Here we have discussed 17 psychology career options are available for students, some of there are traditional and few are quite recent.
Clinical Psychology-
- The most basic psychology career option in the field of psychology.
- This field emphasizes on the diagnosis, causes, and treatment of severe psychological disorders and emotional troubles. Does psychotherapy; investigates clinical problems; develops methods of treatment.
- Confusion between clinical psychology (Psychotherapist) and psychiatry. Psychiatrists are physicians with MBBS MD (Doctor
of Medicine) where Clinical Psychotherapist holds a master’s degree M.A/M.Sc./ M.Phil. and/ or a doctorate degree (Doctor of Philosophy [Ph.D.] or Doctor of Psychology [Psy. D.]) in clinical psychology. Clinical Psychotherapist cannot prescribe drugs to treat behavior disorders. - You need Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) Registration to practice as Clinical Psychotherapist in India.
- Education Institutes for M. Phil. –National Institute Of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bengluru, Central Institute of Psychiatry, Ranchi, Manipal University, Amety University, Nityanad, etc
- Salary- Hospital /Institute will pay INR @25,000-60,000, Private practicenor will charge 500/- to 5000/- per session
Industrial & Organizational Psychology
- Second most basic psychology career option in the field of psychology.
- Investigates all aspects of behaviour in work setting ranging from selection and recruitment of employees, performance
appraisal, work motivation to leadership. - The first application of psychology to the problems of industries and organisations was selection and recruitment of employees by using intelligence, aptitude tests.
- Education- MA/ MSc or Ph.D with specialization in Industrial Organizational Subjects in any reputed institute, IITs,
- Salary- from 15,000 to no limits based on your Knowledge, experience and expertise.
- Competition – MBA HR
Counselling Psychology
- Does psychotherapy and personal counseling; researches emotional disturbances and counseling methods.
- This branch deals with helping people/individuals with personal problems including interpersonal relations, career choice, mild emotional troubles or behavioural problems such as over eating, slow learning or lack of concentration.
- Counseling psychologists assist individuals having specific problem like how to plan career, how to develop more effective interpersonal skills(e.g. communication skills).
- Now a days, there are many specialised fields within the counseling psychology and experts are working as marriage counselors, family counselors, school counselors etc
Educational Psychology
- Another basic psychology career option in the field of psychology.
- Investigates classroom dynamics, teaching styles, and learning; develops educational tests, evaluates educational programs.
- Investigates all aspects of educational process ranging from curriculum design to techniques of instruction to learning disabilities.
- It deals with broader problem of increasing the efficiency of learning in school by applying psychological knowledge about/of learning and motivation to the curriculum.
- Another specialized sub-field called School Psychology may be included in educational psychology.
- Salary- After BA& MA – 20000 to 35000.
Social Psychology
- Investigates human social behaviour, including attitudes, conformity, persuasion, prejudice, friendship, aggression, helping and so forth.
- Kurt Lewin, father of Social Psychology.
- Emphasises on all aspects of social behaviour such as how we think about and interact with others, how we influence and are influenced by others.
- For example, social psychologists study how we perceive others and how those perceptions affect our attitude and behaviour towards them
Developmental Psychology
- The scientific study of how and why human beings change over the course of their life. Originally concerned with infants and children, the field has expanded to include adolescence, adult development, aging, and the entire lifespan.
- Psychologists from the 20th century include Urie Bronfenbrenner, Erik Erikson, Sigmund Freud, Jean Piaget, Barbara Rogoff, Esther Thelen, and Lev Vygotsky.
Health Psychology
- Studies the relationship between behaviour and health;
- uses psychological principles to promote health and prevent illness.
- Growing field.
Criminal & Forensic Psychology
- Investigates problems of crime and crime prevention, rehabilitation programs, prisons, courtroom dynamics; selects candidates for
police work. - Forensic psychologists mostly work within the judicial system in such areas as assessing emotional and psychological state of under trials and victims, evaluation of rehabilitation programmes; eyewitness testimony and evidence; jury selection; and police training etc.
- Education- National Forensic Sciences University ,Gujrat
- Investigates problems of crime and crime prevention, rehabilitation programs, prisons, courtroom dynamics; selects candidates for
Military Psychology
- It encourages research and the application of psychological research to military problems. Main functions are research activities, management, providing mental health services, teaching, consulting, work with Congressional committees, and advising senior military commands.
- Journals- Military Psychology and The Military Psychologist
Sports Psychology
- Here we uses psychological knowledge and skills to address optimal performance and well-being of athletes, developmental and social aspects of sports participation, and systemic issues associated with sports settings and organizations.
- Sport Psychology interventions are designed to assist athletes and other sports participants (e.g., coaches, administrators, parents) from a wide array of settings, levels of competition and ages, ranging from recreational youth participants to professional and Olympic athletes to master’s level performers.
- Skills required -Goal setting; imagery and performance planning; concentration and attention control strategies; Counselling etc
- Education- PhD in Sport psychology will be better. National Sports University Koutruk, Manipur
Neuropsychology Psychology
- Emerging field and has huge potential,
- Dedicated to understanding the relationships between brain and behavior, particularly as these relationships can be applied to the diagnosis of brain disorder, assessment of cognitive and behavioral functioning and the design of effective treatment.
Environmental Psychology
- Studies the effects of urban noise, crowding, attitudes toward the environment, and human use of space.
- These psychologists act as consultants on environmental issues.
Positive Psychology
- This is an emerging field of 21st century. By Martin Seligman .
- This field is defined as the science of happiness and human strengths.
- Psychologists working in this field are concerned with the positive aspects of human nature such as hope,
optimism, passion, love, gratitude, forgiveness, humility etc. - They try to find out what makes a good life. The work of these psychologists overlaps with that of humanistic psychologists who have similar viewpoints.
Spiritual/ Transpersonal Psychology
- It is concerned with the study of humanity’s highest potential, and with the recognition, understanding, and realization of unitive, spiritual, and transcendent states of consciousness.
- Psychologist – William James, Carl Jung, Roberto Assagioli and Abraham Maslow
Women Psychology
- Does research on differences between males and females, the acquisition of gender identity, and the role of gender throughout life.
Child Psychology
- The study of subconscious and conscious childhood development. Child psychologists observe how a child interacts with their parents, themselves, and the world, to understand their mental development.
Consumer Psychology
- Researches packaging, advertising, marketing methods, and characteristics of consumers. This field is an offshoot of social psychology.
- Emerging field with a lot of scope.
- Generally goes with advertisement industry, package will be good.