What Careers Are Available for Those With an Online Degree in Psychology?

When you hear the word psychologist, do you picture a dignified professional sitting in an armchair while a patient lies on a couch? If so, you’re not alone. The average person on the street may think of psychologists as therapists, but an online psychology degree grants numerous career options. With the critical thinking, strong writing skills and understanding of human behavior you’ll learn from your studies, you’ll be qualified for a wide range of rewarding jobs with a psychology degree.

Management

To be an effective manager, you have to connect with your employees. You’ll need to find the balance between negative and positive interactions while balancing the company’s bottom line with your team’s personal needs. With an online psychology degree, you’ll intuitively understand the emotions of your staff and know how to effectively motivate them. Your knowledge of the human psyche will make you a great manager, and the communication skills you build while earning your bachelor’s will come in handy. Plus, Time Magazine has named managers as one of the hottest jobs for the new year, with median salaries around $45 per hour.

Marketing

Psychology is the heart of marketing. A good advertisement creates desire for a company’s product, and who understands human emotion better than a psychology graduate? Marketing is a growing field that encompasses everything from traditional television ads to innovative viral campaigns, and CareerBuilder has named marketing specialists as the second best job for 2014. With increased demand for marketers and median hourly earnings of more than $29, this is one career you don’t want to overlook. Take a psychology of marketing class or two while earning your online degree, and get ready to capitalize on this trend.

Social Work

If you’re more concerned with doing good than growing rich, social work is a great use of your psychology degree. You can work for a state government or non-profit organization, and you’ll spend your workday offering counseling and intervention for at-risk families. You’ll have to navigate cultural differences, complicated legal matters and inflexible bureaucracy. Creating well-written client reports is a must, as is following the laws and procedures that regulate your job. In most states, you’ll need to take courses that cover families and children; your online psychology program should offer many options. Find out how many credit hours you’ll need to work as a social worker in your area and plan ahead with your degree.

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Real Estate

Real estate is one of the most popular jobs for psychology majors because of the flexibility it offers. As a realtor, you can set your own hours, work from home and still make a respectable paycheck. You’ll meet new people every week and use your psychological skills to match them to the right neighborhood.

Concluding Thoughts

Many psychology majors end up working outside of the field. No matter what career you pursue, you’ll use the skills from your online psychology program.

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