Careers in Psychology

When most people picture a psychologist, they imagine someone like Sigmund Freud engaged in private psychotherapy sessions. Nowadays, however, psychologists work in a wide variety of settings – not just laboratories and private offices. Common employers include corporations, correctional institutions, hospitals, the military, and schools. Also, psychologists work not only with individuals, but also with couples, small groups, and large organizations. Some psychologists focus more on positive psychology and the prevention of problems, and others work with patients who have severe psychological problems. Psychologists also differ according to the demographics of clients they tend to see; it’s possible to specialize in children, women, or the elderly, for instance.

Since psychologists work throughout American society, a profile of just one career would be misleading. So instead, we have outlined several disciplines a psychology degree may lead you to discover.