Careers & Outcomes

Searching for a career? Watch the video above to hear advice from Calvin psychology graduate Bryan Dik '98, the Chief Science Officer for jobZology™.

Charting your course

A psychology degree from Calvin can prepare you for a fascinating career of purposeful service to the world.

Over 60 percent of Calvin's psychology majors pursue graduate school or professional training. Graduates who directly enter the workforce most commonly work in addictions recovery, non-profit agencies, business, and human resources.

What can I do with a psychology degree?

A psychology major is a remarkably versatile degree, and it can serve as a foundation for many careers. You can use your psychology degree as a social science degree, which allows you to pursue a career directly related to psychology and work at places like Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, Wedgwood Christian Youth and Family Services, Hope (Rehabilitation) Network, or state departments of social services.

You can also use it as a liberal arts degree, which will prepare you to work in a large variety of fields that require critical thinking, problem solving, and general human relations skills. You can use it as preparation for a pre-professional program such as occupational therapy, physical therapy, genetic counseling, Christian ministry, or educational counseling. Or you can use it as preparation for further graduate studies.

These pages further outline some of your options:

• Specializations within psychology
• Preparing for graduate study
• Preparing for a career
• What recent Calvin graduates are doing with their psychology degrees
• Careers options in mental health social work

The Career Center and your academic advisor are excellent resources for charting a career in psychology or a related field.

Career possibilities for psychology majors

• Careers requiring a bachelor's degree
  • Behavior analyst
  • Career counselor
  • Case manager
  • Child life specialist
  • Human resource manager
  • Law enforcement and corrections
  • Marketing or advertising manager
  • Service animal trainer
  • Student life staff
  • Substance abuse counselor
• Careers with a master's degree (or higher)
  • Community mental health coordinator
  • Guidance counselor
  • Hospital patient service representative
  • Juvenile justice detention officer
  • Marriage and family counselor
  • Military psychologist
  • Pastor or pastoral counselor
  • School psychologist
  • Social worker
  • Substance abuse counselor
• Careers requiring a doctoral degree
  • Clinical psychologist
  • Clinical neuropsychologist
  • Engineering psychologist
  • Forensic psychologist
  • Industrial/organizational psychologist
  • Rehabilitation psychologist
  • Researcher/experimental psychologist
  • University professor
• Careers requiring a medical (or medical-related) degree
  • Medical doctor
  • Occupational therapist
  • Physical therapist
  • Physician's assistant
  • Psychiatrist