Career opportunities Psychology and Counselling
In the UK graduates can use their degree to find employment that's not necessarily related to their degree subject. This is because the employer is looking for the skills they have developed through their academic study, rather than a specific subject.
Given the increased competition for graduate positions, it is important to consider a range of occupational areas. Bear in mind that many careers require further study, training and/or work experience beyond your degree.
The knowledge and skills developed as an OU psychology student or graduate provide advantages when seeking challenging job opportunities in very diverse areas, such as education, research, counselling, the health professions, police and social services as well as professional psychology.
Find out more about jobs, careers and training in counselling and psychotherapy in our series of psychology and counselling podcasts including the podcast on Routes into professional psychology podcast that covers the steps required as well as accreditation and registration.
The professions in psychology
Professional psychology is a highly competitive field. We recommend that you consider all the options before making your career choice.
The nine specialist areas in which it is possible to become a Chartered Psychologist are:
- clinical psychology
- counselling psychology
- educational psychology
- forensic psychology
- health psychology
- neuropsychology
- occupational psychology
- sport and exercise psychology
- teachers and researchers in psychology.
Seven of these areas are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and you must be registered with the HCPC to practise in the UK as a Clinical, Counselling, Educational, Forensic, Health, Occupational or Sport and Exercise Psychologist. The register shows the public that practitioners are part of a profession with nationally recognised standards set by law.
Becoming a professional psychologist
The OU BSc (Hons) Psychology degree is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) to provide Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC). This is the first step towards achieving the professional qualifications required to become a Chartered Psychologist.
You should be aware that an undergraduate degree does not qualify you to practise as a psychologist, and you will also need to undertake postgraduate education and supervised practice for this. You should consult Getting started on the BPS website for up-to-date information.
Counselling
The OU Foundation degree in Counselling will prepare you to become a professional counsellor, equipping you with the theoretical understanding and practical skills required to work in this field. You can use the knowledge and skills you develop in studying this degree to seek job opportunities in areas within health, social care and education such as:
- Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP)
- Family Support Worker
- Career Counsellor.
Our BSc (Honours) Counselling degree offers training to meet SCoPEd framework Therapist A- and B-level competences. For practitioners who already have SCoPEd ‘Therapist A’ level competences, the degree allows you to top up and advance directly to SCoPEd ‘Therapist B’ level.
For entry onto many study pathways, particularly those at postgraduate level, you need to demonstrate an interest in, and some prior experience of counselling. This is usually gained as a volunteer, after completing some basic counselling training. Entry to counselling does not require a psychology background and there are other study options available.
There is more information on how to get into counselling on the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) website.
Other careers as a psychology graduate
The BPS estimates that only 15-20% of the over 40,000 psychology graduates per year go on to practise as professional psychologists.
You can find out more about other related roles and careers including Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner, Clinical Associate and Assistant Psychologist on Career options in psychology on the BPS website.
Other career options with a psychology degree include:
- human resources
- advertising and marketing
- management
- IT
- finance.
Read case studies of Psychology students using their degree in other careers (PDF, 492). In this guide, students describe the skills they gained and how their qualification enabled them to develop their careers.
Work experience
Gaining relevant work experience is invaluable for all roles in this field and especially when considering professional (chartered) psychology and related careers. The Psychology and Counselling Career Guide highlights how, when and where to gain work experience and is available as a resource for registered OU students and alumni on OpenLearn Create. Follow the link to the guide from Work experience for Chartered Psychology roles on the Psychology Study Home site (sign in required).
Health and character requirements
To work in some professions you need to have a ‘fitness to practice’ or pass a ‘suitability test’. This confirms you have the skills, knowledge, character and health to practise safely and effectively. This is particularly relevant if you have a health issue, a disability or have a criminal record.
You need to be registered with a professional association, council or regulatory body. The register shows the public that practitioners are part of a profession with nationally recognised standards set by law.
Becoming a health and care professional if you have a health issue or disability
The HCPC has information and advice for people with disabilities thinking about becoming health and care professionals regulated by them. It outlines the steps that need to take place from both course providers and individuals, before and during any necessary training period, right through to undertaking employment.
Webinars
You may find the following webinars put together by the Careers and Employability Team useful in your career planning.
Useful links
These resources will help you explore careers in further detail.
You will also find information about general job vacancy sites, work experience and volunteering at:
Postgraduate Study
Postgraduate study is required for those intending to practise as a professional psychologist. Psychology graduates looking to work in non-psychology roles can also take further study on completion of their first degree and/or after gaining some relevant work experience. Reasons for doing so include wanting to further or change their career or because a specific postgraduate qualification is either an entry requirement for their chosen career or would be an advantage if entry is competitive.
Generally postgraduate study can provide opportunities to work in higher education and teaching at other levels and in related professional areas such as health and social care, human resources and market research.
It's important to thoroughly research postgraduate study options as this will help you make the right choice for you. This would include checking you can afford it as the way you pay for postgraduate study is different to how undergraduate study is funded. On the Prospects website you can search postgraduate courses, and find information on funding postgraduate study.
You can find out more about BPS accredited courses, conversion courses, as well as funding, on Postgraduate study and qualifications on the BPS website.
