Student Ambassador Blog: Lindsey May, Psychology Major
Did you know that there are at least 8 types of psychology? Did you know psychology majors can work in corporate businesses, on sports teams, or even in marketing?
I never had any idea the world of psychology was so broad and that there were endless opportunities within this field to do so many things. I had only viewed psychology through the lens of therapy or counseling and was unaware that psychology is in fact, everywhere!
Psychology is used in every field and every discipline every single day. It is used to make decisions, understand motivation, solve problems, teach people, and draw connections between behaviors. The field of psychology is not a silo, but can truly be found throughout every discipline.
When I chose psychology as my major, I had no idea what career I wanted in the future. Through the guidance and mentorship of faculty and friends at UAH during my freshman year, I discovered the field of Industrial-Organizational psychology, which, admittedly I had never heard of before. I learned that psychology could be applied to the workplace and human resources, and I found this application of psychology fascinating. I quickly added a Human Resource Management minor to my degree and focused my psychology concentration on this path.
Through classwork, I began to see the intricacies of how human resources and organizational behavior were so tied to psychology. I learned how motivational theories could not only just be applied to therapy and teaching, but also to a workplace and in increasing productivity and efficiency. I learned that understanding the psychology of personality is important not only when dealing with a new patient but also when creating an organizational structure or recruitment of a new job candidate. I slowly learned that all of the core psychological principles I was learning could be applied to an entirely different context. I was able to grasp just how important and needed psychologists are throughout every industry, whether it be designing machinery at an engineering company through Human Factors Psychology or designing training programs for a medical company through Industrial-Organizational Psychology. Psychology is everywhere, and there is always an opportunity to apply psychology skills, even to a field you might not have thought about before.
I now have held a remote internship since May 2024 in a Learning and Development role at a pharmaceutical company, something I never would have even thought about doing my freshman year of college. I absolutely love what I do in my job, and see every single day how my psychology knowledge is put to use, despite it not being what I thought of when I thought of a “psychology” job. Before finding my path, I had no idea what my job in psychology would look like, but now I have learned that there is no “job in psychology” and that every job in this field looks different. And you get to choose your own path! You can take these skills that you have learned and apply them in so many different ways, the universe is yours to choose from.
(Pictured above at my internship alongside other interns, meeting with the CEO of the company)
I am constantly learning more about the field of psychology and all of the opportunities within it and am welcoming of every new experience that has come my way, such as working in a research lab and tutoring psychology courses. Psychology and CAHS is a doorway to so many different opportunities if you are willing to step out and take them. From all of these opportunities, I have been able to learn so many things I never would have thought I would, such as instructional design and developing e-learning, understanding employment law, and all of the details of designing and completing research on your own.
(Pictured above presenting research alongside a fellow psychology major)
I encourage every major, not just psychology, to explore all of their options. There are so many opportunities beyond what you may have ever heard of if you just dig a little deeper and ask questions. Talk to your professors and explore all of your interests, you never know what connections you may find. If you have any questions about psychology, my academic journey, or the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, feel free to contact me at lgm0012@uah.edu.
