Behavioral science is one of those dynamic degree programs that open doors to a plethora of career paths. While this provides a great deal of flexibility and room for exploration, it is often difficult for behavioral science students to narrow down which options they wish to pursue in graduate school or professional development. Here are five paths available with a behavioral science degree.
Teacher or Instructor
If you find yourself enjoying assignments that require you to present and explain the course material to your peers and other individuals, you may be destined for a career in teaching. Behavioral science programs teach you about how people of various ages feel, think, learn, and behave, making this a solid foundation for teaching at any level. If you are drawn to children or adolescents, consider building upon your behavioral science degree with a teaching credential in an elementary school grade or a middle or high school subject that you find interesting. This is a great way to make use of any minors you have been working on in addition to the behavioral science degree. If you are more drawn to other adults, consider becoming a community college or adult school instructor in any of the behavioral sciences. This requires a master’s degree in most cases, which presents the opportunity to dive a bit deeper into the areas of behavioral science about which you are most enthusiastic.
Researcher
Maybe you are the student who enjoys questioning everything and thinking critically. You love when your professors assign projects which involve solving problems. You might make an excellent researcher. The field of behavioral science changes every day, because people and society changes every day. Behavioral science researchers are therefore in high demand. Research offers opportunities to work at colleges and universities, hospitals, private companies, and government organizations. Spend some time exploring the American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences to see if this might be the perfect career path for you.
Counselor of Therapist
Perhaps you were initially drawn to the behavioral sciences because you love to help people, or you are the friend and family member that everyone comes to vent and seek advice. If this is you, consider a career in counseling or therapy. There are many forms of counseling and therapy to choose from, all of which spring naturally from a behavioral sciences degree. Some options include addiction counseling, which requires a certificate; social work and family therapy, which require a master’s degree; psychological counseling, which requires either a master’s or a doctorate degree, depending on where you want to work and how much you enjoy schooling; and psychiatry, which requires a medical degree.
Marketing Analyst and Developer
Whether selling ideas, services, or goods, every business needs to know and understand their potential customers. Good marketing appeals not only consumer desires and budget for the product, but also their emotional and behavioral responses to the product and how it is presented. Most businesses therefore hire people with behavioral science degrees to play various roles within marketing analysis and development. Forbes published a compelling argument for the inclusion of behavioral science in marketing.
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These are five things you can do with a behavioral science degree, and they offer something for every type of behavioral science student. From the quiet analytic type, to the ultimate people person, there is a rewarding future waiting in this list for everyone. It can be daunting to start deciding what to do with a behavioral science degree, but one thing is for certain: you can start there and go anywhere.