What can I do with a degree in psychology?

Clinical settings

For many students interested in directly helping people with mental health concerns, becoming a licensed clinical psychologist, counseling psychologist or therapist is their first choice.

Working in a clinical setting requires graduate education and licensure, but it’s often a practical, results-driven career that speaks to students with a desire to help others. Professionals in these fields work directly with clients to address their mental health concerns, and working toward tangible – and, at times, life-changing – progress is often incredibly fulfilling.

Even clinical settings bring a range of possibilities, all of which start with a bachelor's degree.

"It’s very much choose-your-own adventure," Tompsett said. "I have a lot of conversations with students who come to the realization that there are a lot of different kinds of therapists out there. This degree gives you both foundational content knowledge and it gives you some foundational habits ingrained."

Additionally, there is a continuing need for more clinically-based mental health professionals. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, psychologists are expected to see 6% growth through 2033, which is faster than the national average.

BGSU offers four doctoral-level degrees, including a Ph.D. in clinical psychology.

Organizational development

Psychology majors can transition seamlessly to roles in human resources, through which they can apply their knowledge of human behavior to recruiting, employee relations, training and organizational culture. 

As more companies prioritize workplace culture – which is key to retaining employees – the career is expected to see growth in the next decade. Human resources specialists are projected to grow 6% through 2033, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

For students interested in psychology at work, Bowling Green specializes in the field. The University’s industrial-organizational psychology graduate program is consistently ranked among the country’s top programs in its discipline.

Consumer behavior

The corporate world is often in search of professionals who can apply their knowledge of how people think and make decisions to predict and analyze their markets. 

Through a data-based approach, market research analysts use psychological principles to understand consumer behavior and help companies make decisions. 

Demand is particularly strong within market research, and this field is expected to grow 13% through 2033, significantly faster than average, as organizations increasingly rely on data analytics.

Psychology research

At BGSU, students don’t have to wait until they’re graduates to contribute to interesting research projects.

Even as undergraduates, students have the opportunity to learn with and from expert psychology faculty and even complete their own projects under the guidance of BGSU professors.

"When very high-achieving students come into research and can see professors asking real questions – questions they don’t know the answer to – that’s when you see the light bulb come on," Tompsett said.

Students interested in research can pick several fascinating topics to study, like a BGSU doctoral candidate who studied art created by artificial intelligence – and found most people preferred human-made art, even though half of them couldn’t tell which art was made by humans and which art was made by AI.

School counselor

For students who enjoy working with children and adolescents, school psychology offers a chance to support learners of all ages. 

A school counselor is often the first mental-health professional with whom a K-12 student interacts, giving professionals in this field a highly valuable way to make a positive difference in the lives of the next generation.

The field’s requirements vary by state, but generally require a teaching license and graduate schooling. 

Psychology can be a springboard into pursuing a school counseling master’s degree through the BGSU College of Education and Human Development, a program that satisfies all licensure requirements to be a K-12 school counselor in Ohio.

Social work and substance abuse counseling

Substance abuse counselors, community service managers and behavioral disorder counselors all draw heavily on psychology. 

Psychology is rooted in interpersonal skills, critical thinking and a foundation of research methods, which makes the degree transferable to numerous career paths in social services, including social work and being a substance abuse counselor. 

The need for both is great: substance abuse and behavioral disorder counselors are projected to grow 18% through 2033, reflecting the ongoing need for addiction and mental health services.

But no matter which area of psychology students find best for them, a bachelor’s degree in psychology from BGSU has a world of possibilities.

"A lot of undergraduate psychology classes center around why people do what they do and all the angles one can study that or apply it in a job, which gives someone a broad toolkit," Tompsett said. "Students absolutely find they have options."