Psychology at WGU
Are You Looking to Get a Degree in Psychology?
While WGU does not offer a degree in psychology, and a degree in psychology can definitely prepare you for certain careers, it’s not your only option if you want to pursue a career focused on helping others. In fact, as of 2017, only 3.5% of college graduates with a bachelor’s degree in psychology were working as psychologists. While all psychologists will absolutely have a psychology degree, many psychology degree graduates may pursue other types of careers. If you’re considering a psychology-related job similar fields of healthcare management, human resources, or business management may help you be able to help you find a career you love. WGU offers four online undergraduate degree options that can prepare you for those career paths.
Pathways to Psychology-Related Careers
Because the field of psychology is so broad, there are many degree paths that can give you the skills for a related career in healthcare, human resources, business management, and more.
According to LinkedIn, there are more than 1,800 psychology-related job titles that require human resources skills. Furthermore, Indeed features 8,600 psychology-related job titles that require business-related skills. While a psychology program can be a good option for some careers, many of the skills you may need for a psychology-related career can be gained in other undergraduate programs.
Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Services
This bachelor's degree program will prepare you for a career focused on helping patients and their families navigate the healthcare world. Your courses will cover topics such as value-based care, care coordination, and social determinants of health that will help you manage your future responsibilities of promoting patient-centered holistic care and providing integrated care management.
Once you've earned your degree, you'll be ready to pursue a variety of jobs, including:
- Patient advocate
- Service coordinator
- Patient educator
- Community health educator
- Care coordinator
Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration
An undergraduate degree in healthcare administration prepares you with the knowledge and skills to play a key leadership role in a wide range of environments, including doctors’ offices, hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, and government offices that serve the healthcare industry. Some of the coursework in this program includes innovative and strategic thinking, emotional and cultural intelligence, and fundamentals for success in business.
Career options for those with a healthcare administration degree include:
- Community health center manager
- Clinic manager
- Healthcare consultant
- Hospital administrator
- Health services manager
- Web-based health education firm manager
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration - Human Resources Management
With a bachelor's degree in human resource management, you’ll be prepared for a career focused on connecting with employees, giving them resources they need, and helping them thrive. The curriculum will give you an understanding of how businesses function, with additional experience in training, communication, and more skills related to HR professionals.
A degree in human resource management will prepare you for the following careers:
- Human resources specialist
- Recruitment specialist
- Compensation and benefits analyst
- Talent acquisition manager
- Human resources director
- Training and development specialist
Nursing – Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (BSN to MSN)
With a master's degree in psychiatric mental health nursing, you’ll be prepared for a career focused on diagnosing and treating patients experiencing mental health challenges. The PMHNP program at WGU is an MSN program specifically designed to prepare BSN-holding nurses to become mental health practitioners.
A degree in psychiatric mental health nursing will prepare you for a career in the following areas:
- Private mental health practices
- Behavioral health and recovery facilities
- Community clinics
- Substance abuse and rehabilitation centers
- Prisons and correctional facilities
Bachelor of Science in Business Management
If your career aspirations in psychology include running your own practice, a bachelor’s degree in business management could give you a solid understanding of how to effectively manage every aspect of the business you want to lead. With a degree in business management, you’ll gain the skills to hone your business acumen, become a better manager, and a more confident leader. This degree program can then prepare you for a master’s or doctorate degree in psychology, which will give you more specific psychology training.
Additionally, WGU’s elective certificates within this degree, such as HR management and applied business skills, can demonstrate mastery and add credentials to your résumé before you even graduate.
$82,180
is the average annual salary for psychology professionals.
Careers Related to Psychology
Psychology careers can span many industries, including education, business, criminal justice, human resources, and more. And just as there are a variety of psychology-related careers paths, there are also a variety of degree programs to support you on those paths.
Keep in mind that a bachelor's degree in psychology may not give you the specific skills that will train you for your desired career. While some psychology jobs—such as a counselor or psychologist—will absolutely require a degree in psychology, other degrees in health or business can be a great springboard.
When considering your degree options, it’s important to explore the range of psychology-related jobs that don’t require a psychology degree. Based on where you want to go with your career, a degree in business or human resources could be a better fit and give you a broader skill set to work with.
What Does a Therapist Do?
A therapist’s job is to provide support and guidance to help patients make decisions and clarify their feelings. They specialize in helping people develop better cognitive and emotional skills, reduce symptoms of mental illness, and cope with various life challenges to improve their lives.
What Does a Mental Health Counselor Do?
A mental health counselor helps people manage or overcome mental and emotional disorders. They listen to clients and ask questions to help clients understand problems and develop strategies to improve their lives.
What Does a Behavioral Specialist Do?
Behavioral specialists give guidance and counseling to people with behavior issues that affect their abilities to learn and socialize with other people. They assess the level of patients’ behavior and make treatment plans to help them cope.
What Does a Health Services Coordinator Do?
These professionals are patient liaisons who help patients interact with care providers and even insurance companies.
What Does a Patient Advocate Do?
Patient advocates look out for the best interests of patients. They provide them with a list of resources once they leave the hospital and can arrange for them to receive the education they need regarding their health.
What Does a Health Educator Do?
Health educators usually work in community-based programs that assist people from different populations in understanding their own health and well-being. Their job is focused on community outreach and helping people access health and wellness programs.
14%
is the increase in job growth for psychologists through 2026 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with similar positive outlooks for many psychology-related careers.
What Does an HR Specialist Do?
Knowledge of psychology and human behavior is key for HR specialists because their job is about understanding and communicating with employees to improve their work environment. Their main responsibility is to assist in an organization’s recruiting process, which can involve everything from initial applicant screenings to interviews.
What Does a Human Resources Manager Do?
HR resource managers plan, coordinate, and direct the administrative functions of an organization. They also oversee the recruiting and hiring of new staff, consult with executives on strategic planning, and act as a link between an organization’s management and its employees.
What Does a Psychiatric Nurse Do?
They focus their work on helping patients with mental-health issues including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, mood disorders, postpartum depression, and more. Psychiatric nurses have special licensing and certification that allows them to work directly with these kinds of patients, diagnosing and treating mental health illnesses and problems.
What Does a Case Manager Do?
Case managers help people who are in difficult situations by giving them advice, determining what kind of help they need, and finding services to meet those needs. They also can create plans for treatment of recovery and work with other health and human services providers to keep tabs on a patient’s progress.
What Does a Community Outreach Manager Do?
Community outreach managers oversee the planning and implementation of outreach strategies. They connect people in the community by creating sponsorship agreements and cultivating relationships with people, businesses, and other organizations.
What Does a Healthcare Administrator Do?
These professionals are in charge of planning, directing, and coordinating health services. They can manage an entire hospital or smaller clinical areas within a hospital. Some healthcare administrators can be in charge of a small medical practice or group of doctors.
Why Choose WGU?
Why should you choose a WGU online business management, human resources, or healthcare management degree over a degree program somewhere else? First off, we’re dedicated to helping you achieve your educational goals by providing flexible online degree programs that fit your lifestyle. But that’s just the beginning. Here are more reasons a WGU degree is a smart choice.
- It’s affordable. Our tuition is charged per six-month term, not per credit, so graduating faster costs less.
- It’s accessible. Along with our already-low tuition, our scholarships and financial aid make college even more affordable for even more students.
- It’s at your pace. Thanks to our competency-based education, you can pass courses by proving what you know, meaning you can speed up your program and graduate faster.
- It’s career focused. Our degree programs are designed with your employment and success in mind, so the skills you learn will translate directly to your work post-graduation.
Prepared for Success on the Job
*From a 2022 Harris Poll of 300 employers of WGU graduates.
97% of employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.*
95% of employers said that they would hire another WGU grad.*
99% of employers said WGU graduates met or exceeded expectations.*
Which Degree Should You Choose?
A masters degree in learning experience design and educational technology degree at WGU can prepare you for a future career in education. Choosing this degree is great for educators and can make sure you have training that will help you succeed.
Business
Healthcare Administration – B.S.
You can become a healthcare industry leader:...
You can become a healthcare industry leader:
Compare with B.S. Health Information Management
- Time: 73% of graduates finish within 37 months.
- Tuition: $3,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 40 total courses in this program.
Sample careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:
- Health information manager
- Community service manager
- Clinical manager
- Medical records manager
- Social service manager
The online courses in this career-focused business degree program will prepare you with management-level skills and an up-to-date understanding of our healthcare delivery system.
Health & Nursing
Health and Human Services – B.S.
An online health degree program for students who are committed to making a...
An online health degree program for students who are committed to making a difference for patients in a variety of ways.
- Time: 95% of students finish similar programs faster than the traditional 4 years.
- Tuition: $4,085 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 29 total courses in this program.
Sample careers and jobs this degree will prepare you for:
- Care coordinator
- Patient advocate
- Health services coordinator
- Patient educator
- Community health educator
This degree allows you to work inside the healthcare industry, while also directly working with patients who need help.
Business
Human Resource Management – B.S. Business Administration
A SHRM-recognized online business degree program:...
A SHRM-recognized online business degree program:
- Time: 72% of graduates finish within 43 months.
- Tuition: $3,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 41 total courses in this program.
Sample careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:
- Human resource specialist
- Director of talent acquisition
- Recruiting manager
- Organizational learning specialist
- Vice president of HR
Earn your B.S. in Human Resources and help build strong organizations.
Health & Nursing
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (BSN-to-MSN) – M.S. Nursing
This program for BSNs who have an active, unencumbered RN license prepares...
This program for BSNs who have an active, unencumbered RN license prepares you to become a board-certified Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
- Locations: Due to the clinical requirements of this degree program, the PMHNP program at WGU is currently NOT open to students who have a permanent residence in the following states: Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin.
- Time: 2½ years.
- Tuition and fees: $6,625 per six-month term.
- Courses: 17 total courses in this program.
This program is for current RNs who have earned their BSN and are ready to move forward in their career. This MSN program prepares students to become licensed as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner in select states.
Students must have a permanent and active license from a state that is not listed above, must complete the internships in that state, and intend to obtain initial APRN licensure in that state. See more state-specific information related to nursing licensure. Compact licenses must be endorsed by your state of residence. More about compact licenses.
Business
Business Management – B.S. Business Administration
Hone your business acumen and garner added respect:...
Hone your business acumen and garner added respect:
- Time: 70% of graduates finish within 42 months.
- Tuition: $3,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 40 total courses in this program.
Sample careers and jobs this business degree will prepare you for:
- Account executive
- Business analyst
- Program manager
- Director or senior director
- Vice president
This online degree program is an excellent choice for kick-starting your organizational management career.
