Psychologists are qualified and skilled professionals who examine, diagnose and treat psychological issues and behavioural dysfunctions that arise as a result of, or are related to, physical and mental health. Furthermore, Psychologists serve an important role in promoting healthy social behaviour and increasing patients' quality of life. According to a report by National Centre for Education stats, Psychology is the 4th most pursued subject among undergraduate students. Today, becoming a Psychologist has become very sought after profession considering the importance that’s now been given to mental health hygiene.
To become a Psychologist, aspiring candidates must complete their class 12 board exams with a minimum aggregate score of 55% or equivalent CGPA. After completing the class 12 board exam, candidates can pursue undergraduate or postgraduate psychology courses such as BA in Psychology or BSc in Psychology, from the Top psychology colleges in India. Admissions to these colleges are usually done on the basis of entrance exams such as NEET PG, GATE, CUET, and IPU CET. However certain colleges grant admission based on merit as well. The average course fees for these courses range between INR 10,000 - 1,00,000 per year. Read More: Eligibility to Become a Counselor
Some of the top recruiters who hire fresher and experienced Psychologists are Fortis Healthcare, Apollo Hospitals, and Providence Health and Services. There are various fields a psychology aspirant can pursue like Industrial psychology, child psychology, clinical psychologist, etc. The average annual salary of a psychologist ranges between INR 4 LPA – 7 LPA and it keeps on increasing with time and experience gained. Read More: Salary of a Counselor
Table of Content
- How to Become a Psychologist: Quick Facts
- Qualifications Required to Become a Psychologist
- Types of Psychologists
5.1 How to Become a Psychologist After 12th
6.1 Entrance Exams
8.1 India
8.2 Abroad
How to Become a Psychologist: Quick Facts
Industry | Mental Health Industry |
Eligibility | 10+2 in any discipline with a minimum aggregate of 50% or above from a recognized institute |
Top Recruiters | Colleges/Universities, Care Centers, Hospital and Clinics, Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals |
Required Skills | Empathy, Strong Communication skills, Problem-solving skills |
Average Starting Salary | INR 3.50 LPA |
Highest Salary | INR 23 LPA & above |
Qualifications Required to Become a Psychologist
Some of the major qualifications required to become a Psychologist are listed below for your reference.
- Aspiring candidates must clear class 12 board exams in any discipline from a recognized board with a minimum aggregate score of 50% or above.
- Candidates must appear for several entrance exams in order to get enrolled in top psychology collegeleges such as DUET, JNUEE, and CUET
- Aspirants must complete graduation as well as post-graduation such as BA in Psychology, B.Sc in Psychology, and MA in Psychology.
- Candidates are required to acquire additional skills to pursue Certificate Psychology Courses or Diploma Psychology Courses.
- Candidates must select a combination of subjects such as Social Anthropology, Sociology, Philosophy, Criminology, etc.
Types of Psychologists
There are different typePsychologists’ job roles based on their specialization and area of expertise. Tabulated below are a few of them for your reference.
Industrial Psychologist
Job Role | Industrial Psychologists are also known as organizational psychologists who are appointed across top MNCs and other organizations. Their main purpose is to counsel employees to motivate and increase the productivity of their team. |
Average Annual Salary (INR) | INR 8.92 LPA |
Health Psychologist
Job Role | Health Psychology is the study of mental and physical health like social behaviour, social biology and human psychology & related attitude. Health Psychologists aim to improve individual overall health and wellness. They provide therapy and help to cope with illness. |
Average Annual Salary (INR) | INR 6.48 LPA |
Clinical Psychologist
Job Role | They study and treat mental illness. They usually work in hospitals, and mental health clinics and even do private practice. Clinical Psychologists treat mental illness or substance abuse. |
Average Annual Salary (INR) | INR 9 LPA |
Child Psychologist
Job Role | As the name suggests, they treat and assess children and adolescents. Their main aim is to help children cope up with stresses like divorce, family issues and many others. They also help children with developmental issues or treat several mental illnesses. |
Average Annual Salary (INR) | INR 5.36 LPA |
Educational Psychologist
Job Role | They are focussed on youth and education. For being an Educational Psychologist, the practitioner must be a PhD level. |
Average Annual Salary (INR) | INR 4.37 LPA |
Steps to Become a Psychologist
For being a Psychologist, candidates need to follow certain steps including studies, requisite experience, etc. The table below will discuss in detail the steps that are necessary to become a successful Psychologists,
- Complete Graduation: Candidates must earn a bachelor’s degree in Psychology offered by top colleges in India such as BA in Psychology, and B.Sc in psychology. This will create a strong foundation for the career to begin with.
- Gain relevant work experience: After completing an undergraduate degree, candidates are qualified to work as a psychologist. They can gain work experience through different internships or by assisting someone in college. This will provide candidates with hands-on- learning experience and will help them understand the work culture.
- Get Specialization with a Master’s degree: Candidates can opt to pursue a Master’s degree in order to develop a deeper understanding of the subject. One can choose their specialization in the relevant areas such as clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, development psychology, educational quantity etc.
- Consider a Doctorate degree: If candidates are aiming for a career as a clinical psychologist, then they need to pursue a doctorate degree in Psychology. This will establish you as an expert within your domain. Doctorate degrees usually take around 4 to 8 years to complete.
- Earn relevant certifications: Candidates for being a practitioner need to get themselves registered. The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) provides accreditation to candidates of colleges/ universities affiliated with it. In case, the college is not affiliated, then the candidate must apply separately after the completion of the course.
How to Become a Psychologist in India
To become a Psychologist in India candidates must start preparing right from the school level. After completion of class 12th, candidates can opt to pursue undergraduate courses such as BA in Psychology or B.Sc in Psychology from top colleges across the country. Candidates also have the option to pursue other courses such as certification or diploma courses for additional knowledge and to brush up on their skills. Candidates can also pursue Post graduation courses in psychology followed by a Doctorate degree in order to practice as Clinical Psychologist.
The sections below provide the detailed information required to become a Psychologists is provided below for your reference,
School Level Preparation: In order to be a Psychologists the steps that are to be followed are mentioned below,
- Candidate must complete class 12th with a minimum aggregate of 50% or above from a recognized university
- Candidate must choose to pursue specialization such as sociology, philosophy, Social Anthropology, Sociology, Philosophy, Social Care or Criminology, Forensic Science and Criminal Investigation, etc
- Candidates must start preparing for entrance exams in order to get admission to top colleges across the country. The candidates can appear in the following entrance exams such as DUET, IPU CET, and CUET etc.
How to Become a Psychologists after 12th
Undergraduate Preparations: Some of the crucial steps that are to be followed to become a Psychologists after completing Class 12th board exams are mentioned below for your reference,
- The aspiring candidate must focus on clearing the entrance exams in order to get enrolled on undergraduate programs in top colleges.
- The candidates can pursue undergraduate programs in B. A or B.Sc. course. The candidates can also enrol in alternative courses such as Certification or diploma courses in order to develop a deep understanding of the subject and get a specialization in that area.
- Candidates during their undergraduate courses should focus on developing a deep understanding of different subjects such as Psychology, behavioural patterns, etc.
- The candidates must maintain a minimum aggregate of 50% or above to appear for postgraduate courses.
Post-Graduation Preparation: The key steps to be followed to become a Psychologists after completing Undergraduate courses are,
- .The candidates after completing their bachelor’s degree; can start preparing for entrance exams to get enrolled on a postgraduate program.
- The candidates must choose their specialization according to preference or the area they want to practice as a psychologist such as an industrial psychologist, clinical psychologist, counsellor, Child Psychologist and many more.
- The candidates can choose to pursue internships, paid or unpaid to gain some field knowledge while pursuing college.
- After completion of the Postgraduate program, the candidate can pursue doctorate courses if they want to practice as a clinical psychologist.
Psychologists Courses
Some of the top courses that can be pursued to become a Psychologists are tabulated below for your reference,
Parameters | Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology | BSc in Psychology | Master of Arts (MA) in Psychology | Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology |
---|---|---|---|---|
Duration | 3 years | 3 years | 2 years | 3 year |
Eligibility | Completed 10+2 examination with compulsory English subject from a recognized institute. Minimum aggregate of 50% or above |
Completed 10+2 examination with compulsory English subject from a recognized institute. Minimum aggregate of 50% or above with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics |
Completed graduation in any discipline from a recognized university Minimum aggregate 0f 55% or above in graduation |
Postgraduate degree in psychology with a minimum score of 55% or above from a recognised university. Admission to the course is done on the basis of an entrance examination or merit list. |
Top Colleges | Banaras Hindu University Delhi University, Rama University, Jawaharlal Nehru University |
Presidency College Chennai Christ University Delhi University Banaras Hindu University |
Banaras hindu University Delhi University Christ University Jawaharlal Nehru University |
Amity University, IIT Gandhi Nagar Women's Christian College, Chandigarh University |
Entrance Exams | JMI JNUEE JET RU ET ITM NEST JU ET CUCET |
OUAT CG PAT JNUEE |
PUBDET DUET |
RAT JRF |
Average course fees | INR 15,000- INR 1,50,000 Per year | INR 20,000- 60,000 per year | INR 10,000 - 95,000 per year | INR 20,000 - 1,00,000 per year |
Average Salary | INR 2.20 LPA– 3.50 LPA | INR 4.50 LPA - 6 LPA | INR 4.68 LPA - 7 LPA | INR 7.10 LPA - 10.60 LPA |
Entrance Exams
Some of the top Entrance Exams along with their important dates, that are conducted in order to enrol students for courses to become a Psychologist are tabulated below for your reference,
Entrance Exams | Registration Dates | Registration Deadlines | Exam Dates | Result Dates |
---|---|---|---|---|
PUBDET | To be Announced | To be Announced | May 20 – 21, 2023 | To be Announced |
NPAT | December 1, 2022 | May 21, 2023 | January 4 – May 31, 2023 | To be Announced |
TISS BAT | December 14, 2022 | 2nd week of February, 2023 | Between January 28 – February 28, 2023 | Last week of March, 2023 |
IPU CET | To be Announced | To be Announced |
Online: June 18 – 25, 2023 Offline:July 2 & 3, 2023 |
To be Announced |
How to become a Psychologist Abroad
Mental Health is a growing concern globally. This has created considerable growth in the demand for Psychologists across the world. There are many countries that offer various courses related to Psychology such as the UK, USA, Canada & Australia. The approaches and methodologies adopted by foreign universities are different from India. This is one of the reasons that candidates opt for pursuing courses abroad.
Some of the essential qualifications that must be fulfilled in order to study and become a Psychologists abroad are provided below for your reference,
- Candidates must have a bachelor's degree in Psychology or any other relevant field with a minimum aggregate of 70% or equivalent CGPA
- Candidates must take the English Language proficiency exam such as IELTS or TOEFL.
- Candidates must secure a minimum score of 6.5 in IELTS or a score of 100 or above in TOEFL.
- Aspiring candidates must present two valid Letters of Recommendation from the academic professors from the last institute attended.
- Candidate must submit all the documents when applying for courses abroad
- Candidates must submit proof of Finance.
Top Psychology Colleges
India is home to more than 1300 Psychology colleges out of which, 366 colleges are private, 285 colleges are government and the rest are deemed colleges. India has some of the top colleges that offer Psychology courses such as Symbiosis, LSR, etc. Apart from India, There are several top colleges abroad offering Psychology Courses such as Stanford University, Yale University, and Columbia University.
Some of the top Colleges in India and abroad that offer Psychology courses are tabulated below for your reference,
India
Name of the Colleges | Location | Average Course Fees (INR) |
---|---|---|
Lady Shri Ram College for Women | Delhi | 17,890 |
St. Xavier’s College | Mumbai | 6537 |
Parul University | Vadodara | 20,000 |
Christ University | Bangalore | 50,000 |
Presidency College | Chennai | 1250 |
Fergusson College | Pune | 9355 |
Jesus and Mary College | Delhi | 15,610 |
Jai Hind College | Mumbai | 5730 |
Gargi College | Delhi | 13,195 |
Kamla Nehru College for Women | Kapurthala, Punjab | 12,530 |
Abroad
Name of the Colleges | Location | Average Annual Fees (INR) |
---|---|---|
University of Oxford | UK | 9,35,000 |
University of Sussex | UK | 7,10,000 |
Cardiff University | UK | 12,22,000 |
Stanford University | USA | 9,50,000 |
Yale University | USA | 17,94,000 |
Princeton University | USA | 8,19,000 |
University of New South Wales | Australia | 5,40,000 |
The University of Queensland | Australia | 5,70,000 |
McGill University | Canada | 19,02,000 |
University of Toronto | canada | 13,87,000 |
Skills Required to become a Psychologist
ICandidates aspiring to becoming a psychologist and seeking a career in this field, must incorporate several skills in order to excel in the profession. Some of the top skills are mentioned below for for your reference.
Communication Skills | Critical thinking | Qualitative & Quantitative research |
Patience | Ethical Understanding | Open-minded approach |
Problem-solving skills | Empathy | Emotional intelligence |
Pros & Cons of Becoming a Psychologists
Every career has its own fair share of pros and cons. Some of the major positives and negatives of becoming a Psychologists are provided below for your reference.
Pros of becoming a Psychologists
- Rewarding Career: Psychologists help people to learn to cope with disorders, and disabilities and overcome mental and emotional illness.
- Earn a potentially high salary: Psychologists earn a potentially high salary for their time and effort which keeps on increasing with qualification and experience.
- Meet new types of people: Being a psychologist gives opportunity to meet new people from all walks of life.
Cons of becoming a Psychologists
- Emotionally demanding: A psychologist’s job can be emotionally draining as the person visiting a counselor has to open up and share his/her experiences, struggles, and pain and confront those emotions which can be emotionally demanding for the psychologist. A psychologist has to be emotionally available for his/her patient even if the patient is angry or disrespectful.
- Takes time and hard work: Becoming a psychologist is not an easy task. It takes a lot of hard work and studying to become one. Even after completing three years as a bachelor, 2 years in major and 3-4 years in a PhD, it still takes time to establish oneself as a recognised psychologist.
Top Recruiters for Psychologists
Colleges/Universities | Hospitals | Care Centers |
YourDost | Fortis Healthcare | Providence Health and Services |
Accenture | Apollo Hospitals | Gardner Health and Care |
Salary of a Psychologist
Psychologists earn an average salary of INR 4.08 LPA. The monthly salary of a psychologist is around INR 27,197 - 61,900. However, this can gradually increase with the years of experience, knowledge, skills etc. The highest salary of a Psychologist can go up to INR 1.10 L per month.
The salary of a Psychologist based on their specialization is tabulated below for your reference,
Specialization | Average Annual Salary (INR) |
---|---|
Career Counselor | 5,30,000 |
Clinical psychologists | 6,80,000 |
Industrial or Organizational Psychologist | 7,20,000 |
Neuropsychologists | 7,50,000 |
Lecturer | 5,50,000 |
How to become a Psychologist: FAQs
Ques. What do Psychologists do?
Ans.. The main duties of Psychologists include:
- Listen to patients
- Help the patients identify their problems and potential solutions to those problems
- Develop coping strategies
- Strengthen self-esteem
- Promote optimal mental health
Ques. What are the areas of recruitment of Psychologists ?
Ans. The areas of recruitment for psychologist are:
- Mental health facilities
- Hospitals
- Substance abuse centers
- Private practice
Ques. Name the top companies for Psychologists?
Ans. The top companies for psychologist are :
- Providence Health and Services
- Gardner Health and Care
- YourDost
- Fortis Healthcare
Ques. What is the average salary of a psychologist in India?
Ans. The starting salary of a psychologist in India ranges between INR 2.24 L - 4.10 LPA. while the salary of a Counselor with 5 - 8 years of experience is around INR 6 LPA. while the highest salary of a Counselor is around INR 10 L- 12 LPA.
Ques. Is psychologist a good career option?
Ans. The career as a psychologist is slowly establishing. This career is good for those who want to express their views in a creative manner. In addition to that, the salary structure is also decent.
Ques. Can a psychologist work as a Freelancer?
Ans. Yes, psychologists can work as freelancers. It will give them great exposure. There are several online portals who hire Counselors to work as freelancers.
Ques. What are the skills required to be a psychologist ?
Ans. The skills required to become a psychologist are :
- Communication
- Observation skills
- Emotional stability
- Trust
Ques. Which courses to pursue to become a psychologist?
Ans. The courses to pursue to become a psychologist are:
- Bachelor in Psychology
- Master in Psychology
- PhD
Ques. What is the time taken to become a psychologist?
Ans. The time taken to become a psychologist is around 8-10 years including undergraduate, postgraduate or diploma programs.
Ques. Is it hard to become a psychologist?
Ans. To become a psychologist, candidates have to work really hard. Along with studying and gathering knowledge, students must also work on enhancing their skills.