Career Planning
I want to pursue a career using the knowledge and skills gained as a Psychology major! Where do I start?
Visit the website for the UMW Center for Career and Professional Development!
You can book an appointment with a Faculty Career Coach, one of whom is Dr. Christine McBride, Psychology Professor!
For information on booking an appointment, go here: Book an Appointment. You can contact the Center for Career and Professional Development by phone (540-654-5646), email (ccpd@umw.edu), or via your Handshake profile.
What is Handshake? It is an online tool designed to help provide career information, internship opportunities, employment opportunities, and career related events that are tailored to your major and interests.
Check out UMW resources
- You can visit the center’s website page devoted to what students can do with a major in Psychology: What can you do with a major in Psychology?
Are you unsure of what to do after graduation?
- Check out some general resources providing information about career possibilities highlighting the skills psychology majors possess:
- View a sampling of the occupations of some of our majors, who either entered the workforce with their bachelor’s degree or who earned their master’s degree and other resources:
- Look over this display of occupations for more ideas from Walker and Appleby (Walker, R. & Appleby, D. C. (2022). “What Can I do with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology?” Open Educational Resources. https://scholar.utc.edu/oer/3):
Interested in entering the workforce after getting your bachelor’s?
- Check out Career Options, Career Planning, and How to Land A Job: Written for the Psychology Major written by David MacEwen.
- Careers In Psychology | Affordable Colleges Online
- Career Center | SPSP
- psycCareers | Psychology Jobs & Careers | American Psychological Association (APA)
Are you interested in graduate school but don’t know where to begin?
- The Psychology Major Canvas page includes opportunities, information sessions, and more!
- Accept the Canvas page invitation to explore the events.
More graduate school resources:
- Look through Graduate Education: A Guide for UMW Psychology Majors written by Thomas Moeller, Christopher Kilmartin, and David Kolar.
- Pick through Choosing a Program From the APS to figure out what program is right for you.
- To learn about graduate study, go to APA Graduate and Postgraduate Education
- See what resources Psi Chi offers.
- If you still have questions about graduate schools, go to Psi Chi FAQs
- Graduate School – Psychological Science (umw.edu) (M.A. or Ph.D.)
- Counseling Career Guide for Students (counselingdegreesonline.org) (M.S.W. or Psy.D.)
You may also want to obtain a copy of the latest version of APA’s Graduate Study in Psychology, as well as their application guide, Getting In: A Step-By-Step Plan for Gaining Admission to Graduate School in Psychology. There are lots of other books out on the market that will give you hints and tips when it comes to your applications and preparation. Faculty can answer many of your questions as well!
What kind of scholarships are available to psychology students?
- Psychology Scholarships: What They Are, How to Find Them & How to Apply
- Scholarships for Psychology Majors
- UMW Scholarships for Psychology Majors
Are you interested in obtaining an advanced degree in health care (for example, human or animal medicine or nursing; physical or occupational therapy)?
- Visit the UMW Pre-Health Program website
Are you interested in pursuing a law degree?
- Go to the UMW Pre-Law Society website