Psychology Courses - Careers, Salary, Jobs, Scope

Why Psychology?

Psychology is the study of the human mind and how it affects the behavior of attitude of a person. Psychologists are concerned with observing and analyzing a person’s reactions, emotions and behavior through interviews, tests and records and then providing treatment for these issues. The treatment is done through therapy and counselling rather than medications.

Psychologists need to be sensitive to human behavior to understand the implications necessary for treatment. They must have an analytical mind, excellent observational and communication skills and a genuine passion for helping people. Patience, Passion, and Perseverance are the 3 P’s which must be present in a psychologist. They should be ethical in approach and maintain confidentiality at all costs.

Most of the psychologists find work in the healthcare sector. They may work in rehabilitation centers, research establishments, child/youth guidance centers and advertising industry. They generally work in offices but may be required to visit hospitals, prisons, schools, community clinics etc.

There is travel involved depending upon the area of work. These professionals are required to work around 40 hours a week on an average and sometimes have to be just a call away especially if they are clinical psychologists.

Jobs and career opportunities in Psychology Industry

Some of the popular job roles in this field are:

Clinical Psychologists

These professionals treat patients who require clinical attention and do not deal with general problems. They work with a psychiatrist in a team and are responsible to provide treatment through therapies. They can work in clinics or private independently. They are very much in demand and the average salary of a clinical psychologist is Rs 3,71,411 in a year.

Counselling Psychologists

They focus more on the treatment of patients with adjustment problems due to traumatic events or relationship issues than serious psychological disorders. They try to understand the problems of patients and help them come out of their miseries.They may work in old age homes, rehabilitation centers, academic areas or NGOs. The average salary for a counselling psychologist is Rs 2,45,780 in a year.

Social Workers

Social workers provide direct services or therapy to people and communities in need of help as they have an innate desire to work for the welfare of society. They can work in various allied fields. Clinical social workers diagnose and treat psychological problems whereas psychiatric social workers provide services to individuals, families and small groups. They may practice in private or provide services in counselling centers, hospitals, schools etc. Social Workers earn Rs 2,52, 692 on an average annually. 

Educational Psychologists

They are concerned with conducting studies and research related to education. They focus on making learning effectively by developing new teaching techniques. They also evaluate teaching methods, testing methods, educational programs, existing educational resources and are also involved in the development of new methods. They generally specialize in educational developments of a certain group of people such as dyslexia patients. Educational Psychologists earn around Rs 2,50,000 annually. 

Industrial Psychologists

These professionals are involved in recruitment, hiring, training, and assessment of employees. They also conduct studies to solve problems related to the work place. They help in increasing productivity and provide counselling to employees. They work closely with different people including business owners, supervisors, and employees. They may work in factories, construction sites or office buildings in both private and government sectors. The average salary of Industrial Psychologists earn Rs 3,60,000 annually. 

Salary in Psychology Industry

The average salary of a psychologist in India is Rs 356,971 per year. The salary would vary depending upon the degree, specialization, location, and popularity. The salary in private sectors would be more in comparison to government sectors but much is dependent upon the expertise.

The demand for this specialization is rising because of the growing awareness of emotional health in various social, medical, educational, vocational and industrial institutions. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall employment of psychologists is expected to grow by 22 percent from 2010 to 2020.

Psychology Recruiters

The top recruiting sectors in this field include health care, welfare organizations, research establishments, rehabilitation centers, prisons, child/youth guidance centers and advertising industry. They are in demand in both private and government sector. Some of the recruiters are:

• AIIMS Bhopal
• AIIMS Delhi
• Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women
• University of Allahabad
• National AIDS Research Institute
• Orbit Transcriptions
• IVTL Infoview Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
• StartxlabsTechnologies Pvt. Ltd.
• Skyline Groups
• NIMHANS, Bangalore

Specializations offered

• Social Psychology– This branch of psychology focuses on the study of the impact of social environment and group interactions on attitude and behavior of individuals. It studies how people act, think and feel in the presence of other individuals or groups and how these feelings, beliefs, and intentions are constructed.

• Child Psychology– It is a specialization in psychology which focuses on children – their development and behavior. It studies how these processes differ from adults and among different children and how they develop from birth to adolescence. It studies the social skills, mental and the emotional well-being of children.

• Clinical Psychology- This specialization focuses on diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases or mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. Individuals with this specialization can be employed in hospitals or mental health centers in both private and government organizations.

• Educational Psychology-This specialization focuses on youth education & adult learners. Students with this specialization can be researchers, consultants or educators. The students taking up this course can help to improve learning systems in educational institutions.

• Industrial Psychology- This specialization deals with the study of the workplace environment, organizations and their employees and also the interpersonal relationships at workplace. It may also include job analysis, training, safety, hiring and performance evaluation of employees. It focuses on maximizing the performance of the organization on a whole.

Psychology Courses

For psychology courses, degrees are offered in diploma, undergraduate courses, and postgraduate courses. Below are the degrees with their specializations:

Courses & Subjects

The course content for some course are mentioned below:

Top colleges offering Psychology courses in India

Some of the top colleges offering this specialization are:

Daulat Ram College, Delhi

The college was established in 1960 and is one of the leading colleges of University of Delhi. It aims to provide a holistic experience to its students by working on their intellectual, emotional and spiritual development.

Course: B.A. in Psychology

Fees: Rs 17,200

Eligibility: 10+2 from a recognized board

Placement: Wipro, HDFC Life, ICICI Prudential, KPMG, Genpact etc.

Indian Institute of Technology, Indore

The college was established in 2009 and is ranked 24 among the overall colleges in India by the National Institutional Ranking Framework, 2017. At present, it has three schools with more than 100 faculty members.

Course: Ph.D. in Psychology

Fees: Rs 41,000

Salary: Rs 9,00,000

Eligibility: Post-graduation in Psychology

Placement: Google, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco etc.

National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore

The college was established in 1974 and aims to be the leaders in the area of Mental health and Neurosciences and evolve state-of-the-art approaches to patient care through transactional research.

Course: M.Phil. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology

Eligibility: 10+2 in any stream with 40% aggregate

Acharya Institute of Management and Sciences, Bangalore

The college was established in 1994 and is a private and self-financed institution affiliated to the Bangalore University. The University offers UG and PG courses in various disciplines and is approved by AICTE. It strongly believes in including culturally diverse student population.

Course: B.A. in Psychology

Fees: Rs 62,000

Salary: Rs 6.77 lac

Eligibility: 10+2 in any stream

Placement: Deloitte Consulting, IBM, ICICI Bank, HDFC Life etc.

Gargi College, University of Delhi

It was established in 1967 and is one of the top colleges affiliated with University of Delhi. It offers education in four streams – Sciences, Commerce and Arts, and a teacher training program in Elementary Education and a choice of subjects in ten disciplines.

Course: B.A. in Psychology

Salary: Rs 5.24 lac

Eligibility: 10+2 in any stream from a recognized board

Placement: Evalueserve, S&P Capital IQ, Earnst& Young, KPMG etc.

Requirements for Psychology course

Psychologists do not need to have a medical degree but experience and skills play a key role in this field. The requirements for this specialization are:

• For Undergraduate courses, candidates should have done 10+2 in any stream. Though Psychology as a subject is preferred by top institutes.
• Post Graduate and Ph.D. courses in psychology require candidates with Graduation and Post-Graduation in psychology.

Scope of Psychology in India

With the increasing awareness about the importance of emotional health, the career prospects for students doing this specialization is increasing. Specifically, the candidates who address the needs of the corporate sector are in high demand and get good remuneration. Private physchology practitioners with years of expertise are paid handsomely.

The demand for psychologists is in various fields such as healthcare, advertising industry, and corporate companies. The remuneration offered is more in private sector and depends upon the different fields where the area of work is.

Psychology is more of a career of choice taken up by individuals who desire to help the suffering individuals. High job satisfaction and lucrative salary packages make this career option an ideal choice.