<p>Our daughter will graduate from ND in May with a Psychology degree. She knows that she has to continue her education but doesn't know what she wants to do. She was thinking about going to PA school and has taken many classes during her summers to get her science courses done. She also mentioned getting a MSW.What can a person do with a Psych degree? Does anyone know what her next step should be? We would appreciate any suggestions. Maybe I am just too close to this situation to see clearly.
I think the "real world" is frightening her. My concern is for her to be happy but also be employed! Thank You for your thoughts.</p>
<p>One idea may be a Masters in Education. Depending, of course, on whether she may be interested in teaching or working in a school. She would then be qualified as a school counselor or teacher. She may also be able to get a University job in guidance or admissions and be eligible for free or discounted tuition to continue her own education.
I am sure there are many other opportunities. Maybe google “what to do with a psych degree” and then check job listings to see what may be available for someone in that field.</p>
<p>Why does she “have to” continue her education? If she doesn’t know what she wants to do, enrolling in graduate school will be a waste of both time and money. </p>
<p>Most undergraduate degrees from ND are not vocational. A student with a degree in psychology is in the same position as students with degrees in history or political science or anthropology – they have not learned specific technical skills that employers are seeking, but can present themselves as persons who have developed good writing and critical thinking skills. </p>
<p>IMO, the best next step for an undecided liberal arts major is a job. Our son graduated last year with a liberal arts degree. He found that most employers coming to campus were seeking out engineering and business majors, so he was doing the job search largely on his own. He cast a very wide net, and it took him about five months, but he landed a position in a major law firm as a legal assistant. He has no interest in attending law school, but he is developing useful work skills and a great network while figuring out what to do next. He is also self-supporting and not living at home. 
It is much easier to get that next job when you have some work experience on your resume. </p>
<p>The Career Center may tell you otherwise, but the truth is that liberal arts majors cannot count on the University to help guide their job search. Some departments are better than others in providing information to their students regarding how their graduates are faring in the job market. If she hasn’t done so already, your daughter should be talking to the department head or contacting students who graduated in 2012 and 2013 to get some ideas on job possibilities and networks. It is not too soon to start developing those networks and seeking out job possibilities in the city or cities in which she is planning to consider as a home. If she has any interest in teaching at the elementary or secondary level, ACE is a great program. But IMO it is a huge mistake for undecided students to enroll in a vague master’s program simply because they have no idea what they want to do and would rather stay in a comfortable school setting. Besides, not every position or career actually requires a post-graduate degree.</p>