Have you ever come across quotes like “Psychology says that ……” and wondered wow! Is that what psychology says? I am sure you have. But did you go back and fact-check it? I am not so sure now. Mental health as a topic has been taboo to talk about. However, with time things are changing. And with the pandemic, we have seen an increase in mental health awareness.
However, a lot of misconceptions regarding psychology go around, especially on social media. And since most of the population consumes their daily dose of news from social media, it becomes even more important to talk about things that are right and said by qualified professionals and not by some quacks. Therefore the role of a psychologist becomes all the more important now.
So read further to know more about this slightly misunderstood career in a better way. In this article, you will get to know how to become a psychologist, the skills and educational qualifications required to become a psychologist, and much more.
A psychologist is a skilled mental health expert who studies mental states, cognitive, perceptual, and emotional processes, and the social behaviour of both humans and animals. Their work usually involves observing and interpreting how individuals are behaving in correspondence to their environment and helping their clients understand the “why”. Thus, they help individuals maintain good mental health in a variety of settings where the individual functions.
Learn more: How to become a psychiatrist
To become a Psychologist it is necessary for you to have a Humanities or Science background. Therefore make sure that you take Psychology as one of your subjects in 11th and 12th grade since the subject makes you eligible for further undergraduate programs.
Confused about whether the career of a Psychologist is for you? It is understandable. After all, it is a difficult career and not everyone is made for it. So the solution here is that you can try out a few online courses after your 10th to get a hang of the subject (and not practice). Here are some of them that you can try:
| Certificate Courses | Institute offering the course | Duration |
| Fundamentals of Psychology | edX | 8 Weeks |
| The science of everyday thinking | edX | 12 Weeks |
| Social Psychology | Wesleyan University through Coursera | 1-3 Months |
| Introduction to Developmental Psychology | edX | 8 Weeks |
| The Science of Well-Being | Yale University through Coursera | 1-3 Months |
| Introduction to Psychology | Yale University through Coursera | 1-3 Months |
| Foundations of Positive Psychology | The University of Pennsylvania through Coursera | 3-6 Months |
| Exploring Psychology’s core concepts | edX | 6 Weeks |
How to become a Psychologist after 12th?
A) Undergraduate/Diploma Courses in India:
To begin your journey to become a psychologist, there are three undergraduate degrees that you can pursue:
| Undergraduate Course | Duration |
| B.A. with majors in Psychology | 3 Years |
| B.A. (Hons) in Psychology | 3 Years |
| BSc. with majors in Psychology | 3 Years |
There are also certain diploma courses that you can pursue to upskill yourself. Please be careful of the programs that say “become a psychologist in just a few hours/months”. Diploma programs will only help you in gaining in-depth knowledge about your specialization.
B) Top Colleges in India to become a Psychologist :
A) Undergraduate/Diploma Courses abroad
The degree abroad is named the same. However, their structure and approach might differ.
| Undergraduate Degree | Duration |
| B.A. in Psychology | 3-4 Years |
| BSc. in Psychology | 3-4 Years |
You can also opt for diploma courses that might help you gain deep knowledge in the field. Some of them that you might want to check out include:
| Diploma Course | Institute offering | Duration |
| Certificate in Quantitative Psychology | Iowa State University | 13 credit hours |
| Graduate Certificate in Lifespan Development | Iowa State University | 12 Credit hours |
| Graduate Certificate in Group Dynamics and Conflict resolution | Robert Morris University | 9 Credit hours |
| Graduate Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy | Flinders University | 6 Months |
| Graduate Diploma in Psychology | James Cook University | 1 Year |
| A graduate certificate in Cognitive Neuroscience | Florida International University | 15 Credit hours |
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B) Top Colleges Abroad to become Psychologist
In order to be officially hired as a Psychologist you need to complete your Master’s in any one of the specializations – be it Industrial, counselling, forensic or clinical psychology. However, there are ways you can prepare yourself to be hired – either while pursuing your Masters or during your bachelor’s:
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A psychologist’s salary in India ranges from ₹ 0.6 Lakhs to ₹ 8.0 Lakhs with an average annual salary of ₹ 3.7 Lakhs. However, the entry-level salary can be anticipated up to 22,233 INR/Month.
Your earnings can significantly go up if you ever plan to set up your own practice. Discover what it takes to set up your own business with the JuniorMBA in Entrepreneurship.
The salary also differs depending on geographical location. The highest paying cities in India include
The salary of a Psychologist abroad depends a lot on the kind of company or private practice you choose to get employed in. However, a general overview of the salary across different locations is provided in the table below:
| Country | USA | UK | Canada | Germany | Australia | New Zealand |
| Entry-level salary/ year | $85181 | £38,087 | $79,565 | €48,857 | $91,019 | $62,870 |
Being a psychologist is a job of great responsibility. It requires a lot of ethics and hard work. Therefore while making a choice regarding your career as a psychologist be aware of the quacks in the business and try finding good mentors. An interest in “why people behave the way they do” is a good starting point for you to analyze your preference in the field, the rest will fall in place as you move ahead in your career.
Psychologists have completed at least six years of supervised academic training. They might additionally possess a psychology master’s or doctoral degree. A psychologist may use the title “Dr.” if they have a doctorate (PhD), but they are not medical doctors.
NEET is not required to enrol in a psychology course after 10+2. To obtain a psychology degree, no particular subjects must be taken. Some reputable institutions provide admission through entrance exams that are held by the relevant universities.
You must first earn your MBBS before continuing on to an M.D. in Psychiatry if you want to become a psychiatrist. As a result, 7.5 years of education are needed (5.5 years for MBBS + 2 years for M.D.). You need a psychology bachelor’s degree and a psychology master’s degree in order to become a psychologist.
Depending on your individual interests, you are well-positioned to pursue employment in both the arts and sciences with a psychology degree. Public and private healthcare, education, mental health support, social work, therapy, and counselling all offer a wide range of possibilities.
The Arts group is most likely your top choice if you choose to study psychology in your eleventh grade. You can choose any group to study psychology with in the future. In the end, psychology typically belongs to the Arts and Social Sciences.
Although becoming a psychologist involves a significant time commitment, it may also be a tough and rewarding career. Before deciding whether or not becoming a psychologist is the best career decision for you, consider your goals, available resources, and a few viable alternatives.
Although becoming a psychologist involves a significant time commitment, it may also be a tough and rewarding career. Before deciding whether or not becoming a psychologist is the best career decision for you, consider your goals, available resources, and a few viable alternatives.
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