What Is an Entry Level Behavioral Science and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

To get an entry-level behavioral science job, you must have several qualifications, including education and professional certification. A bachelor's degree in psychology, sociology, human behavior, behavioral science, or a closely related field is usually necessary to get work in social work, marketing, and research. To work as a therapist, you must have either a master’s degree or a doctorate and a license to practice in your state. To advance in other fields, such as social work and research, an advanced degree is often necessary. Strong analytical thinking skills and excellent interpersonal communication abilities are essential for work in behavioral science.

Entry-level jobs in behavioral science include jobs in academic research, social services, social work, mental health counseling, economics, and marketing and advertising. Your duties and responsibilities differ greatly depending on the field in which you work. However, in any of these positions, you need to have a strong understanding of human behavior and how it affects people's daily lives and their ability to access services. Some entry-level jobs in behavioral health are more administrative in nature, such as those in social work, while others have a larger research component, which requires you to have experiment design and data collection skills.