I know quite a few people with a bachelor degree in psychology. One of the bigger complaints is that they find it challenging to find a career without getting a graduate degree. There are obvious options: looking for any position that requires a bachelor degree regardless of major or going into psychological research. The former can be less rewarding if you pursued a psychology degree wanting to work in the field, and the latter is incredibly competitive for those with only an undergraduate degree. What follows are three options to work in psychology with a bachelor degree. I should note that not all of these apply to all states; my knowledge comes from working in Texas.
1. Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC)
There are varying requirements for Drug or Addiction counselors throughout the US. Some require a graduate degree, while others do not. Texas requires only a high school diploma or GED for the intern license and an associate degree for the full license. There are also LCDC-specific educational requirements for the intern license. All educational requirements are waived if you have a bachelor degree in Psychology or other related degree. The other requirements are still in place, even with a bachelor degree. These are:
a 4000-hour supervised internship (about two years)
passing an examination
getting letters of recommendation from supervisors
After meeting these requirements, you are fully licensed, can be credentialed for reimbursement from insurance (including Medicaid/Medicare), and can open a private practice if you so desire.
As an LCDC you can only diagnose and treat substance use disorders. However, this might be a good fit if you’re planning on going on to become a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW), a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), or a Licensed Psychologist (LP). It can definitely get your feet wet in counseling, and help you decide if this is the sort of career that will require more schooling (a Master degree or PhD/PsyD).
Click here for Texas HHS’s website on the LCDC program.
2. Qualified Mental Health Professional – Community Services (QMHP-CS)
There is not much in Texas’ code that covers how one becomes a QMHP-CS. It is mostly left to employers to determine whether you’re qualified or not. What’s great is that I’ve already made a web page outlining the process!
QMHP-CS positions mostly involve support the licensed professionals mentioned above (LPC, LMSW, LMFT, and LP). QMHP-CSs MUST report to a Licensed Practitioner of the Healing Arts (LPHA), or to another QMHP-CS that reports to them. QMHP-CSs can have a variety of job duties, but most of the time it involves case management, skills training, or crisis intervention.
These positions are often considered stepping stones, preparing a recent undergrad or a current graduate student for licensed work and for dealing with mental health issues.
The good side of things is that you don’t have to go through a lengthy internship as you would as an LCDC, the bad is that you can never strike out on your own like you can as an LCDC. You MUST report to a supervisor until you become an LPHA yourself.
3. Registered Behavior Technician (RBT)
This is one I don’t have any experience with, so most of what I’m going to cover here is from what I’ve been able to glean from the web. This is the only entry on this list that is universal to the US, whereas the other two only apply to Texas. RBTs are individuals who work with Autistic children to help the children how to operate in an allistic world. They do this through Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), and work under a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), a master’s level clinician. To be an RBT, you must undergo 40 hours of training in ABA. You must also take a couple of tests, and apply to the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB).
Like a QMHP-CS, RBTs cannot work independently. In addition, ABA is a bit controversial as Autistic people who went through ABA as children report that they feel it’s an abusive practice. I recommend looking into the claims yourself and determine for yourself whether you will feel comfortable providing this service.
Click here for the BACB page to learn more.
I hope that this has provided some clarity for folks with an undergrad degree in psychology. These options are obviously limited, so, if you end up working in one of these positions and find that you like it, I encourage you to find a graduate program that’ll help meet your goals.