Career in Psychology: Jobs, Career path and Relevant skills

Career in Psychology: Introduction 

With a plethora of fields to explore, career in psychology course becomes a very fascinating and significant path to choose and choose from. One can hardly not mention a field where the need for trained psychological professionals has not yet emerged. From all kinds of psychological disorders to issues plaguing the society at large like substance abuse, from relationships that need saving to the political motivations of the voters, from consumer behavior to choosing the right career, psychological understanding touches everything under the sun.  

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Humans have been speculating about the mind and behavior of their species since time immemorial. It is through these speculations (and later on experimentations), that, over the vast expanse of history that we have uncovered the workings of the human mind and understood why we behave the way we do. This curiosity took the shape of a scientific enterprise in the late-nineteenth century and came to be known as Psychology. Psychology, as the study of human behavior, performance, and mental operations, is educational, applicable, and theoretical at the same time. It can be used to understand events, treat mental health issues, and improve education, employment, and relationships.  

At the School Level 

To embark upon a career in psychology course right from school, one can choose the following paths: 

• Humanities/Arts stream with Psychology as one of the subjects 
• Science (medical or non-medical) stream with Psychology  
• Commerce Stream with Psychology 

Psychology in Humanities/Arts stream is the most preferred path because most colleges and universities in India offer a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology. However, the nature of the discipline is peculiar and makes it an attractive option for medical aspirants as well as commerce students too. One can take psychology with any of the streams if it fits one’s interests. 

It should be noted that not taking psychology at the school level does not affect one’s prospects in one’s career in psychology course at a latter level but having it as a subject from school onwards helps create a good foundation. 

At the Bachelor’s Level 

Choosing the right course at the bachelor’s level is the most important step in making a career in psychology course. A discipline like psychology becomes a more serious pursuit at this level. The most preferable paths here are as follows: 

• B.A. (Hons.) Psychology/Applied Psychology for three years 
• B.A. Programme/Pass with Psychology as one of the subjects 

• B.Sc. (Hons.) Psychology* 

If while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in any other discipline other than the above mentioned, one wishes to pursue a career in psychology course, one is open to doing so by pursuing a Master’s degree in psychology by qualifying the entrance tests of recognized programs. Although, it is possible it becomes more difficult to start a career in psychology course at this level. 

*A B.Sc. (Hons.) in Psychology is offered in a lesser number of colleges in India than the other two. It is a viable option for students who have chosen the science stream at school but not so much for arts/humanities students. 

Eligibility 

General eligibility to pursue a B.A. degree in Psychology is a Higher Secondary qualification/ 10+2 or equivalent qualification in any stream from a recognized educational Board of the country, with a minimum of 50% in aggregate. 

One must note that this is the basic eligibility and is not the same as the actual cut-off/ qualification of entrances needed for admission. 

Colleges/Universities offering courses in Psychology 

• Ambedkar University Delhi 
• Amity University 
• Ashoka University 

• Christ (Deemed to be University) 
• Fergusson College, Pune 
• Jamia Millia Islamia 
• St Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Mumbai 
• Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts 

• University of Delhi 

Curriculum 

Following are the core contents of a standard under-graduate syllabus of psychology: 

• Introduction to Psychology  
• Statistical Methods for Psychological Research 

• Biopsychology  
• Psychology of Individual Differences  
• Development of Psychological Thought  
• Psychological Research 
• Social Psychology and its applications 

• Understanding and Dealing with Psychological Disorders 
• Developmental Psychology  
• Organizational Behaviour  
• Counseling Psychology 

Other career-specific elective contents of a standard under–graduate syllabus of psychology include—positive psychology, human resource management, health psychology, community psychology, cultural and indigenous psychology, psychological perspectives in education, the psychology of disability, the psychology of peace, forensic psychology, Indian psychological thought, environmental psychology, cognitive psychology, and so on. 

1. Higher Studies and Job Prospects in Psychology 

When it comes to the role of higher studies, it consolidates one’s specialized role in the desired field and that is also true in the case of a person desiring a career in psychology course.  

• Studying psychology as an end in itself or to establish a career in research and academia requires one to choose the following paths: M.A./M.Sc. in Psychology, followed by M.Phil. + Ph.D. in Psychology 

Or 

• M.A./M.Sc./M.Phil. + Ph.D. in specialized and allied fields such as clinical psychology, applied psychology, social work in mental health, industrial psychology, educational psychology, business, and organizational psychology, behavioral science, counseling psychology, human resource development and management, criminology, and so on. 

Besides teaching and research, these specializations allow one to take up various roles such as: 

• psychometrist/clinician 
• mental health specialist,  
• marriage and family therapist,  
• school counselor,  

• substance abuse counselor,  
• educator,  
• human resource personnel,  
• psychometrist/clinician,  
• criminal psychologist, 

• sports psychologist, 
• motivational speaker, 
• social worker, and so on. 

Other lucrative alternative careers for psychology degree holders include: 

• Civil Services: The Civil Services Examination is a nationwide competitive examination conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for recruitment to various civil services of the Government of India, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Forest Service (IFS), and Indian Police Service (IPS).  

The State Civil Services examinations and recruitment are conducted by the individual states public service commissions in India. These services are feeders of All India Services. 

Psychology is one of the optional subjects for the mains examinations and competence in the subject could help the candidate ace the mains paper. 

• MBA/MBA-HRM: Students seeking admissions in Indian universities have to appear for certain entrance examinations like CAT and CMAT. 

Careers in psychology attract people from all walks of life because of its nature as a discipline that covers everything under the sun about the human mind and human behavior. It focuses on both the biological and social realms of life of humans which helps it bring together the knowledge of a diverse set of scholarships. There is no doubt that psychology and careers in psychology will continue to remain relevant at all times. 

We hope this is going to be helpful if you are planning to pursue a career in psychology. For more guidance, feel free to connect with us and provide your feedback as well, so that we can also improve in the future.