What Does A Career In Psychology Look Like? Know From An Expert

According to the American Psychological Association, Psychology is “study of the mind and behaviour”. It is the study of the mind, how it works, and how it affects behaviour. The APA adds that “it embraces all aspects of the human experience; from the functions of the brain to the actions of the nation, from child development to the care for the aged”.

Pros And Cons

What are the pros and cons of a career in Psychology?

Pros

• Upcoming field in terms of present and future demand
• Work involves social interaction and is not routine
• Involves mostly helping people

Cons

• Can be stressful at times
• Takes time to get settled, and requires rigorous study
• The initial salary is not very high

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Domains In Psychology

What are the various domains in psychology? Let us understand.

Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology as a subject focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses, abnormal behaviour, and psychological disorders in individuals. If you want to work with people who are on the other side of normality, then you can become a clinical psychologist. Clinical psychology careers usually focus on working with mental health centres, hospitals, rehabilitation centres, and the likes of these. To become a clinical psychologist:-

• Opt for any stream with psychology as a subject in class 12
• Pursue BA/BSc in Psychology/Clinical Psychology
• Pursue MA/MSc in Psychology/Clinical Psychology
• Pursue MPhil in Psychology/Clinical Psychology (Required by RCI)
• Pursue PhD in Psychology/Clinical Psychology (optional)

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Counselling Psychology

Counselling and psychotherapy are umbrella terms that cover a range of talking therapies. They are delivered by trained practitioners who work with clients to help bring about effective change or enhance their well-being. Counselling psychologists help people recognise their strengths and cope with everyday problems. Counselling psychology careers focus on regular adjustment issues and interactions between people and their environment, and on educational and career development. To become a counselling psychologist:-

• Opt for any stream with psychology as a subject in class 12
• Pursue BA/BSc in Psychology/Applied Psychology
• Pursue MA/MSc in Psychology/Counselling Psychology/Applied Psychology
• Pursue a PG diploma in Guidance and Counselling (optional)

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Organisational Psychology

Industrial-organizational Psychology as a subject applies psychology theories and principles to organisations. All the principles of the subject, when put to workplace scenarios, build the framework of organisational psychology. Industrial-organizational psychologists perform a variety of tasks, including studying worker attitudes and behaviour, evaluating companies, and conducting leadership training. To become an organisational psychologist:

• Opt for any stream with psychology as a subject in class 12
• Pursue BA/BSc in Psychology/Applied Psychology
• Pursue MA/MSc in Industrial psychology/Organisational Psychology

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Research Psychology

Another large chunk of work especially in psychology as a subject is happening in the field of research. If you are interested in and curious about conducting an investigation, like the idea of posing research questions, like to ask the why in behaviour, and like to work on intervention models that can enhance people’s performance or help them cope better, then this could be a good career option for you. For Research Psychology career options, you may then work in UX research, develop psychometric tests, etc.

Forensic Psychology

This field of psychology as a subject involves applying the methods of psychology to answer legal questions that arise in civil or criminal proceedings. Forensic psychology careers focus on evaluations of child custody, competency of criminal defendants, providing counselling services to the victims of crime, conducting treatment programs for juvenile and adult offenders, and assessing and selecting law enforcement applications.

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Criminal Psychology

Criminal Psychology is the study of views, thoughts, intentions, actions, and reactions of criminals and suspects. In Criminal Psychology career options, you may have roles to perform within legal courts, including being called as expert witnesses and for performing psychological assessments. Criminal psychologists are more focused, looking only at the perpetrator and aspects of the crime itself.

Major role of a criminal psychologist is that of profiling. Profilers or criminal investigative analysts are trained to study every behavioural aspect in crime scenes which involve even a small extent of psychopathology. Criminal psychologists analyse the amount of planning that went into the crime, how much control was exercised by the offender, how much emotions heightened during the execution of the crime, and so on.

Criminal Psychology Is Another Massively Growing Field Of Psychology

Rehabilitation Psychology

It is the study and application of psychological principles with people who have developed a disability due to injury or illness. They focus on promoting positive adaptation behaviour, coping, and minor adjustments.

In rehabilitation psychology career options, you administer standardised and non-standardised tests of cognitive and psychological functioning; behavioural observation methods; and culturally sensitive interviewing techniques. They evaluate and treat both the individual and the family/caregiver in coping and adaptation.

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Fields Allied To Psychology

What are some of the fields that are not purely psychology as a subject but have a strong element of psychology in them? Here are a few allied fields of psychology career options:

Creative Arts Therapies

Here, therapists combine psychology and creative processes to enhance growth and healing. These are certification programs that can help you improve your practice with clients. This is a multi-arts approach (involves dance, music, painting, etc.) to psychotherapy and counselling to help initiate changes.

Special Education

Special education comes under the domain of the Rehabilitation Council of India, and uses various educational and social services to help individuals to enhance and develop skills and help maximise their potential. The teachers teach students between the ages of 3-21 years who have learning disabilities or those who need shadowing in schools. Doing a BEd in Special Education (RCI approved) will help you to pursue a career in special education.

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Upcoming Fields

Let us now enumerate a few upcoming fields in psychology, which are likely to carve a niche for themselves in the coming few years.

• Sports Psychology
• Forensic Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Consumer Behaviour
• Positive Psychology
• Psychometry
• Environmental Psychology

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Basic Skills And Traits Of A Psychologist

Some of the skills you would need to develop to be successful in the practice of Psychology are:-

• Analytical skills
• Communication skills
• Observational skills
• Patience
• Problem-solving skills
• People’s skills
• Trustworthiness

Psychology can be an extremely satisfying profession. However, before you step into it, you should be sure that it is here that your interest, abilities, skills, and goals align.