, as I mentioned above, it is not a money-maker, and our society is primarily driven by money-making. It makes career paths difficult, yes, but that’s a problem with our society’s values, not with the fields and studies of Psychology and Criminology themselves.

Both are worthwhile pursuits in terms of social progress, collective consciousness and our understanding of ourselves, and are only stigmatized by the ignorant and narrow-minded people, who care only for maintaining the divisive, unequal and in many ways ineffective social structures of today.

@The_Idler My statement wasn’t meant to sound like psychology majors didn’t have the ability to be doctors or engineers, but that they don’t have the desire. I started off in a different field, one that has a better reputation, and I hated every minute of it. I wasn’t incapable of graduating, but I knew life was too short to hate your job just to make a few extra dollars. And the reason I clumped engineers and doctors together is because those ARE the money-maker degrees/careers (regardless of the type of work involved), and they are seen as much more worthwhile than psychology, English, or history degrees.

As you said, these are all stigmatized by ignorant people, but those of us who major in the fields that don’t bring the big bucks right away know that even though these people don’t know what they’re talking about, we still have to endure their opinions and judgements that they constantly push on us.

As I said, a degree is all about what you make of it.

I’m on disability, I will try do become Alberta’s Education minister in 2025.