Have you ever wondered how the intricacies of the human mind work or how the emotions work affect our behavior? Well, the world of Psychology can provide the answers you are looking for. It is increasingly becoming a popular course option among students. But what is the scope of Psychology? You will be glad to know that Psychology offers a wide scope in all walks of life ranging from mental well-being, and personal and professional development to medical science and nursing, family and relationships, and beyond. Simply referred to as the study of the human brain, there are numerous branches of psychology. For instance, Pure Psychology includes General Psychology, Physiological Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology, etc. and Applied Psychology consists of Educational Psychology, Clinical Psychology, and Industrial Psychology, so on. Through this blog, we bring you all the key information about the scope of Psychology, its branches, nature, goals, jobs and careers, methods, and more!
WHY STUDY PSYCHOLOGY?
Before understanding the scope of psychology, let’s discuss why there is a need to study psychology. Elucidated below are some of the crucial reasons that will explain the same:
- Psychology is an Interdisciplinary Science: Psycholgy is a bright-star discipline that intersects with practically every other field. As a result, the application of psychological concepts is broad, resulting in a variety of multidisciplinary developing disciplines.
- Behavior may be Studied Using Quantitative and Qualitative Methods in Psychology: Quantitative measures and qualitative approaches including subjective judgments can both be used to study human behaviour. As a result, students from many backgrounds can pursue a career in psychology.
- Increasing Mental Health Concerns: Because of the rising complexity of our lifestyle, public awareness of mental health has doubled in the previous two decades. People in today’s society recognize and comprehend the importance of understanding human behaviour in all aspects of life. Every company, without a doubt, needs the services of a psychologist!
- Highly Paid Jobs: In most firms, a consulting psychologist with specific knowledge is in great demand. These positions are usually well-paid and well-respected in the eyes of the public.
SCOPE OF PSYCHOLOGY
The scope of Psychology can be divided into Pure Psychology and Applied Psychology. Pure Psychology studies General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Social Psychology, Para Psychology, Geo Psychology, Physical Psychology and Experimental Psychology. Moreover, Applied Psychology has an even more immense scope as it can be classified into Educational Psychology, Industrial Psychology, Legal Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Military Psychology, Political Psychology and Criminal Psychology.
To help you understand its wide scope, let’s elaborate on the key branches of psychology:
Scope of Psychology in India
There is an emerging career scope of Psychology in India with many students opting for this specialization to explore jobs as psychologists, guidance counsellors, clinical psychologists, amongst others. The average salary of a Psychologist in India is 2 Lakhs INR to 3 Lakhs INR per annum and as per Payscale, a psychologist with 1-4 years of experience can earn around ₹317,617 while a mid-career psychologist with 5-9 years of experience can expect around ₹511,934. The most popular courses to become a Psychologist in India are:
Scope of Psychology in Vietnam
CAREER IN PSYCHOLOGY
To make a career in the field of psychology, students need to first have the intrinsic characteristics mentioned above. The higher the degree a person has, the better their career options are. In the field of Psychology, theory and practicals go hand in hand and with the demand growing for practitioners, a career in Psychology is highly rewarding.
Psychologists can work as counsellors at universities, hospitals, schools, clinics, government agencies etc. Owing to ever-rising psychological problems in society, the need for professional psychologists is in high demand these days.
Psychology Job Profiles
Some of the job profiles are given below:
- Psychotherapist
- Counsellor
- Consultant
- Clinical Psychologist
- Psychiatrist
- Social Worker
- Therapist
- Practitioner
80+ JOBS IN PSYCHOLOGY TO CONSIDER
In either case, having a solid understanding of the human mind and behavior can be beneficial in any of these careers:
- Academic advisor
- Advanced practice psychiatric nurse
- Advertising agent
- Animal researcher
- Animal trainer
- Case worker
- Child psychologist
- Childcare worker
- Cognitive psychologist
- College admissions counselor
- College admissions officer
- College recruiter
- Community counselor
- Comparative psychologist
- Correctional treatment specialist
- Counseling psychologist
- Criminal investigator
- Crisis counselor
- Customer service agent
- Developmental psychologist
- Editor
- Education administrator
- Educational psychologist
- Elementary school teacher
- Employment interviewer
- Employment recruiter
- Environmental psychologist
- Family and marriage therapist
- Financial aid counselor
- Grief counselor
- Human factors psychologist
- Human resources manager
- Human resources specialist
- Journalist
- Lawyer
- Library assistant
- Literary agent
- Market researcher
- Mental health coordinator
- Military psychologist
- Music therapist
- Neurologist
- Neuropsychologist
- Occupational therapist
- Physician
- Police officer
- Probation officer
- Psychiatric aide
- Psychiatric social worker
- Psychiatric technician
- Psychiatrist
- Psychosocial rehabilitation worker
- Public opinion surveyor
- Public relations specialist
- Recreational therapist
- Rehabilitation counselor
- Research assistant
- School counselor
- Science writer
- Secondary school teacher
- Social psychologist
- Social services specialist
- Social worker
- Statistician
- Substance abuse counselor
- Technical writer
- University psychology professor
- Vocational rehabilitation counselor
- Youth counselor
FAQs Related to Psychology
Q. What is the average salary of a psychologist in India?
A. In India, the average salary of a psychologist starts from INR 2.5 lakhs to INR 3.5 lakhs annually.
Q. Can a Commerce student take up BA in Psychology after Class 12?
A. Yes, a student from any stream can apply for a BA in Psychology. The candidate just needs to have passed their Class 12 from a recognised board and should have secured a minimum of 50 per cent in their boards.
Q. Can I pursue a Master’s in Psychology through distance education?
A. Not many universities or colleges provide distance education. However, IGNOU – Indira Gandhi National Open University provides students with an MA in Psychology through distance mode.
Q. Which college is best for pursuing Psychology in Mumbai?
A. If you are looking to pursue a course in psychology in Mumbai, candidates can apply for admission to the University of Mumbai.
Q. What does one learn in Psychology?
A. On pursuing a course in Psychology, students get to learn about human behaviour and society. Students are taught on a statistical, fundamental and analytical level to understand the human mind deeper. Subjects taught in a Bachelor’s in Psychology are as follows:
| Criminology | Forensic Science |
| Sociology | Social Anthropology |
| Philosophy | Biology |
| Zoology | Childhood studies |
| HR management | Social History |
Q. Is psychology difficult to study?
A. If you believe you have any of the above-mentioned required characteristics and skills, you can relate to the theoretical and practical part well. In general, the student needs to understand the concepts and basics of human behaviour to have a genuine interest.
Q. If I have done my BSc in Biology, can I do my master’s in psychology?
A. Generally, universities require the student to have studied a subject in the related field. However, IGNOU offers students MA in Psychology and the eligibility criteria is as such that the aspirants need to have a Bachelor’s degree (in any stream) from a recognised university. Apart from IGNOU, other top universities offering Psychology courses include University of Calcutta, University of Pune, Central University, Karnataka, among others.
Q. What is the duration of Psychology courses?
A. The duration of Psychology courses depends on the level and type of course. For a full-time undergraduate course, the duration is three years, while for that of postgraduate courses, it is two years.
Q. Is it necessary to study Science in Class 12 to pursue higher education in Psychology?
A. In case a student wishes to pursue BSc in Psychology, then it is necessary for him/her to study Science stream in Class 11 and 12. For a BA in Psychology, it is not mandatory to study Science.
Q. Is Mathematics a part of the Psychology curriculum?
A. No, Mathematics does not form a part of the Psychology curriculum or syllabus.
Q. Is it necessary to do internships to successfully complete graduation in Psychology?
A. Compulsory internship is a part of some Psychology courses but it may not be applicable for all the programmes of this course. However, irrespective of the mandate, it would be an added advantage for candidates to do an internship in order to establish their career in this field.
