Psychology degrees have emerged as one of the most popular options at colleges and universities throughout the world. In addition to offering a tremendous opportunity for personal growth, majoring in psychology opens up a huge range of career opportunities. If you are still wondering if earning a psychology degree is the right choice for you, then be sure to check out some of these great reasons to major in psychology. 1. A Psychology Degree Can Open the Door to a Variety of Careers Psychology is certainly not a one-size-fits-all career choice. In fact, one of the greatest strengths of a psychology degree is the enormous variety of career paths that are available to graduates. Students can tailor their education and degree to focus on specialty areas that appeal to their interests. Some of these potential professions include: Clinical Psychology Sports Psychology Forensic Psychology Health Psychology Industrial-Organizational Psychology Human Factors Psychology 2. A Psychology Degree is a Great Way to Learn More About Yourself and Others Have you ever wondered why people behave in certain ways? Or maybe you’ve always wanted to learn more about your own mind, emotions and actions? Earning a degree in psychology is an excellent way to gain a greater understanding of people. In addition to satisfying your own interest in human nature, having a solid understanding of what makes people do certain things can be a very marketable skill in a wide variety of job settings, including social services, advertising, marketing, education, health care and politics. 3. The Job Outlook for Psychology Majors is Good According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of psychologists is expected to grow at a rate of about 12 percent through the year 2018. While this is considered average growth, the demand for psychological services in schools, hospitals, substance abuse treatment centers and social services agencies is expected to fuel the demand for trained professionals. Three job areas expected to be in high demand are in clinical psychology, school psychology and industrial-organizational psychology. 4. Working in Psychology Can Be Fun, Rewarding and Challenging If you love solving practical or theoretical problems, then earning a psychology degree might be a great choice for you. Some psychologists focus on helping people resolve complex emotional issues or developing solutions for real-world problems. Others delve deeper into our understanding of the human mind and behavior by conducting research and adding to the body of scientific knowledge. No matter which area interests you, psychology presents unique challenges that can also be deeply rewarding. 5. Earning a Psychology Degree Can Allow You to Make a Difference in People’s Lives If you’ve ever dreamed of making a real difference in other people's lives, earning a psychology degree can be a great way to achieve that goal. Psychologists, counselors, therapists and community services workers devote their time and energy to helping people overcome adversity, increase their well-being and realize their full potential. While this type of work can be emotionally demanding and stressful at times, it can also be very fulfilling. 6. Learn How to Record, Organize, Analyze and Interpret Data Psychology students spend a great deal of time learning about research methods and statistics. Even if you don’t particularly love the research process, learning more about how to gather, organize, analyze and interpret data can be important skill in a wide variety of careers. For example, educators, administrators, scientists, marketers and advertisers often perform such tasks in order to make decisions, evaluate progress and complete projects. 7. A Psychology Degree Can Serve as a Great Background for Further Graduate Study An undergraduate degree in psychology can be an excellent starting point for further graduate study. Many students choose to earn an graduate degree in psychology, while others opt to switch to a related field such as counseling, education or social work. Having a background in human psychology can also lead to further study in areas such as law, medicine or the life sciences. 8. You Can Pursue a Specialty Area That You Are Passionate About Let’s imagine that in addition to your strong interest in psychology, you also love sports and physical fitness. While the two subjects might seem only distantly related at first, they actually make up a major specialty area known as sports psychology. One great benefit of earning a psychology degree is that you can pursue a career path that is well-aligned to your passions and interests. A student who enjoys working with young children can specialize in developmental psychology with a focus on early childhood development, while another student who is fascinated by the aging process could earn a degree in the same subject with a focus on geriatrics. 9. A Psychology Degree Can Impress Potential Employers Earning a degree in psychology can be a great way to prepare for a range of different professions. The skills that you acquire during your study of psychology such as analyzing data, communicating complex information and understanding human behavior are all abilities that are highly prized by employers. According to Complete Psychology by Graham Davey (2007), only about 15 to 20 percent of psychology majors go on to to become professional psychologists or counselors. So what do the estimated three-quarters of psychology majors end up doing with their degrees? Many put their knowledge of psychology to work in various professions including marketing, business, advertising, criminal justice, education, sales, public affairs, health services, human resources and numerous other areas. 10. You Just Love Learning About Psychology! The best possible reason to earn a degree in psychology is simply a love for the subject matter. If you look forward to going to your psychology courses, enjoy discussing psychology topics, spend your free time browsing psychology websites and love learning new facts about psychology, then chances are really good that earning a psychology degree is a good choice for you. Source
