Careers Dealing With Psychology
Many careers dealing with psychology require an individual who has completed advanced training in a graduate school, usually spending at least two to four years beyond a bachelor's degree education. For example, a psychologist often spends five to seven years in graduate school completing coursework and performing supervised clinical work. Whether you want to work with a specific population (i.e., the elderly, children and adolescents, etc.) or have the privilege of providing counseling to clients, many career options dealing with psychology exist.
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Clinical or Counseling Psychologist
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Clinical and counseling psychologists work with clients--including children, adults and families--to assess, diagnose and treat mental illnesses, disorders and other problems. Clinical psychologists hold a doctoral degree in psychology and usually specialize in a certain area of the field, such as marriage and family therapy, gerontology, mental health, neuropsychology, addictions, health psychology or child and adolescent psychology. These professionals use specific psychotherapy techniques, such as behavioral and cognitive therapy, to change the way clients perceive and address problems. Some of the places clinical psychologists work include private practice, psychiatric hospitals and community mental health centers. Clinical and counseling psychologists earn an average of $72,000 annually, according to May 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
School Psychologist
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Individuals who want to work in the educational field and have a job dealing with psychology usually become school psychologists, school counselors or education specialists. Education specialists and school psychologists earn master's and doctorate degrees in a university's education department rather than in its psychology department. School psychologists, counselors and educational psychologists work with teachers and parents to evaluate and treat students' behavioral, emotional and academic problems. They also evaluate the effectiveness of learning programs and identify improved ways of teaching to benefit students. These professionals earn around $52,000 annually, on average, according to June 2010 data from PayScale.com.
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Industrial/Organizational Psychologist
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Industrial/organizational (I/O) psychologists hold doctoral degrees in the field and work for I/O consulting companies, human resource departments within organizations or in private practice. These professional psychologists apply the principles of psychology to the workforce and are frequently responsible for screening, hiring and training applicants for jobs. I/O psychologists also develop new tests--such as personality and achievement tests--that employers and organizations can use during hiring and employee-review procedures. I/O psychologists earn around $102,000 annually, on average, according to May 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Social Worker
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Social workers help and provide support to individuals and families dealing with everyday problems, such as relationships, unemployment, family life and other personal problems. Social workers often become advocates for their clients in the government welfare and social system, helping them obtain vital resources like Medicaid, Medicare and public transportation. Some social workers specialize in an area, such as child and family social work or mental health and substance abuse. Licensed clinical social workers typically hold master's degrees in social work and are authorized to provide counseling services to clients. Social workers' earnings vary based on the specialty in which they work but, in general, hover around $43,000 annually, on average, according to May 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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