Planning your career begins well before senior year.
This will permit you to make the best use of campus resources that can help you achieve your professional goals. Psychology majors enter a wide range of professions. Some students go on to graduate school, which is required to become a practicing counselor or therapist. Others find careers in business, education, human services, and other professions. Choosing a career can be a harder decision than choosing a psychology major because there are so many career options.
You may find the Careers in Psychology helpful, and UWM’s Center for Student Experience & Talent maintains job boards, hosts informational events, and provides advising for exploring careers, identifying potential internship sites, and preparing yourself to be competitive for jobs in your chosen field. Throughout your college career, you should participate in different activities that will help you identify job features that you do and do not like so that you are continually refining your career plans. Engaging in faculty-led research, a field placement, an internship, or a part-time job are all ways to explore career possibilities and build a professional network. You might also consult Indeed or Jobs that Help.
The American Psychological Association (APA) is the largest organization for professionals in the field. The APA has posted resources for undergraduate students who want to know what they will be able to do with an undergraduate degree in psychology. For instance, you might check out this interview series that examines the career paths and on-the-job responsibilities of 13 people with degrees in psychology.
A bachelor’s degree in psychology does not make you a “psychologist.” The term psychologist is reserved for those who have completed a doctoral degree in psychology. Many careers in the field of psychology, particularly those that involve providing psychological treatments, require a master’s or doctoral level degree. However, a BA or BS in psychology is excellent preparation for many careers in which an understanding of human behavior is important.
Sample Career Outcomes of UWM alumni
Our alumni have gone on to professional success in a variety of roles including the following, some of which require additional schooling and/or licensure.
| Autism Line Therapist, Autism Behavioral Network |
| Internship Director, Alverno College |
| Foster and Adoption Services Specialist, Children’s Service Society of Wisconsin |
| Program Coordinator, Easter Seals of Southeastern Wisconsin |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Coordinator, State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development |
| Attorney, Northwestern Mutual |
| Director of Training, Marcus Corporation |
| Psychologist, Cornerstone Counseling |
| School Psychologist, West Bend School District |
| Retention Specialist, Humana |
| Program Coordinator, American Red Cross |
| Claims Examiner, Wausau Insurance |
| Employee Relations Specialist, WE Energies |
| Psychologist, Aurora Healthcare |
| Deputy, Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office |
| Activity Therapist, State of Illinois |
| Case Manager, Wisconsin Correctional Services |
| Project Manager, New York City Department of Housing |
| Therapist, Milwaukee Center for Independence |
| Intake Specialist, Rogers Behavioral Health |
General Career Options with only a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology
Community and Social Services: program director, volunteer coordinator, social worker (in Wisconsin a “social worker” must have a social work degree, but many states use this title for people with psychology backgrounds).
Human Resources: employee development, training coordinator, claims administrator, employment interviewer. A minor in business is recommended if your desired career is in this area.
Scientific Research: laboratory manager, research specialist, marketing research, opinion survey researcher. If you are interested in a career in research, be sure to join a faculty-directed research lab here at UWM. Taking additional courses in statistics or computer programming may also be useful. If you want to conduct research as a professor or director of your own laboratory, you will need a PhD.
Residential Care: residential/human services worker (for many populations, including developmentally delayed, juvenile offenders, elderly). If you are interested in working with juvenile (or other offenders) a double major or minor in criminal justice would be useful; if you are interested in healthcare, then consider a double major or minor in health care administration.
Management and Business: banking, customer service, sales, public relations, restaurant and hotel work in a variety of capacities. Several different minors may be useful for careers in this area, including business and communication.
Student Affairs/Services: student activities/housing, alumni relations and development work, academic and career advising, higher education administrator.
Probations/Parole/Law Enforcement: parole officer, corrections officer, juvenile Intake worker. Consider a double major or minor in criminal justice if you are interested in careers in this field.
Education: child care worker, Peace Corps volunteer, teacher’s Aide, parent educator. If you are interested in working with children, consider UWM’s certificate in childhood and adolescence studies. If you wish to be a K-12 teacher in the public-school system (and some private schools) you will need to complete an education degree.