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Career Pathways in Psychology: To Grad School Or Not To Grad School

Career pathways are often at the forefront of soon-to-be graduates mind’s —and often even on the mind’s of sophomores and juniors — as you prepare to make the decision of whether to apply to graduate programs or not. In the field of psychology, there are myriad career pathways — some require different levels of graduate education, but some are possible with just your BA. Take a look at a brief (but certainly not exhaustive) list of ideas below!

I’m interested in getting a Master’s or PhD — which degree is suitable for what position?
Positions requiring graduate degrees in psychology will often involve some level of direct therapy with patients. Often, attaining a Master’s in psychology alongside licensure can provide you with the qualification to work as a counselor in an organizational setting, as a Staff Psychologist, and as a School Psychologist. Something to consider for these types of positions is what clientele you would prefer to work with. Obviously, school psychologists will work with children and adolescents, whereas a staff psychologist will work with members of a specific organization’s staff to ensure good health and mental well-being in a work environment.

Getting a doctorate — PhD or PsyD — in psychology, along with appropriate licensure, opens the door to private practice as a Clinical or Counseling Psychologist. This will enable you to work 1:1 with patients in a private setting — either your own or someone else’s clinic. Additionally, if you’re interested in leading your own research or teaching, a PhD is a requirement for many positions in academia.

I only want to get my BA in psychology, or I’m not sure about graduate school — what opportunities are out there for me?
While clinical and counseling therapy positions require higher education, there are plenty of positions in mental health that only require you to have a BA in psychology — and some you can even start while still pursuing your degree. For example, an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Instructor typically requires a BA, or even occasionally just the current pursuit of a BA, where you will get to work as an interventionist for educating and treating children with autism and autism-spectrum disorders.

Additionally, you could look into becoming a Mental Health Case Manager, where you will oversee a caseload of clients with long-term mental illnesses. Rather than providing direct therapy treatment, case managers help clients assess their needs and implement or review plans for service, while also connecting clients with community resources.

Finally, if you’re interested in pursuing research, or want to explore research as a career pathway without committing to years of graduate schooling, most Research Assistant positions in Psychology require a BA in psychology or other related social science. Research assistant experience also looks excellent on future graduate school applications, if that does end up being a possibility in the future.

Resume Suggestions for Careers in Healthcare

When you’re creating your resume, the most important part is customizing it to the job or internship description. However, there are always little things you can do when working on a generic or “grab-bag” resume to help your resume stand out from the rest.

What should I include on my resume if I don’t have a lot of work or internship experience?
It’s not only okay, but normal and common for undergraduate students to include work they’ve done for class on their resume. This can mean highlighting a bit of research you’ve completed or labs you’ve worked on here at Lawrence. Don’t be afraid to experiment with combination resumes if you don’t have a lot of formal work experience — this format can highlight the skills you’ve learned during your time as a student, with less emphasis on prior work/intern experience.

What kinds of skills are good to include?
All kinds, especially the skills listed in the job description! Be sure to include any trainings or certifications you may have received that might be relevant to the position you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying to a research internship, include your familiarity with data analysis/data management software like Excel, R Studio, SPSS, etc.

How do I make my language look more professional?
Bearing in mind that you do want to reference the job description as much as possible for an application resume — including using the specific language they use as much as possible — there are many ways you can rework the items on your resume to fit a more professional style.
For example, avoid phrases like “Worked with…”, “Duties included…” or “Was responsible for…” All of these phrases sort of tell a hiring manager what you did — but they’re quite passive and not very specific! Using strong action verbs in your resume is key, especially if a recruiter is only spending a few seconds reviewing your resume. Here is a list of strong action verbs that you can utilize on your resume to add some specificity to your past experiences.

Remember, even if you’re not planning on applying to a new position, it’s always a good idea to update your “grab-bag” resume so that it’s ready for you to tweak for your next job application.

Service Opportunities for Gap Year

Are you interested in attending graduate school, but not ready to jump right in after graduating from Lawrence? Curious to learn about gap year opportunities to gain experience and explore your interests? We’ve got you covered. There are a wide array of opportunities for recent graduates — here are just a few service programs that offer yearlong opportunities in healthcare.

AmeriCorps State and National
AmeriCorps may not seem like the place for health care opportunities, but there are actually a variety of service programs offered that focus on community wellness and health services. For example, take a look at the “Be Well Fox Valley AmeriCorps Program” right here in the Fox Valley area. Through this program, members have the opportunity to provide health education and promote physical, mental, and social health for community members.
Check out AmeriCorps here!

National Health Corps
This program is specifically dedicated to connecting young adults interested in becoming health professionals to people in need. There are a variety of positions available for many different organizations (called “host sites”) nationwide. For example, you could spend a year as a “Patient Navigator” where your responsibilities include linking patients to health care services, enrolling patients in health insurance, and providing health screenings.
See more about the National Health Corps here!

Dear Career Center, how do I email professors to inquire about an undergraduate research opportunity?

Emailing professors about research opportunities can be daunting, especially if you don’t have a personal relationship with the professor. How do you contact a professor when they’re in a different department, or if they’re at another institution?
General emailing conventions apply. Emails to professors should:

  1. Have an informative subject line. Example: Meeting to discuss your research
  2. Be concise and direct. See template example below
  3. Be formal. e.g., Dear Dr./Professor Simmons, Sincerely, etc.

If you know the professor because you’ve taken their classes, emailing them to request a meeting to discuss research opportunities will suffice. Depending upon the professor, an entire conversation might even take place via email.
For professors who you do not know, an initial email should include:

  1. An introduction: Include your class year and major(s)
  2. When emailing off-campus, specify that you’re a student at Lawrence University
  3. How you found out about their research or specific project
  4. Explain why you’re interested in their research
  5. Describe any of your relevant research and/or class experience
  6. Explain why gaining undergraduate research experience is important to you (e.g., what goals are you hoping to achieve, what skills are you hoping to develop)
  7. Ask them if they might be available for a brief 20-30 minute meeting to talk about their work, and/or whether they offer undergraduate research positions over the summer

Here’s an example format of a general email to a professor:

Subject: Meeting to discuss your research
Dear Professor/Dr. [Last Name of Professor],
My name is [name] and I am a [class year] at Lawrence University majoring in [major]. I found out about your research [explanation of how you found out about it]. I am especially interested in your work because [explanation of why this topic interests you].
My experience in [research experience or class] confirmed my desire to further develop my research skills and [goal]. I am sure you are very busy, but would you potentially have 20 minutes to talk about your research via phone?
I would appreciate the chance to talk with you about your research in this field, and if any, potential future opportunities in your lab. I have attached my resume and unofficial transcript. Please let me know if there is any other information I can provide. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
[Name]

You can find more examples here. Remember: A well-written, thoughtful email that feels personalized to someone’s research is more likely to elicit a response, especially if you are pursuing opportunities off-campus. If you need help, you can always make an appointment with myself or Jacklyn, our #PHN advisor, to discuss your resume and how to begin the research exploration process.

Raisa Fatima ’23 is a Physics major with interests in research and engineering. She enjoys painting, reading and playing games like Stardew Valley in her spare time. Raisa works as a Career Peer Educator for the BE and PHN career communities so if you’re interested in anything PHN or BE related, or you just need some general advice on anything professional development related like resumes, cover letter etc. you can schedule an appointment here.