What Can You Do With a Major in Psychology?
Psychology major careers and jobs
The psychology major at Marquette is great preparation for graduate, medical, dental and law school; working in rehabilitation and welfare agencies; personnel management; and counseling.
If you decide to pursue graduate education in psychology, there are many different paths you can take. Developmental psychologists study how people behave and change throughout life. Social psychologists are concerned with the effects of social situations on human behavior. Personality psychologists study individual differences in how people behave. Neuropsychologists study the effects of brain damage, disorder or disease on behavioral and brain function. Biological psychologists and neuroscientists are concerned with the biological bases of behavior. Cognitive psychologists investigate memory, thought, problem-solving and the psychological aspects of learning. Clinical psychologists study ways to help individuals, couples, families and groups change problematic behavior. Industrial psychologists study the effects of the physical and social aspects of people's work environments on productivity and business. Marquette's Department of Psychology takes pride in having nationally recognized scholars in all of these areas.
Jobs for psychology majors
Job growth for psychologists is expected to climb 12 percent by 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Industrial-organizational psychologists are particularly in demand, and 26 percent job growth is predicted for that field by 2018. About a third of psychologists are self-employed as private practitioners and consultants, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. You can also find updated salary averages for various types of psychologists on the bureau's website.
Some places where you’ll find Marquette psychology major grads include:
- Abbott Laboratories
- Kraft Foods
- Marcus Corp.
- Marquette University
- Medical College of Wisconsin
- Miami University
- Ohio State University
- University of California, Santa Barbara
- University of Chicago
- University of Illinois
- University of Minnesota
- University of Texas
- Wisconsin Early Autism Project
- WE Energies
The American Psychological Association offers additional resources for careers in psychology.
From understanding the ways we perceive, learn about and act in the world to probing the causes and treatments of mental disorders, psychology — literally, the study of the mind — is the scientific approach to understanding the complexities of behavior.