What are you going to do with your degree?
It's a question we all have to answer eventually.
You're spending at least four years of your life, a couple thousand dollars and a few sleepless nights to get this degree: you should be able to do something meaningful with it or at least find a job you enjoy that can also pay the bills.
Knowing what to do with your psychology degree can be overwhelming because there's no singular answer to that question. If you had studied civil engineering, you would probably answer, "I'm going to be a civil engineer," and if you had studied journalism, you would probably answer, "I'm going to be a journalist." Not all psych majors want to be psychologists; in fact, only 4% of those with a bachelor's degree in psychology go on to become psychologists.
What do the rest of us do? Arguably the biggest perceived drawback of a psychology degree is that it doesn't give you a defined career path to follow. You could also argue that this is a psychology degree's greatest strength: you are not confined to a specific role or industry. The qualifications of your bachelor's degree can get your foot in a lot of doors; picking which door to walk through and how you're going to do it is up to you.
This resource aims to make you aware of some of the doors a psychology degree can open for you.
To see how some UVic alumni answered this question, click here.
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Mind + Brain
Careers By Domain
Careers in Neuroscience + Biotech
** Especially suitable for Bio/Psych and Computer Science/Psych Combined Programs and Mind + Brain Stream**
Entry-level positions:
- Lab assistant
- Science writer
- Clinical research assistant
- Lab operations analyst
- Clinical health scientist
- Clinical trial analyst
- Regulatory affairs associate
- Molecular technologist
May require extra training:
- Psychometrist
- EEG technologist
- Pharmacy
- Orthotic and Prosthetic Technician
Masters level + beyond:
- Neural Engineer
- Biostatistician
- Neuroimaging Technologist
- Genetic Counsellor
- Epidemiologist
Companies to look at:
- NIH
- TEMPUS
- Medtronic
- Biogen
- Qiagen
- 23andME
- Pfizer
- Acadia
- Gilead
- AMGEN
- Neuresence
- Also look for postings at universities and local health authorities
Consult an adviser for access to science co-ops
Biotechnology is a blossoming field with lots of potential for growth in coming years. If you're interested in these careers, gaining research experience and taking core science courses like chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, and biochemistry may be beneficial.
Want to know what a day in the life is like when working in biotech? Watch Alexis Walker's content about her career in biotech using her neuroscience degree:
Careers in Tech
** Especially suitable for Mind + Brain Stream, Social Psych Stream and Computer Science/Psych Combined Program **
Entry-level positions:
- User experience designer
- User interface designer
- Tech support
- Market analyst
- Data analyst
- Information security analyst
- Product manager
- HR
- Digital forensics consultant
- IT security manager
- Behaviour technician
- Software developer
- Web developer
- Data scientist
May require extra training:
Masters level + beyond:
- Industrial-organizational psychologist
- Clinical research manager
- Computer research manager
- AI engineer/specialist
Companies to look at:
- Amazon
- Slack
- Sage
- Thinkific
- Hootsuite
- Pilot
- Snapchat
- Microsoft
- Spotify
- Apple
- Practically every company you can think of has a website or app - they all need people in tech
Consult an adviser for access to ENG/CS co-ops
The growing intersection between psychology and technology has immense opportunities: more and more software is being made using neural models, and a psychology background can be beneficial when working with AI. Consider developing tech literacy and learning how to code.
Working in tech doesn't mean you have to even know how to write a single line of code! Check out this breakdown of what a day in the life of a UX (user experience) designer is like:
Careers in Mental Health
** Especially suitable for Mental Health + Well-Being stream **
Entry-level positions:
- Behaviour analyst
- Community mental health worker
- Life skills outreach worker
- Mental health and substance use worker
- Peer support worker
- Mental health advocate
- Social worker
- Mental health and addiction worker
- Registered practical nurse
- Psychosocial rehabilitation worker
- Counsellor
- Aboriginal support worker
May require extra training:
Masters level + beyond:
Companies to look at:
- Island Community Mental Health
- Interior Health
- BC Mental Health + Substance Use Services
- Island Health
- PHSA
- Victoria Cool Aid Society
- Mental Health Commission of Canada
Your psychology background can serve as a strong foundation and set you apart if you're passionate about working in mental health. Consider taking courses in the Mental Health + Well-Being stream, and gaining practical experience through volunteering and other extracurriculars.
- MHSU clinician
- Registered psychiatric nurse
- Psychiatrist
- Psychologist
- Crisis response counsellor
Want to know what a day in the life is like when working in mental health? Check out this video from Unity Health about their Mental Health Care Coordinator role:
Careers in Social Services
** Especially suitable for Social Psych, Mental Health + Well-Being, and Lifespan Development streams **
Entry-level positions:
- HR
- Diversity and inclusion consultant
- Legal assistant
- Disability services manager
- Youth worker
- Case management aide
- Human services specialist
- Program coordinator
May require extra training:
- Teacher
- Paralegal
- Special education teacher
- Social worker
- Educational counsellor
- Child protection worker
- Working alongside architechs and to designers to ensure buildings meet human needs*
Masters level + beyond:
- Lawyer
- Policy analyst
- Executive director of social services organization
- Community developer
- Climate change evaluation/mitigation*
Companies to look at:
- BC Public Service
- Universities and Colleges
- Island Health
- Municipalities and City Halls
- Nonprofits
- PLEA BC
- Private Legal Practices
- School Boards
- PHSA
- Justice Institute of BC
- Vancouver Coastal Health
Whether you want to work on the frontlines or in changing policy, the knowledge you can gain about social psychology, mental health, and lifespan development can be integral in your career in social services. Consider gaining practical experience through co-ops, volunteering and other extracurriculars.
Want just one example of the work you could be doing? Watch this Columbia grad student's content about her work using psych research to inform early childhood education policy!
* Courses of special interest related to climate change/action may include Psyc 325, 326, 425 and some graduate courses.
Careers in Finance, Marketing + Economics
** Especially suitable for Social Psych stream **
Entry-level positions:
- Social media specialist
- Content writer
- Marketing assistant
- Advertisement assistant
- Account coordinator
- Research assistant
- Market researcher
- Public relations
- Business journalist
- Market analyst
- Marketing manager
- Brand manager
- Content writer
- E-Commerce specialist
May require extra training:
Masters level + beyond:
- Lawyer
- Statistician
- Industrial-organizational psychologist
- Behavioural economist
Companies to look at:
Almost everything is a business, and all businesses need marketing, PR and economics.
Your psych background can give you everything from the knowledge to analyze the effects of marketing campaigns on consumer behaviour, to the soft skills to work effectively in a team. You may want to consider taking economics and business courses, along with courses in the social psych stream.
Want to learn more? Watch this video from Dr. Dan Airely, a professor at Duke University, to find out more about the fascinating field of behavioural economics!
- Universities
- Hospitals
- Large Corporations
- Local Businesses and Start-Ups
- Governments
- Sports Teams or Associations
- And really any other institution you can imagine!
Careers in Health Care
** Especially suitable for Bio/Psych combined program, Mental Health + Well-Being, and Social Psych streams **
Co-Op Info
Consult an adviser for access to science co-ops
Entry-level positions:
- Medical assistant
- Project analyst/manager
- Medical secretary
- Public health statistician
- Hospice coordinator
- Disability case manager
- Pharmaceutical/equipment sales
- Psychologist's assistant
- Physician's assistant
- Psychiatric assistant or aide
- Medical writer
- Medical radiographer
- Imaging technologist
- Program officer
Masters level + beyond:
- Doctor of medicine
- Dentist
- Registered nurse
- Policy analyst
- Epidemiologist
Companies to look at:
- Canada Public Health Agency
- Interior Health
- Children's and Women's Health Center
- BC Center for Disease Control
- BC Cancer
- Island Health
- PHSA
- BC Children's Hospital
- Fraser Health
- Health Canada
- Northern Health
Whether you're on the frontlines or working in an office, when people's lives are in the balance, sensitivity to others' mental states, an understanding of biases that shape our behaviour, and the ability to communicate effectively are vital. Consider gaining either a life sciences or administrative background based on your goals.
Want to know what a day in the life of a MRI technologist's life is like? Watch Heather Rose's content about her experience working in healthcare:
May require extra training:
Self-reflection: evaluating what YOU want from your career
Creating a personal introduction
Meant to help someone reflect on how they want to introduce themselves to people they meet for networking, professors, future opportunities, even happenstance encounters like their neighbours or people who are just interested in wanting to learn more about them. Can be helpful for interview prep.
Confused career thinking biases
This sheet can be helpful for anyone who wants to make a more informed career decision and wants to ensure they are addressing any heuristics and simplistic thinking we can find ourselves engaged in especially when we don’t know how to move forward with something that can seem so big and overwhelming such as making decisions for your career.
Career strategies worksheet
A planning tool for someone who is trying to ensure when they look back 1 year from now that they feel like they’ve made some headway in knowing they are working towards their career goals. You don’t need to know what the career outcome or job needs to be to do this exercise just an organizational tool to work towards one’s bigger values and skills one would like to develop.
What can I be doing alongside my classes?
- Have completed all the necessary 200 level gateway psych classes
- Completed or currently completing your psych stream course requirements
- Are preparing to graduate in the next year or two
REMINDER!
We are all different people, with different pasts, experiences, personalities, goals, and futures. These are not lists of things you SHOULD be doing. They are only recommendations of things you could be doing. Life is not one-size-fits-all.
If you ....
First year
Welcome to university!
First off, get adjusted to this new environment. Attend your classes, step out of your comfort zone, and start figuring out what you like and don't like. If you change your mind about your major, that's completely okay, and if you're committed to a plan from the get-go, that's okay too!
To learn more about yourself:
- Get to know yourself: What do you excel at? What is your personality like? What are your long and short-term goals? What are your financial goals? What are your interests? Sometimes the easiest way to go about professional soul-searching is to figure out what DOESN'T work for you. Pay attention to courses, subjects, environments and events that capture your attention. For some resources, click here.
- Have an open mind and do some research: Consider all the new things you're learning, and the new people you're meeting. Can you see yourself doing what they're doing in 5 or 10 years? If you hear about a cool career or job, Google it! Can you see yourself committing to the education or training it takes to get there? For more info, click here.
- Plant roots on campus: Join clubs to find a community of people with common interests: click here for a list of all the clubs at UVic. Get involved in research if you want: Dr. Punzalan, from the Department of Biology, offers a comprehensive guide to getting involved in research on his website. Volunteer to gain hands-on experience in the community: click here for more information. If you're a first gen student, click here to find out more about the first gen mentorship program.
Second year
Welcome back, and welcome to psychology!
Your 200-level gateway psych courses will give you a stronger sense of direction this year: If you despise or adore one of the classes, you can narrow down your future career prospects. You can explore more subjects through your electives and maybe even a minor.
Continuing your career development:
- Join Psi Chi or PUGS: Psi Chi is the international Honour Society in Psychology for students in the top third of their class. Joining has its perks, such as being able to apply for international grants and awards, gaining access to information about career planning/development, and additional opportunities to become involved in the psychology community. For more information, click here and click here for their instagram. Click here for the PUGS website and here for their Instagram.
- Consider a co-op term: Gaining hands-on, paid work experience in the field can help you figure out more about what you want to do in the future and looks good on a CV. For some, co-ops can be the beginning of a long career in that field or organization. For more information on eligibility and how to apply, click here.
- Find your people: Go to office hours, attend workshops, find internships, get engaged in campus activities, and talk to people! Ask questions, connect with others, find mentors, and build your own community. Knowing the right person or having a stellar letter of recommendation can be the determining factor in getting the job you want. For some tips, click here.
- Start planning, especially if you're considering grad school: Are there any prerequisite courses you have to take? What about aptitude tests (MCAT, LSAT, GRE, DAT)? What schools do you want to apply to, and what are they looking for in an applicant? When are their deadlines? These are things you should start thinking about sooner rather than later.
Third year and beyond
Home stretch!
Keep working on building your future career plans. Plans can still change! Now it's time to stand out, round-out your experiences, narrow down your choices, and prepare for the future!
- Prepare application materials: Have a general resume, highlighting your experiences, skills, and education, prepared that you can tweak for specific roles. It would be beneficial to get someone else to look over your resume. To get some tips on creating a resume and to look at templates, click here. To get instant feedback on your resume from VMock, an AI UVic has partnered with, click here.
- Consider honours, research or hands-on experiences: Depending on your goals, honours or other hands-on experience can set you up well for the next stage in your career. For information about honours, click here. For more information about research, field placements and other opportunities, click here.
- Take on leadership roles: Now that you know you have some seniority and experience, it may be worthwhile to take on a more prominent role in the community. Can you become a committee member of a club, or take on a serious role? Do you have a passion project you want to do or a topic that really interests you that you could start an initiative for?
- Consider gaining international experience: Whether its through work, volunteering or education, having experiences working in a variety of environments is not only a fantastic learning experience and adventure, but also an appealing quality to future employers. For information about UVic's exchange program, click here. For information about working and volunteering abroad, click here.
Prepping for the next chapter of your life:
Co-op, resources and more
- Social Sciences Co-op information and sample roles: click here
- UVic Work-Study Program: click here
- Field placement in psych: click here
- Résumé/CV info and tips: click here
- Résumé templates: click here
- AI résumé feedback: click here
- Information about joining a lab: click here
- First-generation mentorship program: click here
- Networking tips: click here
- Volunteer info: click here
- Club info: click here
- Information about honours: click here
- UVic exchange program: click here
REMINDER!
Co-op is NOT the only way to gain work experience. Field placements, work-study, volunteering and other experiences are all valuable ways to gain exposure to the professional world.
How to do your own career development research.
All it takes is Google, there's no secret Sherlock Holmes investigation code to follow.
- Branch out: You're not going to hear about new opportunities or careers if you don't have open ears and an open mind. First and foremost: be curious, ask the people around you questions, and consider things you'd never thought about before, or didn't even know existed. Better yet, go searching for them.
- Lurk on LinkedIn: Linkedin is more than just professional Instagram. It's a digital resume, it shows you thousands of new people that you can connect with, exposes you to recruiters, and can help with your job search. More than anything, it can help you mirror someone. Let's say you meet a person who's achieved everything you want to achieve in 15 years. Find their LinkedIn! Analyze their skills, their work history, and their education. If you can connect with them and get mentorship, great! But you can still mirror and watch from afar. Someone who you admire and strive to be's digital resume is as close as you'll get to a yellow brick road leading you to where you want to be.
- Indeed is your new best friend: Our world economy and job markets are rapidly changing. The best way to stay up-to-date is to look at what jobs are out there right now. Indeed can show you salary info for roles, the background you need, and help you see what companies and organizations are out there so you can keep an eye on them for when you need a job. The best thing is that it's international: whether you want to move to London, Tokyo, Chicago, Vancouver, or to stay in Victoria, you can see it all. You can even compare the types of jobs in demand in different regions and compare the salaries they're offering.
Stories from Alumni
Meet Cairo!
Data Analyst at the UVic Library.
Why study psychology at UVic?
UVic strives to reach six key strategic pillars, all of which can optimize your undergraduate experience:
1. An extraordinary academic environment: UVic is a diverse community of talented students, faculty and staff with enhanced resources and programs —including scholarships, academic chairs, professional support programs and workplace practices that recognize excellence and promote wellness. According to Times Higher Education, UVic is amongst the top 150 global universities in psychology and the physical sciences.
2. Research excellence and impact: UVic is committed to excel in diverse forms of research and creative activity, innovation and knowledge mobilization that advance human knowledge, improve and enrich lives, tackle global challenges, and promote the sustainability of the planet. UVic is #3 among all Canadian universities in citation impact per faculty member (QS rankings, 2021)
3. Dynamic learning: UVic is committed to allowing students across all programs, in and out of the classroom, to actively develop the skills, abilities and attributes that support academic and personal success, lifelong learning, leadership and social responsibility
4. Respect and reconciliation: UVic aims to be a global leader in creating better opportunities for Indigenous students, entering respectful educational and research partnerships with Indigenous communities, and advancing respect, reconciliation and mutual understanding. UVic has been ranked as the #1 university for promoting Indigenous visibility since 2018 (Maclean's, 2018-2022).
5. Sustainable futures: UVic is a global leader in environmental, social and institutional sustainability through our research, academic programs, campus operations, and the impact and influence of our students, faculty, staff and alumni. UVic is #1 in Canada and #2 in the world for climate action (THE Impact Rankings, 2022).
6. Engage locally and globally: UVic develops and supports initiatives, including student mobility and research partnerships in priority countries and regions; experiential and community-based learning and research; intercultural curricula; and other programs to enhance local and global awareness and connections.
Contact an Advisor
For questions about ...
REMINDER!
Your professors are happy to talk to you about careers, too! You can (and are encouraged to) go to office hours to have a discussion with them! It may be extra beneficial for you to speak to a prof you whose work/expertise you are intrested in.
- Co-op
- Careers
- Your personal career plans or goals
Dr. Colette Smart,
Associate Professor, Co-Op Advisor and Career Coach.
- Course selection, prerequisites, and credits
- Declaring your major
- The Academic Calendar
The Undergraduate Adviser for the Department of Psychology,
a faculty member assigned to help students who are pursuing a degree in Psychology.