Key Takeaways
- A psychology degree focuses on studying human behavior and mental processes.
- A social work degree prepares graduates to work within the social services system to help individuals and families overcome challenges.
- Counseling degrees typically begin at the master's level and focus on helping individuals overcome specific problems.
- Social work provides a broad range of services, while counseling focuses on helping individuals overcome specific challenges.
- Each degree develops distinct skills—research methods in psychology, advocacy in social work, and evidence-based counseling practices in counseling.
- Online degree programs may allow students interested in psychology, social work, or counseling to pursue a degree while continuing to work full time.
People who feel their work is meaningful are more satisfied with their lives.1 While meaningful work can come in many forms, one of the best ways to give your work meaning is to focus on helping people. And one of the best ways to help people while making a living is to choose a career in psychology, social work, or counseling.
The question is: Which degree and career path are right for you? Making a choice begins with understanding how each degree is unique.
Differences in Focus
A psychology degree program can help you gain an understanding of the key analytical skills, problem-solving techniques, and research methods used by psychology professionals. Put simply, when you choose a career in psychology, you will be studying human behavior and the mental processes that accompany these behaviors.
Coursework is designed to introduce you to a wide range of theories, approaches, and perspectives within the field and provide you with a strong understanding of the issues affecting individuals and communities in today’s increasingly diverse society. You may have the option to specialize in an area such as:
- Forensic psychology
- Child and adolescent development
- Applied psychology
A social work degree program can help you gain hands-on training and knowledge of evidence-based practices to provide compassionate mentoring, supervision, advocacy, and collaboration within varied populations across an array of settings. Coursework is designed to empower you as a generalist scholar-practitioner working within the social services system to help individuals and families overcome difficult life challenges.
Counseling degrees typically start at the master’s level and allow you to specialize in a specific form of counseling, such as:
- Mental health
- School
- Marriage, couple, and family
What Is the Difference Between Counseling and Social Work?
In a counseling degree program, you can gain the confidence, qualifications, and critical thinking skills needed to help clients overcome challenges. While social work tends to provide a wide range of services within the framework of the social services system, counseling focuses more on helping individuals overcome specific problems.
What Do You Learn in Psychology, Social Work, and Counseling Degree Programs?
A psychology degree may help prepare you to:
- Understand and apply basic research methods in psychology, including research design and data analysis and interpretation.
- Use critical and creative thinking, skeptical inquiry, and a scientific approach to solve problems related to behavior and mental processes.
- Understand and apply psychological principles to personal, social, and organizational issues.
A social work program may help prepare you to:
- Apply principles of advocacy to promote cultural understanding and positive social change in individuals, communities, and society.
- Use evidence-based research and critical thinking skills to meet the needs of diverse clientele.
- Apply knowledge and skills in the areas of engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
A counseling degree may help prepare you to:
- Analyze cultural development theories and models.
- Apply evidence-based counseling practices for prevention and intervention.
- Select facilitation strategies that are culturally and ethically relevant.
- Pursue the license appropriate to your specialty (depending on state requirements).
What Are the Career Options for Psychology, Social Work, and Counseling Graduates?
Common careers for those with psychology degrees include:
- Researcher
- Jury consultant
- Victim advocate
- Professor of psychology
- Psychologist
- Clinical psychologist
- Human resources professional
- Marketing researcher
- Organizational consultant
- Industrial and organizational psychology practitioner
Common social work careers include:
- Caseworker
- Case manager
- School social worker
- Licensed clinical social worker
- Social service assistant
- Medical social worker
- Clinical social worker
Common counseling jobs include:
- Mental health clinician
- Clinical manager
- Substance abuse counselor
- Licensed professional counselor
- Clinical supervisor
- Mental health therapist
- School counselor
- Academic counselor
- Marriage and family counselor
Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of a degree program.
How Online Education Can Help You Earn the Right Degree for You
Whether you think a career in psychology, social work, or counseling is right for you, online learning can help you gain the education you need. Online degree programs are designed to allow you to complete coursework from home on a schedule that works for you. This makes it possible for some students to continue working full time while earning a degree.
Common online degrees in these fields include:
Psychology
BS in Psychology, MS in Psychology, PhD in Psychology
Social Work
Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Master of Social Work (MSW), PhD in Social Work, Doctor of Social Work (DSW)
Counseling
MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, MS in School Counseling, PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision
A career helping people can help you lead a more meaningful life. Start working toward the right career for you by earning a degree online.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a psychology degree program focus on?
A psychology degree program focuses on understanding human behavior and the mental processes that accompany these behaviors. It introduces students to a range of theories, approaches, and perspectives, and may allow specialization in areas such as forensic psychology, child and adolescent development, or applied psychology.
At what degree level do counseling programs typically begin?
Counseling degrees typically start at the master’s level and may allow students to specialize in areas such as mental health, school, or marriage, couple, and family counseling.
What careers can someone pursue with a psychology degree?
Common careers for psychology graduates include researcher, jury consultant, victim advocate, professor of psychology, psychologist, clinical psychologist, human resources professional, marketing researcher, organizational consultant, and industrial and organizational psychology practitioner.
What careers can someone pursue with a social work degree?
Common social work careers include case worker, case manager, school social worker, licensed clinical social worker, social service assistant, medical social worker, and clinical social worker.
What careers can someone pursue with a counseling degree?
Common counseling jobs include mental health clinician, clinical manager, substance abuse counselor, licensed professional counselor, clinical supervisor, mental health therapist, school counselor, academic counselor, and marriage and family counselor.
Can online education help someone earn one of these degrees?
Yes. Online degree programs often allow students to complete coursework from home on a schedule that works for them, making it possible to continue working full time while earning a degree in psychology, social work, or counseling.
Walden University is an HLC-accredited institution offering a BS in Psychology, a Bachelor of Social Work, an MS in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, and an MS in School Counseling degree online, along with other online degree programs in psychology, social work, and counseling. Earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.
1Source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joms.12406
Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
