Human Services Sector
Direct care line of work
- Counseling
- Psychotherapy
- Applied behavior analysis
- Art therapy
- Music therapy
- Case management
- Mental health services
- Physical health and wellness
- Crisis work
- Rehabilitation services (e.g., speech, physical, vocational therapies)
- Performance enhancement
- Testing/Assessment
- Law enforcement
Administration line of work
- Advocacy
- Programming
- Community relations
- Management
- Development/Fundraising
- Grant writing
Employers
- Federal government:
- Health and Human Services
- Justice
- Veterans Affairs
- State government:
- Departments of Human Services
- Departments of Mental Health
- Departments of Justice
- Community mental health centers
- State psychiatric hospitals
- Facilities for individuals with intellectual impairments
- Boards of probation and parole
- Local government
- Senior citizens’ centers
- Nursing homes
- Social service/Nonprofit organizations
- Religiously-affiliated service organizations
- Hospitals/Healthcare providers
- Private psychiatric facilities
- Outpatient clinics
- Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
- College and university counseling centers and career centers
- Pain clinics
- Rehabilitation facilities
- Testing centers
- Private practices
Strategies
- Obtain essential practical experience through part-time or summer jobs such as camp counselor, tutor, or resident hall advisor.
- Complete an internship for academic credit.
- Gain experience through volunteering with organizations such as crisis hotlines, Big Brother or Sister, Special Olympics, service groups, etc.
- Many entry-level helping positions require one year of related experience. Volunteer experience and internships can typically fulfill this requirement.
- Learn to work well with different types of people.
- Develop strong communication skills.
- Cultivate the desire to help others.
- Earn a minor in a specialized field of interest (e.g., child & family studies, sociology, or political science)
- Take courses to build valuable counseling-related skills (e.g., techniques of counseling).
- Become fluent in a second language to serve clients who may not speak English.
- Be willing to relocate for increased job opportunities.
- Acquire knowledge of government and community resources available for those in need.
- Earn graduate degrees in psychology, counseling, or social work for positions involving substantive counseling or psychotherapy or for advancement into administrative/supervisory positions. See General Information at the end for more details.
- Pursue graduate degrees to enter rehabilitation fields such as speech-language pathology, physical therapy, and vocational rehabilitation. See What Can I Do With This Major Audiology and Speech Pathology? and What Can I Do With This Major Healthcare Sciences? for additional details.
- Complete graduate training or certification programs to establish test administration and interpretation qualification.
- Maintain an excellent academic record and seek experiences valued by graduate programs.
What Concentrations fall under Human Services?
- Forensic Psychology - Learn more here and here
- Clinical
- Applied Developmental
- Education
- Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience
- Health Psychology
- Social work - Excellent supporting minor!
- Criminology, Law and Society - Excellent supporting minor!
- Arts and Social Change
- Integrative Studies Minors:
- Education
- Childhood studies
- Leadership
- Non-Profit
- Social Innovation
- Social Justice and Human Rights
- Well-being
- Human Development and Family Sciences
- Conservation
Research Sector
Research industries
- Social research
- Market research
- Data analysis
- Testing/Test development
- Experimental psychology
- Neuroscience
- Industrial and organizational (I/O) psychology
Employers
- Federal, state, and local government agencies (e.g., National Institute of Health)
- National headquarters of non-profit organizations
- Universities and colleges
- Market research firms
- Market research departments of consumer goods and manufacturing firms
- Private research organizations
- Consulting firms
strategies
- Pursue research experience by working on faculty projects through independent study classes, as a student employee, as a volunteer in their lab, or through other departmental programs.
- Take additional math and statistics courses to develop strong quantitative and statistical skills.
- Take additional science courses or consider a minor in Neuroscience.
- Obtain related experience through part-time, summer jobs, or internships with a market research firm.
- Get involved in the American Marketing Association.
- Earn a graduate degree in experimental psychology, educational psychology, I/O psychology, statistics, or marketing.
What concentrations fall under Research?
Education Sector
industries
- Teaching
- Adult learning/Community instruction (e.g., GED classes, life skills, parenting, etc.)
- Information/Library science
- Higher education administration and student support services:
- Admissions
- Financial aiD
- Development
- Alumni affairs
- International education and study abroad
- Career services
- Academic advising
- Residence life
- Student activities and Greek life
- Orientation
- Leadership
- Multicultural affairs
- Recreational sports
Employers
- Public and private K-12 schools
- Colleges and universities
- Government agencies
- Federal Trio programs (e.g., Upward Bound, Talent Search)
- Nonprofit organizations (e.g., Project Grad)
- College prep programs
strategies
- Obtain a teaching certificate for public school positions. Multiple certifications will increase marketability. Seek guidance from the education department of your college.
- Earn a doctoral degree in psychology for post-secondary teaching.
- Pursue graduate training in information science for library positions.
- Earn a master’s in Counseling with a specialty in career development if interested in career services.
- Seek a master’s degree in college student personnel, higher education administration for student affairs or administrative positions.
- Maintain a high GPA and secure strong personal recommendations.
- Gain experience working with children, adolescents, or college students through tutoring or other volunteer positions.
- Acquire related experience on campus as a resident hall advisor, orientation leader, admissions tour guide, or peer mentor.
- Develop strong communication skills and learn to speak well in front of a group.
What concentrations fall under the Education Sector?
Human Resources Sector
industries
- Employment and recruitment
- Selection
- Labor relations
- Compensation and benefits
- Organizational development
- Training
Employers
- Large companies
- Government agencies
- Staffing and employment services
- Large nonprofit organizations
- Hospitals
- Educational institutions
strategies
- Obtain a teaching certificate for public school positions. Multiple certifications will increase marketability. Seek guidance from the education department of your college.
- Earn a doctoral degree in psychology for post-secondary teaching.
- Pursue graduate training in information science for library positions.
- Earn a master’s in Counseling with a specialty in career development if interested in career services.
- Seek a master’s degree in college student personnel, higher education administration for student affairs or administrative positions.
- Maintain a high GPA and secure strong personal recommendations.
- Gain experience working with children, adolescents, or college students through tutoring or other volunteer positions.
- Acquire related experience on campus as a resident hall advisor, orientation leader, admissions tour guide, or peer mentor.
- Develop strong communication skills and learn to speak well in front of a group.
What concentrations fall under the Human Resources ?
Business and Industry Sector
industries
- Sales
- Customer service
- Public relations
- Marketing
- Advertising
- Insurance
- Claims management
- Underwriting
- Product design
- Management
- Real estate
- Sales
- Property management
Employers
- Service providers
- Wholesalers
- Manufacturers
- Retail stores:
- Department stores
- Specialty stores
- Discount stores
- Super retailers
- Online retailers
- Call centers
- Financial institutions
- Insurance companies
- Real estate companies
- Property management firms
- Apartment complexes
- Public relations departments of large businesses or nonprofit organizations
strategies
- Develop career goals and seek relevant experiences to prepare for those goals.
- Earn a minor in business or supplement curriculum with business or communication courses.
- Obtain relevant experience through internships or part-time jobs.
- Work a part-time or summer job in a retail store. Demonstrate a willingness to take on additional responsibilities such as “assistant manager.”
- Participate in student organizations and seek leadership roles.
- Learn to work well with different types of people. Develop a strong commitment to customer satisfaction.
- For sales, develop the ability to work well under pressure and be comfortable in a competitive environment.
- Be willing to start in a management-trainee program or other entry-level positions.
- When job searching, seek employers interested in hiring “any major.”
- Understand the top skills employers desire and be prepared to demonstrate them, such as communication (oral and written), computer, interpersonal, leadership, and teamwork, etc.
What concentrations fall under The Business and Industry Sector?