Career Pathways with a Psychology degree

Psychology develops a range of skills, which means there is an opportunity for you to succeed outside of the traditional career routes that psychology offers. Here are some pathways that prove popular for psychology graduates.

Education and working with young people

Key skills and attributes required: A patient nature, excellent communication skills, creativity and enthusiasm.

See the job roles below where your skills would be suitable for working in education or with young people:

Other role titles to look out for may include: Teaching Assistant, Learning Support Assistant, Behaviour Mentor, Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo), Learning Mentor, Careers Advisor, Family Support Worker

See also:

Marketing, User Experience, Media and Communications.

Key skills and attributes required: Confidence in using digital platforms, effective writing, critical thinking and problem-solving skills

A growing number of graduates are working in consumer behaviour, insights and market research, as well as wider roles within media, communications and sales. See the job roles below where your skills would be suitable:

Other roles to look out for may include: Sales Executive, Communications Officer, Digital Marketing Assistant, Media Planner, Advertising Executive

See also:

Research and Analysis

Key skills and attributes required: Problem-solving, data literate, great eye for detail and critical thinking

Psychology graduates carry out research work in Universities, research centres, healthcare consultancies and public sector bodies. Example roles include:

Other job titles to look out for may include: Research Executive, Market Researcher, Clinical Research Associate, Clinical Trials Officer, Civil Service Administrator

See also:

  • Careers in Research All graduates on this online careers panel are working in a variety of research and analyst roles

Allied Health Professions

Key skills and attributes required: Empathy, excellent communication, interpersonal skills and emotional resilience.

Some graduates build on their psychology foundation and train in one of the Allied Health professions. Roles include:

Other roles within Allied Health Professions include: Dietician, Therapeutic Radiographer, Physiotherapy, Physician Associate

See also:

Graduate routes into Allied Medical Professions

Management, IT and Finance

Key skills and attributes required: Mathematical, analytical, fantastic organisational and negotiation skills.

Don't overlook your suitability for these roles, as many graduate schemes accept applications from any degree discipline:

Other job titles to look out for include: IT Consultant, Training Officer, Business Development, Business Analyst

See also:

  • Working in HR and Development An interview with psychology graduates from the University of Manchester now working in HR, organisational psychology and development

Mental Health, general health care and therapy

Key skills and attributes required: Emotional resilience, empathy, good judgement and staying calm under pressure.

Support worker and e-therapy roles are popular for Psychology graduates looking to build their experience in mental health. Example roles include:

Other job titles to look out for include: Support Worker, Family Therapist, Educational Mental Health Practitioner

See also

Community, social care and charity

Graduates who are looking to help and support others, but not directly working in mental health, often consider social care options.

Other job titles to look out for may include: Adult Guidance Worker, Social Care Manager, Youth and Community Worker, Family Court Adviser

Law enforcement, security and the justice sector

Key skills and attributes required: emotional resilience, good judgement, strong teamwork and organisational skills.

If you are particularly interested in working with a range of offenders or in a preventative role, then there are a range of jobs in this sector to explore. Roles include:

Other job titles to look out for may include: Facilitator (Interventions), Policy Advisor, Case Administrator, Caseworker, Legal Advisor, and Information Security Officer.

See also: