What did you do after your psychology degree?

[BoogleMcGroogle]

It's been interesting reading where an English Literature degree took people.

So I'm wondering what happened to those of us with a psychology degree. Apparently it's one of the degrees with the lowest earning potential/ perceived transferable skills.

I taught for a couple of years aged then trained as an educational psychologist. I love my job. It's interesting, flexible and well paid. Now I run a small independent practice, so I guess it worked out well. Others on my degree course went into academia, teaching, social work, corporate graduate schemes and a couple more are applied psychologists.

Where has it taken you?

Educational psychologist, fab job!!

Hellooooo @Psychologika my comrade 😁

Academia and I practice as a chartered psychologist in my specific field, and the practice informs my research.

I love being a psychologist, apart from all the comments you get about mind reading/body language/dream analysis/are you analysing me right now etc etc

I'm currently doing a psychology degree part time so very interested in this thread! I'm not sure what I want to do long term yet, possibly teach or work in a pastoral role in a school, social work... did consider education psychologist or counselling psychologist but not sure I'm up to a masters and doctorate!

I thought HR was a fairly typical post-degree employment path,

Also following with interest. I'm half way through a Psychology degree. I'm focusing mine on Child Development and Child Psychology though which links into my field (I'm a SEN TA). Upon completion I'm hoping to do my PGCE and then go for the masters/doctorate to become an Ed Psych.

As I write this I'm procrastinating and hoping my assignment will write itself...

I work as an educator in forensic mental health clinics and am also a disabilities adviser for a college. Degree definitely relevant for both, however it was volunteering in adult literacies that opened doors with particular organisations.

I’m just finishing my second year. This thread makes me even more worried than I already was!

Did BSc Psychology degree then went into teaching Psychology full time for 8 years, then did a BA Business Administration degree. Got promoted to HoD still teaching Psychology and bevame A level examiner. Retired at 56 but do tutor one young person each year a few hours each week. I enjoyed my career and in one more yearcwill get reasonable pension.

A former colleague's DD did a psychology degree. She's now a senior in a recruitment agency, making good money.

Waves to @Nooch and @Psychologika

I’m also a Clinical psychologist - but for context it took almost 10 years post undergrad degree to qualify and I was working in the Social Care field for most of those to earn money. Love the job but wouldn’t reccomended the career path!

Dd is planning to become a clinical psychologist so is planning to do at least an MSc to achieve her goal. (Online advice seems to suggest that a PhD isn't necessary unless she wants to research something in particular)

She's 16 and has tried to get some voluntary work in MH but has been told that she needs to be 18. She does some mentoring of younger children through school though.

Onto a degree that actually gave me a job. I really wish I'd known quite how useless it was and would be at the time.

@doritosdip that is incorrect, in the UK at least. You need a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology to be a CP.

@Nooch and @MissingCoffeeandWine what’s your specialism?

I have a joint honours in English lit and psychology so I suppose I'm answering both threads as I now teach both at a high school. Was planning to be an Ed psych but thought the role was too far removed from the kids in reality. Not loving teaching however.

Did Grad Diploma in Law then LPC and now a lawyer. Only just realised but my topic area is actually slightly related to psychology

One of the reasons I chose psychology was that I thought it would act as a base with more options than say a degree in Early Childhood Studies. So this thread is freaking me out a bit.

@Psychologika adult mental health, more specifically CPTSD. How about you?

TeeTotalKoala I think one of the themes in this thread is that a psychology degree can be useful in many jobs and lots of us have gone on to work in 'people' jobs. However, it is interesting how many posters have found the degree to be either redundant or actively unhelpful. I think it very much depends on the next steps you take. For applied psychology careers a degree is very much a first step on a long road, and that's really important for people embarking on the degree to bear in mind.

I really enjoyed my psychology degree course and do use parts of what I learned in my everyday work.

@Nooch CAMHS, specifically inpatient adolescent at the moment

I went on to become a social worker.

Graduated 14 years ago and now doing MSc and hopefully phd to get into academia. Really struggled to get to use it otherwise; nearly had luck in graduate schemes as they seem to like psych, but never quite!

Nursing

@MonstranceClock in my experience in teaching undegraduates, the students who have thought about a career, whether that's a specialism in psychology or a more generalist career, before their finals generally go onto do good things. You wouldn't believe how many actually refuse to think about what they will do after graduation.

If you know before your third year that you want to go into a branch of psychology then you are very well placed to do so assuming your degree is accredited by the BPS

Typos galore! That'll be typing over the baby