Looking for a career other than the regular career options like engineering, IT etc. Why not a career in Psychology ? It is a great career option after 12th. Check out these Psychology Courses. So let us look at the term Psychology definition first.
What is Psychology?
According to the American Psychological Association psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology is a multifaceted discipline that includes many sub-fields of research such as human development, sports, wellness, psychological, social behaviour, and cognitive processes.
As per Wikipedia – “Psychology is the science of behavior and mind. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, as well as feeling and thought. “
The field of psychology study includes study of memory, emotion, reaction, learning, behaviour, environment, observations, interference with the habit and practicality.
The subject of psychology is generally categorized as a social science, but it is also a subject of study offered in the faculty of science at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in many countries including India.
In our post today we will try to see what are various graduates and post graduates options available in this field.
Psychology recognizes the relevance of other disciplines when it comes to understanding human behavior, so it is also called an interdisciplinary field involving other disciplines such as philosophy, medicine, economics , political science, sociology, music and fine arts, mass communication, law and criminology.
There are various disciplines of study in psychology courses. You can say there are many branches of . psychology and hence if you are interested to pursue this field, you should know these. based on your interest then you can decide which field you would like to be in.
But one thing is for sure – You want to be a psychologist you should have interest in knowing and understanding people behavior.
Psychology Courses – A great career option after 12th
So below are various branches in Psychology . See which one you are interested in.
Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology
Behavioral neuroscience, also known as biological psychology, biopsychology, or psychobiology, is the application of biological principles to the study of behavioral mechanisms of human and non-human animals in physiology, genetics, and development.
Clinical Psychology ,Counselling Psychology
Clinical psychologists are in great demand today. This branch addresses causes, treatment and prevention of various types of psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders and chronic substance abuse.
It is a area of therapy, which helps to improve the day-to-day functioning by helping people overcome the challenges of their everyday lives and deal with difficult circumstances more effectively.
For example a counseling psychologist may deal with students , advising them on personal issues and career planning. The cause, treatment and prevention of psychological disorders is also studied by clinical psychologists.
Cognitive Psychology
This section examines mental processes involved in collecting, processing, manipulating and transforming the information obtained from the world, along with their use and communication.
Attention, retention , memory, reasoning , problem solving, decision taking, and language are the main cognitive processes.
Hence topics such as perception , attention, thinking , reasoning, problem solving , memory , language, and emotion are central to the cognitive psychology, which examines internal mental state. Cognitive psychology is primarily a field of research although some professionals are consulting for companies.
Community Psychology
Community Psychology focuses on advancing theory , research, and social action to address current social issues.
Community psychologist works for various agencies and NGO’s focused on mental health, private organizations and state governments. They also work with special populations like the elderly or the mentally and physically challenged. Community based rehabilitation (CBR) is of major interest to psychologists in the community
Developmental Psychology
Research in this field is about the cognitive, emotional , and social changes that occur throughout the lifespan.
Developmental psychologist’s prime concern is how we become what we are. For many years the main focus was on the development of children and adolescents. It also explores interest in the development and ageing of adults.
Health Psychology
This branch focuses on the role, for example, of psychological factors such as stress, anxiety in disease development, prevention and treatment.
Areas of interest to a health psychologist are stress and coping, the relationship between psychological factors and health, the relationship between patient and doctor and ways to promote factors that enhance health.
Human Factors Psychology
Human factors (also known as ergonomics or human engineering) are scientific disciplines that examine human behavior and capabilities to find the best ways to design products, equipment and systems for maximum safe, effective and satisfying human use
Industrial and Organizational Psychology
This section deals with organizational behavior, concentrating on the staff as well as the organisations employing them. Industrial psychologists are concerned with training employees, improving working conditions and developing selection criteria.
It also suggests to organizations how to improve communication between managers and employees. Industrial and organizational psychologists also have backgrounds including cognitive and social psychology training.
Sports Psychology
This branch of Psychology involves the application of Psychological principles in the area of sports to improve the performance of athletes. This is a fairly new field which is gaining popularity now.
Social and Personality Psychology
Social and personality psychology encompasses the study and interaction of human groups, personality development and analysis, emotional experience and perception, and motivation. … So in a social context , social psychology studies individuals and how situational variables interact to influence behavior.
Psychology is a area which is getting more advance by day. Psychology research and application has led to the emergence of varied fields such as aviation psychology, space psychology, military psychology, rural psychology, engineering psychology, women’s psychology, and political psychology.
Psychology Courses
There are range of courses in Psychology. If you are interested in this area you can do Certificate courses, Diploma Courses, Graduate, Post Graduate courses and further you can study for a PHD degree. Below are the list of courses available.
Certificate Courses
- Certificate in Psychology
- Certificate in Child Psychology
Diploma Courses in Psychology
- Diploma in Psychology
- Diploma in Applied Psychology
- Diploma in Child Psychology
- Advanced Diploma in Child Psychology
- Advanced Diploma in Counselling
- Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology
- Post Graduate Diploma in Application of Psychology
- Post Graduate Diploma in Applied Psychology
- Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Psychology
- Post Graduate Diploma in Counselling Psychology
- Post Graduate Diploma in Family and Child Psychology
- Post Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Counselling
- Post Graduate Diploma in Rehabilitation Psychology
- Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Psychology
Graduate Courses in Psychology
- Bachelor degree psychology ( BA in psychology )
- BA (Honours) in Psychology
- BA (Honours) i in applied psychology
- BA in Journalism, Psychology and English
- B.Sc In Psychology
Masters courses in Psychology
- Master Degree Courses (Course duration 2 years)
- Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology
- Master of Arts in Psychology
- Master of Arts in philosophy and applied psychology
MPhil & PHD
- Master of Philosophy (M.Phill) in Child and Adolescent Psychology
- Master of Philosophy (M.Phill) in applied Psychology
- Doctorate Degree (PhD) Courses ( Course duration 2 years)
- Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology
- Doctor of Philosophy in Counselling Psychology
- Doctor of Philosophy in Stress analysis
What is difference between BSc Psychology and BA Psychology ?
Remember both are graduate courses and both more or less offers an equal opportunity when it comes to job perspective. The major difference however is the approach and subject area they are focused on.
For B.Sc in Psychology, the main focus areas are:
- Human Development
- Psychological Processes
- Psychology of Human Resources etc.
- Research Methods and Statistical Applications
- Environmental Psychology
- Social and Cultural Psychology
- Community Psychology and Social Change
- Psychological Assessment
- Counselling and Psycho-Therapy
While for BA in Psychology, the main focus areas are ….
- Clinical Psychology
- Behaviour in Organizations
- Social Issues
- Social Change
- Counselling etc.
In many respects B.Sc. Psychology and BA Psychology are similar. The students can select their topic according to their preference.. The key difference is that one puts more emphasis on psychology theories, and another practical psychology aspect. One can choose BA or B.Sc. in psychology as both of these provide in-depth knowledge in the subjects . Both have equal job opportunities.
What is the difference between a PhD in Psychology and a PsyD
PhD in Psychology and PsyD , both relate to a psychology doctorate degree. After completing the PsyD course, one is awarded a Ph.D. in Psychology and, after completing the Ph.D. in Psychology, a Ph.D. in Philosophy in Clinical Psychology.
So the approach is different again here , PhD in Psychology is more research oriented while PsyD is more clinical training oriented. But both are doctorate level degree.
Can I study Psychology after Xth?
This is a question which many ask. Yes the diploma courses you can start after Xth. But this will not be right approach. There are not really any job opportunities after diploma courses. From my perspective ( and this is purely my view), diploma courses can be a way to judge your own interest in any course and also attain some fundamental knowledge in the area. It can be an addition qualification.
Psychology – A good career option after 12th
So if you are interested much in this area, complete your 12th and go for a regular graduation degree. That is the best route to enter into this field. Now there are lot of courses available in this field and there are some very good colleges you can apply for your further education in this area.
Top Colleges to Study Psychology in India
So you are interested in Psychology then, below you find some of the best places to study Psychology in India
- Pune University
- St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai
- Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
- University Of Mumbai
- Punjab University
- Madras University
- University of Delhi
- Presidency College, Chennai
- Government Nursing College, Bengaluru
- Gujarat forensic Sciences University
- Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University
- Indian Institute of Psychology and Research (IIPR), Bengaluru
Career in Psychology
In India psychology has been a good option for career. The demand for a qualified psychologist is continuously growing. The lifestyle changes and challenges has resulted in a more need to qualified and trained psychologist .
Today, psychologists work in a number of environments where they can apply psychological concepts to educate and prepare people to better deal with their life problems.
One of the developed fields of psychology in India is clinical psychology. Indian Rehabilitation Council acknowledges licensed psychologists, and may also do private practice.
The work of a psychologist involves counselling people, dealing with their emotional problems and providing advice on interpersonal issues. The salary in this profession is good and the educational expenses are very low.
If you are interested in research, you can always go for a doctorate level degree and it gives you an opportunity to be a specialized psychologists and also opens up your career in teaching in govt and many reputed private universities.
If you plan to pursue higher education abroad, this is a very good field for that as well.
Some prominent associations in Psychology
- National Association of Psychological Science http://www.napsindia.org/
- Indian Association of Clinical Psychologists http://iacp.in/
- Association of Indian Psychologists http://aiponline.in/
- Bharatiya Counselling Psycholo https://www.bcpa.in/
- National Positive Psychology Association http://nppassociation.org/
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Conclusion
Psychology is all about solving human problems. You not only get a career but also an opportunity to make impact in people lives. With today’s stressful environment, the scope and opportunities in the area of Psychology has increased many fold and is a good area to be in . Career in Psychology can be a very good career option after 12th.
