How to Become a Psychologist: Key Steps and Qualifications

With the rise in mental health conditions caused by various factors like stress, anxiety, and social and other factors, the demand for psychologists in India has gone up. Aspirants willing to enter this field of career can expect rewarding jobs with good salaries. However, to become a psychologist, one needs to pursue advanced education and training. If you are aspiring to pursue a career as a psychologist and want to know about the qualifications required, job roles, and average salaries of psychologists, we will cover you in this post. 

Who is a Psychologist? What Does a Psychologist Do?

A psychologist is a professional who is trained to help people suffering from mental health conditions find ways to tackle their challenges. The field of psychology has fascinated young minds for a long time, drawing them toward this diverse and interesting scope of career.     

A psychologist plays varying roles as part of their career. Some of the them include:

• Conducting experiments and research to evaluate behavioral processes.
• Supporting patients to deal with stress and other psychological disorders.
• Identifying emotional patterns among patients and helping them deal with them.
• Psychologists can specialize and work in different fields including clinical, environmental, industrial, counseling, social, and sports.
• The role of psychologists might also vary depending on the particular area of their specialization.
• Psychologists who specialize in a specific area of study can become specialists in that field. They can acquire in-depth knowledge in that area and research to help patients recover better.

How to Become a Psychologist in India: Educational Requirements

To become a psychologist, the basic requirement is to pursue a bachelor’s degree in psychology, which is the minimum educational requirement to start a career as a psychological counselor. Candidates can pursue further specializations and qualifications to become psychologists to gain further experience and advance knowledge to better enhance their careers. 

Below are the key steps that aspiring psychologists in India can follow to pursue a career in psychology:

1. Acquire a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology: A Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology or a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Psychology are some of the options that students willing to pursue a career in psychology can enroll in. A 3-year bachelor’s degree with honors in psychology offers a strong foundation for candidates to build their careers in this field. Depending on your preference, you may choose to pursue a bachelor’s in psychology in science or arts stream. A BA in Psychology will give you the option to study subjects like literature, anthropology, sociology, along with psychology, while a BSc in Psychology will suit students who have an interest in biology, chemistry, and other subjects of science.   

2. Pursue a Master’s Degree with a Specialization: Although a UG degree is the minimum education required to become a psychologist or a counselor. However, pursuing a 2-year master’s degree like MA in Psychology or MSc in Psychology in a specific area of specialization like child psychology, clinical psychology, cognitive or developmental psychology, counseling or educational psychology, and forensic or social psychology, allows candidates to earn a specialization in a specific area of psychology and pursue a career in that field. This also enhances your scope of the profession in varied roles like child psychologist, mental health counselor, and more. However, those of you interested in starting your private practice can pursue a doctorate and get a license to start practicing. 

3.  Go for a PhD Degree to Enhance Career Further: A PhD or Doctor of Philosophy is an enhanced educational degree in psychology. A PhD degree opens wide areas of opportunities for candidates to work in diverse fields of psychology like private practice, rewarding jobs, research, and more. The duration of the course can vary from three to five years depending on various things. The job options after a PhD in psychology include a career in research, as a university professor, private practice, and more.

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What Skills Are Required to Become a Psychologist?

Psychologists are professionals who work with a variety of patients suffering from mental health issues. Hence, these professionals must have the required skills to have a successful career as a psychologist.

Below are some skills that psychologists should possess:

Analytical Thinking – Analytical skills help psychologists diagnose or detect the mental/psychological problems faced by patients    

Good Communication Skills – These professionals need excellent communication skills to communicate better with patients to understand their mental issues.

Problem-Solving Skills – These professionals must possess attention to detail and critical thinking to assess the conditions of their patients and give them the right advice.

Research and Analysis – Psychologists are professionals who need to have a good understanding of research and analysis and should conduct research processes as required. They should possess good analytical skills to work better in this field.

Observational Skills - These professionals must have good observational skills to observe the behavior of patients to diagnose their problems and support them in tackling such challenges. 

How to Become a Psychologist Through Online Education

Working professionals and students willing to pursue online education in Psychology can start by enrolling in an online bachelor’s program offered by several renowned and accredited institutions and Universities in India. Pursuing an online bachelor’s degree gives students the option to chase a career in psychology even without attending regular college while continuing their other responsibilities.  

Not just bachelor’s degrees, these candidates can further pursue a master’s degree in psychology via online mode. So, if you have a bachelor's degree in hand from any recognized college/university, you are eligible to apply for a Master’s program in psychology. Further, students who are willing can even go for an online PhD program to enhance their career. Others can work under a psychologist as an intern once they complete their education to gain practical experience and knowledge before starting a career as a psychologist.

Conclusion  

Being a psychologist offers some incredible career options. A psychologist can earn a salary ranging from Rs 1.1 Lakh to Rs 7.2 Lakhs per annum with an average annual salary of Rs 4.2 Lakhs. They also have the scope to pursue a career abroad after completing their education in India. If you are looking for the best online educational institution in India to pursue UG or PG courses in Psychology, Amity University Online is the best choice to opt for. Amity Online University is a UGC-recognized and accredited university with an "A" grade from NAAC. Amity presents a range of online specializations and courses for UG, PG, and PhD aspirants. Visit the Amity Online Portal to learn more.  

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