Careers in Psychology

Students working in Prof. Larry Hawk's behavioral health lab.

Students acquire hands-on experience in Prof. Larry Hawk's Behavioral Health Lab

Psychology offers many exciting and rewarding career options. Psychology students develop an essential skill set that includes an understanding of the scientific method and psychological principles, critical analysis, problem solving, evaluation of evidence, statistical analysis and scientific writing. These skills build a foundation for the workforce or continued education in virtually any field.

Psychology Majors

Our undergraduate majors have continued on to a wide range of careers, reflecting the breadth of psychology. Some examples include:

  • Clinical practice in psychology (with PhD in psychology) or psychiatry (with MD and residency)
  • Counseling (with further education at the Master’s level): mental health, vocational, rehabilitation, probation, alcohol and drug, school or social work
  • Public health (streamlined application to UB's Master of Public Health program): behavior modification management, caseworker, occupational therapist, administration of hospitals and mental health facilities, medical technician
  • Basic and applied research: research psychologist (with PhD in psychology), research assistant, market researcher, program evaluator for government agencies, personnel manager, public relations specialist
  • Education: college professor (with PhD in psychology), teacher, vocational rehabilitation counselor, guidance counselor, youth worker
  • Criminal justice, probation officer
  • Statistics, data analysis and computer programming
  • Work in neuroscience: laboratory technician, pharmaceutical sales, science advocate, laboratory animal care technician, medical technician
  • Allied fields involving veterinary medicine, zoos, parks and aquariums
James Adegbite UB Celebration of Academic Excellence.

Psychology student James Adegbite at the UB Celebration of Academic Excellence

What is a Psychology Major's typical salary?
APA Careers in Psychology

Master's and PhD Graduates

Our Master’s and PhD graduates have gone on to prominent positions in many areas of psychology. Some examples include:

  • Basic research: psychological scientist, research professor, research director, research/data analyst, postdoctoral researcher, lab manager, laboratory technician
  • Applied research: program or agency director, market researcher
  • Education: college professor, lecturer, higher education administrator
  • Clinical practice in psychology: staff psychologist, psychologist in private practice 
  • Counseling: mental health, vocational, residential, rehabilitation, probation, alcohol and drug
  • Other applied practice: clinic director, behavioral specialist
Where are they now?
“If you are considering graduate study in Psychology at UB, know that you will be surrounded by some of the smartest, kindest, and most supportive mentors out there who are leaders in their respective fields of research. ”
9/13/23

Samuel Meisel

PhD in Clinical Psychology, Advanced Certificate in Developmental Science, UB;
Assistant Professor, Higher Education

“One of the best things about my time at UB was the opportunity to expand my knowledge of psychology by taking courses and interacting with fellow graduate students and faculty who were outside of my domain of expertise. ”
9/15/23

Karen Chow

PhD in Cognitive Psychology, UB;
Senior Learning Scientist, Educational Technology Industry

“As a graduate student at UB, I was able to participate in different collaborative research opportunities with multiple faculty members within the department. ”
9/13/23

Emma Greenspon

PhD in Cognitive Psychology, UB;
Assistant Professor, Higher Education

“I decided to attend UB because of its reputation for rigorous, high-quality research training. I received this and so much more. ”
9/13/23

Rebecca Etkin

PhD in Clinical Psychology, UB;
Postdoctoral Associate

“While there are many things I could list about what made my doctoral experience so great (such as classes or training opportunities), the most significant part of the program that shaped my experience was the mentorship model and mentor I worked with at UB. ”
9/13/23

Sarah Blakely-McClure

PhD in Clinical Psychology, UB;
Assistant Professor, Higher Education

“Every day I get to do something fun and find creative solutions to problems on the journey to discovery. But there’s so much more than that! ”
9/13/23

Mauricio Suarez

PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience, UB;
Research Assistant Professor, Higher Education

“All of the faculty were so welcoming and really cared about providing me with opportunities that would allow me to pursue my field of interest. ”
9/13/23

Allison Scagel

PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience, UB;
Applied Animal Behaviorist

“While in graduate school, with the guidance and support of faculty advisors, I taught multiple independent courses, mentored undergraduate thesis students, gained hands-on experience managing and operating laboratory spaces, and collaborated with researchers across various disciplines. ”
9/13/23

Thomas Saltsman

PhD in Social-Personality Psychology, UB;
Lecturer, Higher Education

“UB's Psychology MA program thoroughly improved my proficiency as a researcher. ”
9/13/23

Schuyler Lawson

MA in General Psychology, UB;
Doctoral student, Community Health and Health Behavior

“In addition to coursework and lab training, I was also able to gain teaching experience, write and publish peer-reviewed papers with my mentor, and present my research at several local and national scientific conferences. ”
9/13/23

Kelcie Schatz

PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience, UB;
Postdoctoral Fellow

“UB provides amazing research and clinical training by faculty who are always accessible and extremely passionate about what they do. ”
9/13/23

Lauren Rodriguez

PhD in Clinical Psychology, UB;
Advanced Postdoctoral Fellow

“My faculty mentors were not only excellent models of scholarship, but consistently provided me with the encouragement and resources I needed to become a successful teacher-scholar. ”
9/13/23

Deborah Ward

PhD in Social-Personality Psychology, UB;
Assistant Professor, Higher Education

“The excellent research and evidence-based clinical training I received helped me develop into a well-rounded researcher who is able to work with professionals across different disciplines. ”
9/13/23

Sarah Tonkin

PhD in Clinical Psychology, UB;
Postdoctoral Research Fellow

“My relationships with my advisors have continued even after I left UB, and one of the great perks of scientific research is building a large collaborative network of likeminded scholars. ”
9/13/23

Veronica Lamarche

PhD in Social-Personality Psychology, UB;
Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor), Higher Education

“The department is a collaborative and congenial environment, which enables students to thrive. ”
9/13/23

Tiffany Jenzer

PhD in Clinical Psychology, UB;
Postdoctoral Research Associate

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