Is pursuing a psychology degree worth a student’s time and money? Especially in a workforce that is essentially driven by technology? The answer, surprisingly enough to some, is yes. In fact, psychology degree programs are extremely popular at both online schools and ground schools.

Many students find themselves asking, “what am I going to do with this degree?” Social science degrees like liberal arts degrees, though focused, also require a broader, interdisciplinary background than many other degree programs such as IT. What this means, is that students in a psychology degree program won’t be learning strictly about the science of a human brain, they also learn how to analyze, connect and interact with people This fundamental understanding of both art and science for liberal arts students and culture, people and human science for social science students helps create a breadth of knowledge that is actually attractive to prospective employers.

Having said this, psychology is a unique field because its connotations are so expansive; students who don’t necessarily want to become a therapist or psychologist have a number of other options. Graduating with a psychology degree will give a student the option of working in a number of different fields, not just psychology.

So, to pinpoint your interests as a psychology major and figure out exactly what you can do with your degree, ask yourself a few questions:

Why did I first choose to study psychology? What really interested me, initially?
After beginning my psychology courses did my interests change? Did I become interested in an area of psychology that I wasn’t before?
What components of psychology are most interesting to me? Biological or medical? Cognitive? Research?
What are the most prominent skills that I’ve developed through my psychology education? Teaching skills? Computer skills? Writing skills?
What other courses besides my psychology courses interested me? For example, you may be interested in art- is there any way to combine your areas of interest? (For this example, you could pursue a career as an art teacher or participate in art therapy sessions.)
What is the area of psychology in which I have truly excelled?
Academically, how far would I like to go? Do I want to stop at an associates or bachelor’s degree or go further?
What do I really dislike about my psychology courses or degree program?
If I had the opportunity to teach my own psychology class, what areas would I focus on the most (this may relate to question #6 or it may not)? Would I teach one specific area of psychology or would I draw upon my interest in other things, like art, for my class?
If I choose to pursue a different career, other than one psychology related, how will I effectively communicate the importance of my psychology degree and what it taught me to future employers?
Instead of asking yourself, “what am I supposed to do with my degree ?” ask “w