Many freshmen students start out college undeclared; they aren’t sure what they want to major in and hope to use their first year to find something they want to study. Unfortunately, many students take up to two years to decide on a major, and they may even switch majors several times up into their junior year. This wastes a lot of time and money, and can significantly delay graduation.
If you have no idea what you want to major in, one option you might consider is taking time off from college. If taking a break isn’t an option for you, doing your research and finding a major you can be passionate about should be your number one priority. The sooner you declare a major that you want to stick with, the faster you can focus on taking the classes you need to graduate — and graduate on time.
If you’re interested in exploring some of the varied careers in mental health, you’ve come to the right place. This feature on careers in mental health is just one in our series, “Undeclared,” which explores potential career options in different fields, from employee wellness to social work.
A Degree in Mental Health
Degrees related to mental health don’t just limit you to operating in medical fields. Though many people opt for counseling or treatment, there are a growing number of options. It’s important to remember that psychological, emotional, and behavioral wellness is relevant in all areas of life. As such, the employment opportunities tend to reflect how guidance, management, and treatment fit into our society.
Perhaps reflecting the sheer range of career areas, you won’t find universities necessarily provide a mental health bachelor’s degree. Rather, you’ll find mental health will be a specialization or a module focus as part of other courses. Many students with these career goals tend to opt for a bachelor’s degree in psychology, sociology, nursing, and even education. It is usually at the master’s degree level and above that students place their focus squarely on mental health.
This makes a mental health-related bachelor’s program an agile choice if you’re uncertain of your path. By the end of your degree in either of the above-detailed fields, you are still able to change your mind about what your further education or career focus will be.
Psychiatrist
Choosing the path of a psychiatrist can help you have a direct impact on individual patients’ mental health. Yet, there’s often some confusion about what the position entails. Some feel it is akin to the role of a therapist. While there are certainly therapeutic aspects to the position, it is a more complex profession, rooted in the medical field rather than strictly the counseling sector. In essence, a psychiatrist assesses, diagnoses, and treats people experiencing mental illness and substance abuse.
As such, the working environment of a psychiatrist tends to reflect the clinical aspects of the field. About half of U.S.-based psychiatrists work in private practice. You could also find employment in a public hospital or rehabilitation center. Many psychiatrists choose to specialize in niche treatments or illnesses and their workplaces represent these accordingly. For instance, if you choose to specialize in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) you can find yourself practicing in community facilities and government or military installations.
Given that the role of a psychiatrist is clinical in nature, the path to the career is similar to other medical fields. Unlike most therapists, a psychiatrist is able to prescribe medications for patients, which requires clinical expertise and knowledge of the ethical aspects of being a practicing doctor. To start with, you’ll be expected to complete a four-year bachelor’s degree program. There’s no specific subject requirement for this, but you may find it helpful to major in psychology or attend a pre-medicine program.
Like most doctors, you’ll need to spend a further four years at medical school after your bachelor’s program. You’ll then spend four years in a psychiatric residency program where you’ll be guided by professionals in the practical treatment of mental conditions in a clinical setting. It’s a long path, but can be ultimately very rewarding.
Social Worker
Social workers play a key role in community mental health. It’s a wide-ranging field of work and the responsibilities can differ depending on your particular professional interests. In essence, social workers are tasked with helping members of the community navigate hurdles that stand in the way of leading positive lives. From a mental health perspective, this can include accessing treatment and addressing how their illness impacts their work and family duties. It can also find you empowering them to cope through addiction and following rehabilitation. Your role is to provide support, education, and resources to assist.
When you engage in a career as a social worker, you can find yourself working in a few areas. In most cases, you’ll be hired by local authorities. But with a focus on mental health social work, you may also be employed by specialist mental health charities, private schools, and healthcare facilities. In almost all cases, you will be expected to function both on-premises and out in the community or clients’ homes.
The training can vary, but most employers require social workers to hold at least a bachelor’s degree in a related area of study. Some universities offer social service and social work courses, which can provide a good introduction. Many employers show a preference toward master’s degrees in social work, though. That said, performing volunteer work in mental health social fields or pursuing relevant internships can be a demonstration of practical knowledge and skills.
Employee Wellness Specialist
Mental health has become a prevalent concern for most businesses. This isn’t just from the perspective of caring for the welfare of their workers. Absenteeism and underperformance as a result of mental unwellness and substance abuse cost U.S. businesses between $80 and $100 billion annually. As such, if you have interests in both mental health and business, a career as an employee wellness specialist could be right for you.
Most employee wellness specialists operate as part of the human resources (HR) departments of large businesses. All HR departments have a variety of responsibilities, taking care of recruitment, payroll processing, and disciplinary actions among others. A key aspect of the department is maintaining worker wellbeing and health. As a wellness specialist, you’ll design and run physical and mental health programs for workers. You might also partner with outside organizations to provide access to mental health education and counseling resources.
This is a relatively new discipline in business. As such, there are few strict guidelines for the education and training you need. Many businesses will expect at least an associate’s degree in healthcare or health education, though a bachelor’s degree in public health can show you understand the far-reaching impact of mental wellness and are able to design programs accordingly.
Conclusion
Mental health care is an incredibly diverse profession. This means you can specialize in anything from psychiatry to human resources. For those unsure of what career trajectory to follow, it’s a wise idea to first attend college, to gain a better understanding of your passions and explore areas you might not otherwise. Choosing the right college major is a big step in building a career you enjoy. Who knows, you might just find that mental health is right up your alley!
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Jori Hamilton is a writer and journalist from the Pacific Northwest who covers social justice issues, healthcare, and politics. You can follow her work on twitter @HamiltonJori or through her portfolio.
