Career in Psychology

What: Psychology is the study of mind. More precisely, it is scientific and systematic study of human and animal mind, behaviour and thought. The main area of psychological study is motives, reactions, feelings and nature of human and animal mind. They study the changes in the behavioural pattern of the patient and counsel them to bring changes in their thought process and thereby improving their quality of life. Because of excessive material pursuits in life people are often suffer from mental frustration and depression due to lack of proper and adequate emotional support. Thus, there is growing demands for psychological counsellors.

Psychologists need not have a medical degree. Nevertheless, they have to study several years to specialise in various aspects of psychology.

Salaries vary considerably based on specialty area and employment sector. Psychologists in general earn anywhere between Rs 12,000-55,000 per month. Clinical psychologists earn between Rs 12,000-35,000 per month. School psychologists take home around Rs 10,000-15,000 a month.

How: The multi-faceted nature of the subject opens up wide range of job opportunities for psychologists. They can seek to be employed in schools, colleges, universities as a counsellor particularly for those who have specialization in educational psychology. There are huge demands for clinical psychologists in hospitals, clinics and nursing homes. Now a day various developmental agencies, rehabilitation centres, prisons, child/ youth guidance centres and NGOs are recruiting counselling psychologists for counselling and rehabilitation of mentally retarded people, old aged, victim of violence, war, drugs addict and child labours.

In order to take up psychology as a career, the most important prerequisite is the inborn and authentic desire to lend a helping hand to the needy human beings. A successful Psychologist need not have a medical degree, but he/she must possess years of experience in various characteristics of psychology. To better facilitate counselling of the masses.

Aspirants can pursue Psychology as a subject at all levels. These days many options are available to aspirants at plus two level, graduate, postgraduate and at doctorate level. For taking up psychology as a major subject while studying for a degree course, a candidate needs to successfully complete his10+2 or intermediate or equivalent. For pursuing a master’s degree in psychology from a reputed university, a candidate needs to have an excellent bachelor’s degree preferably in arts/ humanities etc. After post-graduation, an individual may proceed for research in any particular branch of psychology yet unexplored.

Where: Many colleges and universities in India offer psychology as a subject right from Plus Two levels. Psychology can be studied as an Honors subject at graduation level in most of the colleges and universities. At the master’s and doctoral level, psychology becomes increasingly specialized in specific fields of applied psychology like social psychology, child psychology, clinical psychology and educational psychology. To be a good psychologist there should be certain qualities like genuine interest in people and empathy for their problems, sensitive, caring, patience and communication skill.

Institutions:

• University of Delhi, New Delhi
• Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
• Sardar Patel University, Ahmedabad
• Gurunanak Dev University, Amritsar
• Barkhatullah Viswavidyalaya, Bhopal
• Kuruskhetra University, Rohtak