Career Opportunities
The Bachelor of Science in Psychology curriculum reflects the discipline’s major functions- scientific research, teaching, acting as a healing profession and raising philosophical questions about the assumptions, values, and ideals of human beings and their societies, which reflects psychology’s origin in philosophy. Through a core set of requirements, the student systematically develops understanding and skill in scientific methods of inquiry, focusing on the human mind and behavior. To fulfill degree requirements, students may pursue the standard curriculum by selecting courses from four content areas that introduce students to the healing and philosophical sides of psychology and provide a broad understanding of the field as a whole; or the student may apply to one of several more focused concentrations that draw upon the special strengths of the VCU Department of Psychology.
Some students may choose to study psychology because they enjoy the subject and wish to pursue careers requiring “any major.” In this scenario, it is critical to develop desirable skills through internships, part-time or summer jobs, or volunteer experiences. Some skills valued most by employers include communication, interpersonal leadership, teamwork, and computer skills. Other students may major in psychology because they want to work in a related field.
Many entry-level helping positions are available, however the amount of direct client contact is limited for those who only have a bachelor’s degree. Students may wish to pursue graduate education in psychology, social work, counseling, college student personnel, or other fields to increase opportunities and earning potential. Graduates can also find work with programs such as Americorps, PeaceCorps, Fulbright Student Program, or City Year.
Bachelor-Level Job Titles
- Adult Learning and Instruction
- Human Resources Specialist
- Market Research Analyst
- Marketing Specialist
- Public Relations Specialist
- Recruiter
- Sales Representative
- Social and Human Services Assistant
- Social Science Research Assistant
- Training and Development Specialist
Graduate and Professional Level Job Titles
- Attorney
- Counselor
- Higher Education Administrator
- Psychologist
- Researcher
- Therapist
Professional Associations and Resources
- American Psychological Association
- Association for Psychological Science
- Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology
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