Calling all Psychology majors!  

My name is Maddie Battinelli, and I am the Professional Development Graduate Assistant in OUS and also a student in the M.S. psychology program at Villanova! Let’s talk about psychology…. 

What’s the first thing someone asks you when you tell them you’re a psych major?  

“Are you reading my mind?” is the first thing that people usually ask me. There are a lot of misconceptions about what psychological science is and the careers that stem from it. It’s also commonly tossed around as an “easy” major which I am here to debunk for you. Psychological science is an incredibly broad-reaching area of study that requires strong thinkers and scholars. There is so much exciting work happening in this field and it continues to grow. Let me give you a few tips & tricks as you navigate your prospective career in psychology!  

💼 Explore other career paths in psychology

Clinical psychology and counseling are only some of the many things you can do with a degree in psychology. There are so many other awesome sub-disciplines of psychology like organizational psychology, forensic psychology, health psychology, etc.! Conduct some informational interviews with your professors and Villanova psychology alumni to hear about their career paths! I also recommend utilizing this guide released by the American Psychological Association that outlines all the possibilities out there for prospective psychologists! 

🔗 Seek out opportunities & build your professional network 

Getting hands-on experience is the best way to find where your interests lie and areas that you may not be as excited about. Use platforms like Handshake, Nova Network and LinkedIn to search for internship opportunities and potential employers. Also, if you are interested in pursuing a research-oriented path, be sure to seek out research opportunities. You can explore the vast amount of research happening in the Psychological and Brain Sciences Department here. Take advantage of any opportunity to grow your knowledge and understanding! When in doubt, reach out.  

🗣️ Create your elevator pitch 

Always be prepared to meet and network with someone, even when/where you least expect to. Formulate a 30-second pitch to communicate to someone who you are and what you are passionate about. Perhaps the person you just met works for a university and can put you in contact with a departmental research team. You never know where it may lead. Some tips for drafting your elevator pitch: Be concise, express enthusiasm, make it conversational, and highlight your mission/values. 

✍️ Sharpen your writing skills 

Becoming a skilled writer is incredibly important for psychologists to be able to convey their work. One of the best ways to improve your writing skills is to read sources like review articles, scientific/theoretical books, etc. Continuing to practice your writing will take you a long way in your academic and professional career. If you are considering grad school, you will need to write a personal statement. This type of writing may be new to you so be sure to lean on the resources, like the writing center and career center, here at Villanova to help you succeed.  

📚 Consider if graduate school is a good fit for you 

Graduate school is one potential route for you to take post-graduation, but it is, by no means, the only option. You should consider applying to graduate school if you want to pursue a career in research, teaching, clinical practice, among others. If you would like to apply your psychology major in a more applied setting, like Human Resources, graduate school may not be necessary. Think about your career aspirations and do your research. There are many helpful tools out there to help you decide if graduate school is right for you. For example, Petersons is a graduate school research tool you can use to find graduate schools, filtered by location, degree type, tuition, etc. If you are feeling unsure, book an appointment with one of our fantastic peer career coaches! They can help talk through your options and narrow your focus. 

Steps to make an appointment: Navigate to the Career Center tab on Handshake, click on ‘Appointments’, then select CLAS: Professional Development Appointments.” Lastly, select an appointment type: CLAS Peer Career Coaching Session (30 or 60 minutes). 

By Madison Battinelli
Madison Battinelli