Careers in Psychology - A Primer

The term Psychology rings a bell. We instantly think of a room where a client is on a couch while the psychologist sits back and take notes. This perception may be entirely right but the field is now much more than this. More recently, careers in psychology have gained recognition and continue to rise as a credible and enriching career throughout the world.

Before we go any further, let us define psychology. The term psychology is derived from two Greek words: "Psyche" which means "Mind" and "Logy" which means "The study of" so psychology is the study of the mind and behaviour. Psychology is a multifaceted field with many sub-fields to choose from, such as social, forensic, clinical, organisational, educational, consumer, cross-cultural, aviation, and school psychology. Your interest in the area is determined by your preferences as you progress through your bachelor's degree and can discover your true passion in any one of those fields. Check out this amazing careers guide that explore job prospects for careers in psychology.

Here are few examples of career prospects if you decide to pursue Psychology as a career:

• Clinical Psychologist

Clinical psychologists are the typical psychologists that we all know about when we think about psychology; they identify and treat people with psychological mental illnesses by developing comprehensive treatment plans by using various methods such as psychotherapy. A clinical psychologist may operate in a variety of settings, including organizations, hospitals, private practice, and mental health clinics. Many clinical psychologists specialize in one type of mental health condition or treat specific groups, such as treating children with conduct disorder.

There is definitely tough competition in clinical psychology due to a large influx of students with an interest in this area, making it extremely necessary for a person to be highly qualified to get a position in this field. Individuals are expected to complete a Ph.D. or PsyD to build credibility and academic flourish.

• Cognitive Psychologist

Cognitive refers to how people think, process, learn, store, and retrieve information; therefore, cognitive psychologists are concerned with an individual's brain functioning, such as what and how they think and carry out tasks. Cognitive psychologists also specialize in specific areas such as language learning, memory, or attention. If anyone is interested in this field, they can work in settings such as hospitals, private practice, research centres, and universities.

• Counselling Psychologist

Counseling psychologists perform similar duties to clinical psychologists in that they treat individuals who are experiencing stressors, emotional disorders, and minor hindrances in life or behavior problems using client-centered or behavioral techniques. They create treatment plans based on the client's needs and problems. Counseling psychologists operate in a variety of settings, including schools, private practices, and mental health clinics.

• Forensic Psychologist

This discipline is the merger of law and psychology. Prospective students can pursue this if they are interested in psychology, crime, and law. They work with law enforcement agencies to cross examine victims and criminals, work with juveniles, and provide expert testimony in court. They serve as consultants in court investigations, as well as and develop criminal profiles and provide counselling to crime victims and offenders.

Forensic psychology is similar to criminal psychology in that they just vary in a few duties. But, with media being such an important part of our lives, forensic psychology has gained a lot of attention and is regarded as one of the most fascinating sub-fields. To receive or work as a licensee, the professional is expected to have at least a master's degree and be able to work in law firms, government departments, prisons, and other institutions.

• Social Psychologist

Social psychologists typically study groups and their behaviours in social settings, specifically as how a person acts in a group setting and how it affects his/her behaviour. They work in a variety of issues such as beliefs, discrimination, violence, racism, and sexism, among others. They also perform social experiments to discover facts about human nature and behavior. They generally work in governmental or institutional facilities, as well as a variety of other fields (think of research), to enhance human understanding.

There are many more areas to look into depending on one's interests; psychology is a vast subject that will always amaze you with its theories and findings. It takes a lot of research and effort to become a psychologist, so it is best to look for what fits you and then make the right choice.

Interested in more fields and career choices in Pshycology, then check out this excellent resource.