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Jobs after degree

I have a super important question! What kind of jobs can you do after a psychology degree? I’m hoping to do my degree and a masters in order to become an assistant psychologist or a counsellor. However I’ve head some people saying that a masters isn’t enough. I have no idea what to think anymore since I’m getting mixed opinions 🫣

Reply 1

Original post
by Durakkarola
I have a super important question! What kind of jobs can you do after a psychology degree? I’m hoping to do my degree and a masters in order to become an assistant psychologist or a counsellor. However I’ve head some people saying that a masters isn’t enough. I have no idea what to think anymore since I’m getting mixed opinions 🫣

Hi!

Which route of psychology are you interested in? If it’s clinical psychology, then you’ll need to peruse DClinpsy to be licensed as a clinical psychologist. If it’s educational psychology, then a master’s is likely enough to get into the education field, likely with business psychology. You can apply for assistant psychology jobs without a PhD but generally the role is very competitive so you’ll need a strong CV and a good interview.

-Sarah (Kingston Rep)

Reply 2

Original post
by Kingston Sarah
Hi!
Which route of psychology are you interested in? If it’s clinical psychology, then you’ll need to peruse DClinpsy to be licensed as a clinical psychologist. If it’s educational psychology, then a master’s is likely enough to get into the education field, likely with business psychology. You can apply for assistant psychology jobs without a PhD but generally the role is very competitive so you’ll need a strong CV and a good interview.
-Sarah (Kingston Rep)


Thank you for replying! I’m interested in counselling but for adults. So something like cognitive behaviour counselling.
Original post
by Durakkarola
I have a super important question! What kind of jobs can you do after a psychology degree? I’m hoping to do my degree and a masters in order to become an assistant psychologist or a counsellor. However I’ve head some people saying that a masters isn’t enough. I have no idea what to think anymore since I’m getting mixed opinions 🫣

Hi there 😊

It can be really confusing to navigate so totally understand - there's lots of variations of jobs out there in these areas with lots of combinations of routes.

Generally, you need a psychology undergraduate degree (BPS accredited) to pursue a psychology-focused career. That is if you wanted to be an assistant psychologist, and carry on further towards a doctorate and become a certified psychologist such as a clinical psychologist, counselling psychologist, educational psychologist, etc. A psychology degree alone doesn't qualify you to become a practicing counsellor/psychotherapist as you need certified training and supervision to get develop the skills needed for this area. You could however study a psychology degree and then undertake further study after this to become a qualified counselling/psychotherapy practitioner, although be aware entry requirements for this usually need work experience in a related area and a Level 3 in Counselling Skills (or equivalent) alongside your undergraduate degree.

You could also do something like a combined BSc Psychology and Counselling degree, I've linked the one we have at the University of Salford. This would be a psychology degree where you also study counselling and psychotherapeutic approaches, plus counselling skills.

Here's a link to the MSc/PgDip Counselling and Psychotherapy (Professional Training) if you'd like to look at this too.

I find the websites really helpful to get my head round different routes and options as it can be so confusing!

You could also look at roles such as an Education Mental Health Practitioner or Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner which are similar areas and may suit your interests. A psychology degree, further study at masters level or a specific training course, and work experience in clinical areas would leave you in a good position for these career options. I really like Prospects as a website to help me explore these areas when it's getting a bit confusing.

If you just wanted to be a qualified counsellor and/or psychotherapist then you could study this as a degree and receive the training and supervision required to become qualified and able to practice. This would not be a psychology degree but instead focused on counselling and psychotherapy and becoming a practitioner in this area.

Again, here's the BSc Counselling and Psychotherapy: Professional Practice we do at Salford if you'd like to have a look.


It really depends on what you'd like to do. If you are interested in psychology and want to pursue this career area more closely in future then studying this is a necessary step to reach assistant psychologist roles or similar. I really recommend checking out the British Psychological Society website as it maps out different career routes and options in psychology really well (linked here). If you just want to practice as a counsellor/psychotherapist and focus on this area then maybe consider solely studying this and focusing on the practical side of things.

Hope that helps! I'm in my third year of my psychology degree and still find it confusing to navigate at times, but that is because there is so much variation and options out there. There isn't always a set route for different jobs and lots of people's journeys look different. Focusing on what you enjoy most is always a good way to approach it at the very least 😊 if you have a career's department at your current education provider then they can be really handy to help map it all out with you too!

All the best 🧠

Becky
University of Salford Student Rep

Reply 4

Original post
by University of Salford Student Rep
Hi there 😊
It can be really confusing to navigate so totally understand - there's lots of variations of jobs out there in these areas with lots of combinations of routes.
Generally, you need a psychology undergraduate degree (BPS accredited) to pursue a psychology-focused career. That is if you wanted to be an assistant psychologist, and carry on further towards a doctorate and become a certified psychologist such as a clinical psychologist, counselling psychologist, educational psychologist, etc. A psychology degree alone doesn't qualify you to become a practicing counsellor/psychotherapist as you need certified training and supervision to get develop the skills needed for this area. You could however study a psychology degree and then undertake further study after this to become a qualified counselling/psychotherapy practitioner, although be aware entry requirements for this usually need work experience in a related area and a Level 3 in Counselling Skills (or equivalent) alongside your undergraduate degree.

You could also do something like a combined BSc Psychology and Counselling degree, I've linked the one we have at the University of Salford. This would be a psychology degree where you also study counselling and psychotherapeutic approaches, plus counselling skills.

Here's a link to the MSc/PgDip Counselling and Psychotherapy (Professional Training) if you'd like to look at this too.

I find the websites really helpful to get my head round different routes and options as it can be so confusing!
You could also look at roles such as an Education Mental Health Practitioner or Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner which are similar areas and may suit your interests. A psychology degree, further study at masters level or a specific training course, and work experience in clinical areas would leave you in a good position for these career options. I really like Prospects as a website to help me explore these areas when it's getting a bit confusing.
If you just wanted to be a qualified counsellor and/or psychotherapist then you could study this as a degree and receive the training and supervision required to become qualified and able to practice. This would not be a psychology degree but instead focused on counselling and psychotherapy and becoming a practitioner in this area.

Again, here's the BSc Counselling and Psychotherapy: Professional Practice we do at Salford if you'd like to have a look.


It really depends on what you'd like to do. If you are interested in psychology and want to pursue this career area more closely in future then studying this is a necessary step to reach assistant psychologist roles or similar. I really recommend checking out the British Psychological Society website as it maps out different career routes and options in psychology really well (linked here). If you just want to practice as a counsellor/psychotherapist and focus on this area then maybe consider solely studying this and focusing on the practical side of things.
Hope that helps! I'm in my third year of my psychology degree and still find it confusing to navigate at times, but that is because there is so much variation and options out there. There isn't always a set route for different jobs and lots of people's journeys look different. Focusing on what you enjoy most is always a good way to approach it at the very least 😊 if you have a career's department at your current education provider then they can be really handy to help map it all out with you too!
All the best 🧠
Becky
University of Salford Student Rep


Thank you so much!!

Reply 5

Original post
by Durakkarola
I have a super important question! What kind of jobs can you do after a psychology degree? I’m hoping to do my degree and a masters in order to become an assistant psychologist or a counsellor. However I’ve head some people saying that a masters isn’t enough. I have no idea what to think anymore since I’m getting mixed opinions 🫣

Hello,

This is a really important question and one that most psychology students ask at some point. Psychology is a very broad field, which is great because it offers many different career options, but it can also be confusing when trying to figure out what further training or education is needed.
If you’re interested in Counselling or Clinical Psychology, I would strongly recommend doing some volunteering or work experience in mental health settings. This helps you gain hands-on experience and also lets you see whether this is a career path you genuinely enjoy.
To become a Counselling Psychologist in the UK, relevant experience is extremely important when applying for a doctorate (in Counselling or Clinical Psychology), which is usually required in order to practise and register with the Health and Care Professions Council.
A Master’s degree is not officially required to become a Counselling Psychologist, which is why some people may say that “a Master’s isn’t enough.” However, this doesn’t mean a Master’s is useless. In reality, many people choose to do a Master’s because it helps develop academic skills, research experience, and personal reflection, all of which are very helpful when applying for assistant psychologist roles or a doctorate later on. personally,I am a psychology student as well, and i plan on doing a Masters after i graduate next year :smile:

You should have a look at City St George's website and have a look at all the Postgraduate Degrees which are offered. Some of them are Clinical, Social and Cognitive Neuroscience MSc, Postgraduate Certificate in Counselling Psychology PGCert, Organisational Psychology MSc and many more!

I hope this helps,
Yulia
Student Rep from City St George's University of London

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