My cousin just graduated from University with a B.A. (major being Psychology); what sort of jobs could she get, or would she have to specialize (further schooling)

Almost all secondary schools caution that a Psychology Baccalaureate is insufficient for employment.

I agree with @dpworkin (quel surpris); unless she is just looking for general work that requires a bachelor’s degree in any subject, such as banking or insurance, she will have to consider grad school of some kind.

Oh, one possibility I just thought of – marketing research?

A BA in Psychology is considered as an overview in how to think. Unfortunatedly that will not entice an employer.
Some businesses (Engineering , Sciences, Technology) will hire skilled interns while they continue their education further.
Your cousin should look over the job market and acquire a skill an employer would value. They may already have an interest in one of those fields. That is the direction they should consider taking now.

This list has a few suggestions. Note how they say that another minor would be “helpful”, meaning, as others have said, that employers might think that psychology per se is not enough.

What other qualifications does she have? Did she do any internships? What are her interests?

My SIL is a counselor for the troubled kids in our school district and loves her job.

Especially in this tough job market, an BA in psychology will only get you so far. a two-year MA could go a long way to prepare her for a career as a school psychologist, psychometrist, research assistant (low pay). She needs some kind of additional training to become more specialized.

If she’s interested in anything in the counseling field, she’ll have better luck with a post-grad degree. I had a few friends who have B.A.s in psychology who now work in advertising, and I have another friend who teaches high school psychology at a prep school; she had to get her teaching cred. but did not have to go to grad school.

also, not to be rude, but did your cousin ever research possible jobs while she was in college? I hope she isn’t just now thinking about what jobs she can pursue. If that really is the case, I would suggest her finding some internships in other fields that might benefit from her knowledge of psychology.

Business
advertising trainee insurance agent personnel worker/administrator
administrative assistant job analyst public information officer
advertising agent loan officer public relations
airline reservations clerk management trainee sales representative
claims specialist marketing representative small business owner
customer relations marketing researcher store manager
employee counselor media buyer staff training and development
employment counselor occupational analyst warehouse manager

Mental health/Social Service
behavior analyst director of volunteer services probation/parole officer
case worker drug/substance abuse counselor program manager
child protection worker employment counselor rehabilitation advisor
corrections officer family service worker residential youth counselor
counselor aide group home coordinator social service director
day care center supervisor mental retardation unit manager veterans’ advisor

Other Positions
affirmative action officer community relations officer hospital patient service representative
child care worker congressional aide newspaper reporter
college admissions counselor director of alumni relations (college) park and recreation director
college admissions recruiter director of fund raising (college) statistical assistant
community recreation worker fast food restaurant manager technical writer

These came from a University of Phoenix page, but the link is screwed up and I can’t get it to work. I googled “BA Psychology major jobs”.

@marinelife It sent me to your blue jellyfish photo (National Geographic).

I see a number of case manager/ case worker positions in our local classifieds 0that require a bachelors degree in psychology or social sciences. These jobs are mainly focused on helping poor and indigent individuals achieve some degree of self sufficiency and are frequently through nonprofit or local gov’t orgs. They are typically entry level or requiring one year of experience.

Your cousin could also scour Americorps postings for a “paid volunteer” position that would get her foot in the door and some experience under her belt.

She can get any job that simply requires a B.A. but it won’t have anything to do with psych – if she wants a career in psych, a masters or a PhD is the way to go.

How about becoming a professional coach after graduate school?

Now, she’s thinking about teaching (going to teacher’s college) after talking to me.

Not many, it’s a dead degree, too many have taken it cause it’s an easy major, unlike Biology or Chemistry.