Employers and Universities: Work with us?
Why study psychology?
What makes people tick? Why do people behave the way they do? Why do different things affect your mood and confidence?
If you've ever spent time thinking about these puzzles, psychology could be for you. Psychologists could hold the answers. And if they don’t yet, you can be sure they are looking for them.
‘People got you puzzled? Psychology could be the answer – as well as the gateway to jobs from marketing to sports'
Get started by checking out this video:
What is psychology?
Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and human behaviour.
Psychologists observe and conduct experiments to find out more about the way people act and interact. They try to understand what motivates, challenges or changes us and use this understanding to help us tackle personal and social problems.
Psychologists can work in social care, mental health, education, business, research and sports.
Teachers, bring psychology careers into your classroom…
Our colourful guides and posters are a great way to make careers learning interactive while ticking off all eight Gatsby benchmarks!
- Gatsby Subject Guides – Explore how the skills and knowledge students develop in psychology lead to real jobs – packed with case study interviews! All subjects available – buy individually or as a set. Browse in our shop now.
- Subject Posters – From the future of jobs in psychology to top industries and key skills linked to your subject, choose the best careers poster to brighten up your classroom wall. All subjects available. Browse in our shop now.
What employability skills will I get?
If you study psychology you’ll be able to develop skills such as:
- Analysis – you’ll examine studies, experiments and behaviour patterns to spot trends and draw careful conclusions.
- Communication – you’ll learn to present ideas clearly, whether you’re writing up research or explaining complex theories.
- Organisation – psychology involves managing experiments, notes and deadlines, helping you develop strong planning and time-management skills.
- People skills – studying behaviour and emotions builds your ability to understand, work with and support others effectively.
- Research – you’ll design investigations, collect data and evaluate findings to explore how and why people behave the way they do.
What subjects does psychology go with?
Psychology is one of the most popular subject choices at A-level. It gives you a mix of psychology theory, maths, research and essay-writing skills – so it complements both sciences and essay-based subjects such as English and history.
Some universities recommend that, if you study psychology at A-level, you should take it alongside at least one facilitating subject, like English, history or maths. Facilitating subjects are those that universities most commonly require students to take for a range of degrees and they help students keep their options open when choosing courses.
For example, if you think you would like to study a science degree at university, you should consider taking maths, chemistry, physics or biology alongside psychology.
What degrees do I need psychology for?
You do not need to study psychology at A-level for any particular degree. You don’t even need it to study a psychology degree – although of course it helps.
However, psychology is useful for a range of social science, arts and healthcare-related degrees including: media studies, nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, social work, sociology, speech and language therapy and sports science.
What apprenticeships is psychology useful for?
Psychology can help in apprenticeships in fields such as charity fundraising and marketing, where an understanding of human behaviour can really help, to education and medical professions.
Here are a few examples to show the breadth of apprenticeships you could apply for as a psychology student:
- Fundraiser – Help raise money for charities by building relationships and creating campaigns that inspire people to give.
- Psychological wellbeing practitioner – Support people with mental health challenges by delivering practical, evidence-based therapies.
- Junior estate agent – Assist clients in buying and selling homes, using your people skills to guide them through the process.
- Market research executive – Collect and analyse data about people's opinions and behaviours to help organisations make informed decisions.
- Marketing manager – Lead marketing campaigns and strategies, understanding what motivates people to engage with products and services.
What careers can psychology lead to?
Psychology is useful for any job that requires lots of interaction or an understanding of human behaviour and development.
People with skills in psychology are sought after in business, management, teaching, research, social work and careers in medicine and healthcare.
If you are interested in studying the subject at degree and post-graduate level in order to become a psychologist, you can work in a huge range of areas including:
- Clinical and counselling – treating people with mental health needs.
- Education – studying child development and helping children experiencing difficulties with their education.
- Forensic - assessing and treating criminal behaviour, which can involve working with offenders and victims of crime.
- Neuropsychology – studying how the physical function of the brain affects the way we behave and helping to treat people suffering from brain injuries.
- Occupational – aiming to increase the effectiveness of an organisation and improve job satisfaction.
- Sports – helping athletes to build mental strategies to improve their performance and handle pressure.
Roles include:
- Advertising copywriter
- Clinical psychologist
- Counsellor
- Marketing manager
- Market research executive
- Music therapist
- Psychiatrist
- Pet behaviour counsellor
- Psychotherapist
- Social worker
Top five Career Zones to explore:
- Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations
- Charity & Not-For-Profit
- Education & Teaching
- Medicine & Healthcare
- Sport & Fitness
