Career Planning

A psychology degree will benefit anyone whose career goals involve interacting with or helping others. Psychology will allow you to develop marketable skills, such as interpersonal communication, leadership, teamwork and research. Your coursework, research experience and fieldwork placements will prepare you for a wide variety of careers.

Employment outcomes data from LAS Career Services found that 90% of graduates report positive career outcomes following graduation. Of that data, 60% of psychology graduates pursue professional employment following graduation from their undergraduate program

Helping others is in your nature, turning it into a career is in ours

Having the ability to communicate clearly, think critically, and analyze complex problems—while also understanding the diverse nature of human behavior—will give you a competitive edge in today’s job market. These are all skills our majors develop through coursework in research methods, behavioral studies, and understanding human cognition. Whether it’s applying analytical skills to understand mental health, analyzing social behavior, or helping others solve personal challenges, psychology graduates are highly sought after. Our unique course, PSYCH 2110, goes into many career options and helps you explore if graduate school is the best path for your career.

Here are some examples of careers held by psychology students with an undergraduate degree:

Stop by the advising office (1460 Lagomarcino) to look over books on psychology and social service careers and graduate programs.

Post-graduate opportunities

Psychology majors frequently pursue an advanced degree through graduate/professional programs to enter careers requiring specific training, such as psychiatry, counseling, or research positions in the private or government sectors. College of Liberal Arts and Sciences career services employment data indicate that 38% of graduates from the psychology department at Iowa State University pursue advanced degrees.*