Psychology graduate jobs in mental health (A brief guide)
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The Optimistminds editorial team is made up of psychologists, psychiatrists and mental health professionals. Each article is written by a team member with exposure to and experience in the subject matter. The article then gets reviewed by a more senior editorial member. This is someone with extensive knowledge of the subject matter and highly cited published material.
In this guide, we will discuss Psychology graduate jobs in mental health.
Psychology graduate jobs in mental health: What can a psychologist do?
Psychologist graduate jobs in mental health have a lot of opportunities with a variety of employers.
In many countries, to become a chartered psychologist, postgraduate training and study are required.
Many psychologists graduates spend 1 year or more acquiring experience related to their field before they embark on postgraduate studies due to the course entry requirements.
This is an excellent idea, since building up your work experience as soon as you can give you a better understanding of the work related to the field.
However, in many cases, you will need to do voluntary work first to get enough experience to apply for a paid job.
The experience needed depends on the area of psychology you are really interested in.
According to Prospects.ac.uk “You can work as an assistant psychologist or in areas such as nursing, social work, mental health work, services for individuals with disabilities, mentoring young offenders and work in prisons, probation or social services is vital.”
Experience as a research assistant can be relevant as well.
In the field of education or as an educational psychologist, experience working with children in educational, community or childcare settings is vital.
However, not essential, experience teaching is very appreciated.
If you are interested in occupational psychology, experience in personnel or human resources and business and management is required.
Typical employers
According to prospects.co.uk, even though some graduates become professional psychologists, many will actually work in related areas.
“A degree in psychology provides a useful foundation for a range of careers and employers.”
Some of the major employers of psychology graduates include:
- commercial and industrial companies
- financial organizations
- human resources departments
- The local and national government
- marketing companies
- the media
- the NHS
- police forces, the National Probation Service and prisons
- schools, sixth form colleges and colleges of further education
- social services.
There are plenty of job portals to find psychology graduate jobs in mental health, the key is to read the requirements carefully and see if they adjust to what you are looking for before you apply. We list some of the most used portals in the end under “recommended links”.
Top 6 Highest Paid Jobs in the Field of Psychology
- Military Psychologist
The reported military psychologist’s annual salary is around $120,538 and their career outlook is predicted to rise 14% between 2012 and 2022.
The minimum educational and training requirement includes having a Doctoral degree and must be a member of the armed forces.
The reported average years of education and training goes from 8 to 10 years.
Military psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on military personnel and their families.
Some of the responsibilities include performing psychiatric assessments and treating mental and emotional disorders, providing counseling services to members and their families.
According to online-psychology-degrees.org “In the United States, each branch of the military employs psychologists who work to treat active duty and retired military personnel. Job titles of different types of military psychologists might include”:
- Army Mental Health Specialist
- Army Psychologist
- Navy Psychologist
- Marine Psychologist
- Air Force Psychologist
In addition, some military psychologists are dedicated to research, perform tests, or treat mental and emotional disorders.
Research usually gets designed aiming to find which personality traits are best for certain roles.
- Industrial and organizational psychologist
The reported Industrial and organizational psychologist’s annual salary is around $97,820 and their career outlook is predicted to rise 53% between 2012 and 2022.
The minimum educational and training requirement includes having a Master’s degree with a strong preference for a Doctoral degree.
The reported average years of education and training goes from 6 to 12 years (online-psychology-degrees.org).
This is thought to be one of the areas of psychology that are predicted to rise exponentially.
This field is characterized by the empirical study of human behavior in work-related contexts and organizations.
They focus on developing philosophies of individual, group and organizational behavior and to use this to generate solutions to problems that may arise in the workplace.
According to online-psychology-degrees.org “Dedicated knowledge and training in the science of behavior in the workplace requires a detailed understanding of organizational development, attitudes, career development, decision theory, human performance and human factors, consumer behavior, small group theory and process, criterion theory and development, job and task analysis and individual assessment.”
Organizational psychologists are responsible for identifying training and development needs, designing and optimizing job and work and the quality of work-life, designing and applying for training programs and evaluating their effectiveness, coaching employees, among others.
In 2018 the University of California opened a Business Psychology program for graduates who wish to pursue this approach.
- Neuropsychologist
The reported Neuropsychologists’ annual salary is around $90,460 and their career outlook is predicted to rise by 14% between 2012 and 2022.
The minimum educational and training requirement includes having a Doctoral degree The reported average years of education and training goes from 8 to 12 years (online-psychology-degrees.org).
Clinical Neuropsychology is an area within clinical psychology that focuses and specializes in the assessment and treatment of patients with brain injury or disease.
They usually have an advanced degree in clinical psychology and have a completed supervised clinical internship, as well as post-doctoral training in the field.
The difference between a clinical psychologist and a clinical neuropsychologist is the advanced knowledge of the brain and how it works, which means a comprehensive approach to neurological diseases and their neuroanatomical relationship.
It also involves the application of standardized tests and measures to study the relationship between brain and behavior.
- School Psychologist
The reported Industrial and organizational psychologist’s annual salary is around $90,000 and their career outlook is predicted to rise by 14% between 2012 and 2022.
The minimum educational and training requirement includes having a Master’s degree with a strong preference for a Doctoral degree.
The reported average years of education and training go from 8 to 12 years (online-psychology-degrees.org).
Psychologists in educational settings or more specifically, school psychologists are highly trained professional psychologists that are involved in the support of students and teachers and their ability to learn and teach respectively.
“They are responsible for applying training in mental health, learning, and behavior, to assist students in succeeding academically, socially, behaviorally and emotionally. School Psychologists often work with families, teachers, school administrators, and other educational professionals to foster safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that bolster the connections between home, school, and the community (online-psychology-degrees.org).”
- Geropsychologist
The reported Geropsychologist annual salary is around $89,900 and their career outlook is predicted to rise by 12% between 2012 and 2022.
The minimum educational and training requirement includes having a Doctoral degree.
The reported average years of education and training go from 8 to 12 years (online-psychology-degrees.org).
Geropsychology this subfield is expected to increase in demand in the coming years.
Psychologists working in this field have the advantage of being able to work in a multidisciplinary environment and addressing a variety of issues.
These may include but are not limited to mood disorders, medical conditions, relationships, retirement, reduced cognitive abilities, changes in sexuality, and more.
“Professionals who choose a career in Geropsychology have the benefit of a variety of career options and places to work, in addition, this is an area that applies the information and techniques of general psychology to understanding and supporting older persons and their families to help them increase overall well-being, overcome obstacles they are facing and achieve their highest potential during the later life of life.”
Professionals in geropsychology address many biopsychosocial problems encountered by older adults and their families, including:
- Mental illnesses (e.g depression, anxiety)
- Dementia and how to adapt/adjust their lifestyle
- Coping skills and strategies on how to handle chronic illnesses
- Behavioral concerns such as chronic pain and insomnia
- How to handle and cope with grief and loss
- Family caregiving strains
- Coping strategies and how to handle personal relationships
- End-of-life care
- Experimental psychology
The reported Experimental psychologist annual salary is around $88,400 and their career outlook is predicted to rise by 14% between 2012 and 2022.
The minimum educational and training requirement includes having a Doctoral degree.
The reported average years of education and training go from 8 to 12 years (online-psychology-degrees.org).
This field requires the use of the scientific method to study thoughts and behavior in controlled settings.
For most psychology students, it is required to complete a course in experimental psychology during their undergraduate and graduate school.
Most of the skills and theories that are taught in the undergrad and graduate programs are also needed by other specialties or areas within Psychology where it is required to conduct research in a number of subjects or topics that can range from childhood developmental issues to how to treat certain mental illnesses.
Experimental psychologists are usually employed by universities, colleges, research centers or government businesses, among others.
Some also focus on teaching experimental methods to students while others dedicate actively to research on a variety of subjects such as neuroscience, animal behavior, cognition, personality, among other subjects.
Why is this blog about psychology graduate jobs in mental health important?
If you are planning on pursuing a psychology degree, it is important to research the current labor market, where are the areas of interest and prospective earnings.
If you are already finishing your degree and would like to do a bit of research on the areas you could potentially develop a career then, it is important to consider the type of work and tasks you’d like to develop since, as we discussed there are many areas where a bachelor in psychology is required.
Although, there are some other areas that require a Master’s or a Doctorate, so knowing the requirements is a must.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Psychology graduate jobs in mental health
What jobs can a psychology graduate do?
A psychologist graduate can have roles as:
– Psychologist
– Psychotherapist
– Social worker
– Counselor
– Educational Psychologist
– Human Resources Manager
– Teacher
– Research roles
Can you get a good job with a psychology degree?
Yes, you can get a job with a psychology degree and they may find successful employment in the field of psychology or in a wide range of careers that are related to psychology.
What is the highest paying psychology job?
Some of the highest paying jobs include private counseling, academic counseling, clinical psychology, or organizational psychology.
What is the difference between psychotherapists and psychologists?
Psychotherapists and psychologists are the same.
Psychologists provide psychotherapy and the treatment of emotional and mental suffering in patients.
What field of psychology makes the most money?
It is believed that Industrial-Organizational Psychologists make the most money, followed by Neuropsychologists, Engineering Psychologists, Psychology teachers, Clinical Psychologists, and counseling psychologist to name a few.
Should I get a BA or BS in psychology?
The difference between a BA and a BS in psychology is the focus of the coursework necessary to graduate, for instance, a Bachelor of Arts entails psychology-related courses while a B.S degree gas a course load emphasizing technical studies in science, math, and statistics.
Recommended links
- Graduate Mental Health Jobs
- Assistant Psychologist Mental Health Jobs
- Behavioral Health Psychology Jobs
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