Graduate Degree in Psychology

If you’ve earned your graduate degree in psychology, you’re probably aware that you now have access to more employment opportunities than you did with just a bachelor’s degree. Figuring out where these jobs are can be another issue. Fortunately, with a little searching, you’ll discover the wide range of ways that your degree can be applied to the work world.

Career for Advanced Psychology Degrees

Within the field of mental health itself there are various ways for you to reach out and counsel people in need. One of these jobs is that of a clinical psychologist. In this position you are responsible for evaluating a patient and figuring out what is causing them to suffer mentally or emotionally. Once you’ve made a diagnosis, you will be able to offer treatment to a patient.

It may not be apparent at first what the difference between a clinical psychologist and a counselor is, but after looking a little closer you will see that a counselor helps someone overcome psychological issues that impact their life on a daily basis. You will use your educational background to gauge the best support and advice to offer people in this situation, as well as steps they can take towards their own wellness.

You can even use your advanced degree in psychology to become a social worker. Choosing to go this route, you will likely find yourself working for any number of agencies that have been established to reach out to individuals who are in need. This puts you in a position to provide help to people who might not be able to help themselves.

Working in an educational setting is a career choice that provides several opportunities for someone who has a background in psychology. If you choose to work as a counselor or school psychologist in an educational environment, you will be providing assistance to students in a variety of ways. A child may need emotional support and help coping with issues at home, or he or she may need academic guidance. The tasks a professional in this position is responsible for are varied.

The government also has a need for people who have master’s or doctorate degrees in psychology. Working for a government agency could mean performing the job of a rehabilitation counselor, among many other potential job options. Professionals are needed in hospitals, correctional facilities, and so on. You may even be responsible to conduct research for a government agency if you seek employment in this area.

Choosing the Right Job for You

Figuring out which field you want to go into is important to ensure your satisfaction with your career. You may want to take some time to reflect on what your career goals are and what you want to get out of and put into your occupation. There are many ways to figure this out such as taking a fun online test that can help you narrow down your interests.

If you learn how to become a school nurse you will see that it is probably not as hard as you may have imagined; although, you will need to go to college for a bachelor’s degree, which most jobs require these days. As a school nurse you will be responsible for the students of a school or district while they are there during school hours. If students are hurt while at school you will be there to help until paramedics arrive, if it is that serious. Students will come to you when they are feeling nauseous, when they get into accidents between classes, when it appears they have a virus and other such incidents. You will also be expected to make sure students with asthma, diabetes and other conditions stick to their prescribed treatment plans while they are at school. Issues of sexual and mental health may also arise. It is an important job indeed.

The first step to becoming a school nurse is getting a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and passing the state administered exams to become a registered nurse. This exam is known as the NCLEX-RN, and it is the only way to become licensed for this profession in the United States. Your state may also require passage of the National Board for Certification of School Nurses (NBCSN) certification exam, and even if it doesn’t it is still recommended. As you study to earn this important certification you will learn the latest news and procedures in the school nursing field.

There are school nursing jobs at elementary schools, junior high and high schools, universities, private schools and public health departments. You may apply for these jobs once you have the required education, training, experience and certification. The school you attend will likely provide detailed information about the specific steps to take to get the jobs, and they may also offer career placement services. The median expected salary for these careers is around $44,000, although this will vary depending on where you live and what kind of place you work. With experience and advancement you can make more.