Psychology Courses in India-Eligibility, Scope, and Career
According to a psychology survey, the cells of our brain responsible for feeling happy are activated through messages like Good Morning, Goodnight, etc.
How many of you knew that? I assume, not many. Because, when it involves one of the foremost interesting studies of the planet, the study of human behavior is flexible to a huge extent. Not only does it traverse through a good range of domains, but also every subject is different. So, allow yourself to take a little read to explore the various aspects of psychology and the top-notch Psychology courses in India.
What is Psychology?
Psychology defined at the most basic level is the study of the human mind and behavior in various aspects. It can also be understood as the address and handling of people’s feelings and various states of emotions.
With the present scenario where the world is going faster every day and we have incrementing numbers of lonely minds, the study in the field of psychology has become popular not only from a career perspective but also from the correspondence perspective. Therefore, people are more inclined to look for opportunities to pursue psychology courses in India.
There are various branches of psychology such as Clinical, Cognitive, Developmental, Evolutionary, Forensic, Health, Occupational, etc.
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Why Psychology as a Career Choice?
As interesting as the study of human behavior and thought patterns as interesting is why becoming a psychologist can give us a lot of reasons to love our job.
Flexible hours with the world turning to digital development now, the technology has made services reach us easier and faster. Also, the pandemic hit has increased the need for opportunities for jobs that can be done from home.
Therefore, as a psychologist, you can meet your clients over calls from any part of the world. There is no 9 to 5 rule. You can set your own time and decide the number of clients to be handled per day.
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Rewarding Job
Helping others in small ways always makes us feel rewarded and positive. And that is why being a psychologist stands on top. Where a psychiatrist is a doctor who gives medicines to cure mental problems, a psychologist is like a counselor.
Psychologists cannot prescribe medication. They talk to people more on a personal basis and therefore, reach out to people’s minds as well as hearts and take the mental health of the world to a better place.
High Pay
Along with the social aspects of the jobs in psychology, the jobs pay you well. And as they say, if you are good at what you do, success follows you. So, being a psychologist helps you build a good financial stability chart as well.
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Psychology Courses in India: Eligibility and Scope
On a broader line, we have five types of psychology degree available as follows:
Associate Degree in Psychology
An associate degree in psychology is an undergraduate-level degree that is usually completed in a time span of two years. The associate degree option is offered at community colleges and students can also take a transfer to a state university to complete a bachelor’s degree.
Associate level being the basic level provides a limited scope in jobs. Most of the entry-level psychology professions require a bachelor’s degree as a minimum requirement. An associate degree can help you begin your career in psychology. It is a great way to understand psychology at the study level and build a background before moving on to higher studies in psychology.
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Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology
A bachelor’s degree in psychology is an undergraduate-level degree that in general takes three to four years to complete. The universities nowadays provide students have the option to explore and choose between a Bachelor of Arts(B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science(B.S.) degree.
The students who hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology have a wider radius of jobs to choose from. A bachelor’s degree helps in building a good base for higher studies, but it offers a limited scope of entry-level career choices as the profession of psychologist becomes better with more study and experience.
According to a survey, about one-third percent of students with a bachelor’s in psychology end up working in a field closely related to their degree. A few job titles for people with a graduate degree can apply for include case managers, rehabilitation specialists, and career counselors.
Graduate degree holders often find work in other areas including advertising, sales, marketing, teaching, and childcare. Therefore, Psychology courses in India can open a big radius of versatile subjects.
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Master’s Degree in Psychology
A master’s degree in psychology is a graduate-level degree that usually takes between two or three years to post the bachelor’s degree to complete. Like the choice of bachelor’s degree, candidates can always choose between a Master of Arts (M.A.) or Master of Science (M.S.) in psychology.
Jobs for those with a master’s degree are more in number and provide a better scope of exposure and growth and that is why they are more popular. While some master’s programs are known to offer a terminal degree, or an end-level degree designed to prepare their students for the workforce, other master’s programs work on preparations of doctoral-level study.
Graduates with a master’s degree can always seek jobs in a variety of areas including mental health services, government agencies, and business fields. While there are some chances for teaching at colleges or universities, there is a great scope for people to join Non-profit organizations which work actively in this field. A few job titles that can be applied to list to social services manager, drug and alcohol specialist, behavioral counselor, child protection worker, and human resources manager.
Ph.D. in Psychology
Pursuing a Ph.D.or a doctorate of philosophy in psychology can take up to six years in order to reach completion with at least four years being minimum. The student can publish papers and take a deep dive into the specific area of interest.
There are also a wide variety of specialized areas to choose from deciding on psychology courses in India. A big part of your choice depends on what you aim to do after graduation. If you’re interested in working in psychotherapy or opening your own private practice, you might want to earn a Ph.D. in clinical psychology or any stream which will target a larger audience. The options also include social, developmental, industrial-organizational, or experimental domains of psychology.
Pay Scale / Psychologist Pay
Choosing to pursue psychology courses in India can surprise you on a financial scale. A career as a psychologist can be very rewarding if you can settle in this field. Those with the right skills and education are expected to earn well. Other important factors influencing the salary of a professional psychologist are his or her area of expertise and the experience he or she has.
| Profile | Starting Salary | Mid-Range Salary | Senior Level Salary |
| Psychologist | 4,20,000 P.A. | 6,00,000 P.A. | 9,60,000 P.A. |
Eligibility for UG Psychology Courses in India:
Candidates should have completed Class 12 or equivalent education from the State / National Board of Education in India. Students from Arts, Science, Commerce can all apply for psychology courses in India.
In addition, candidates who have completed 12th-grade education from any Open School Board are also eligible. Colleges/Institutions have additional eligibility criteria at the time of admission w.r.t. individual infrastructure.
Eligibility for PG Psychology Courses in India:
Students who have completed a bachelor’s degree in Psychology are eligible to apply for a post-graduate degree. Candidates in their final year of bachelor’s degrees are also eligible to give the entrance tests for post-graduate admissions.
The students who have completed Bachelor of Psychology from Distance Education or Open University are not eligible.
Streams of Psychology Study
Psychology has a variety of streams and subjects which can be looked upon before choosing your career or study plan. Here, we give you some of the most popular streams of psychology –
Industrial Psychology
People who wish to work in the corporate side with their psychology degree have a specialized scope in the Human Resource (HR) departments of companies. With this stream as your major subject, you can work in corporate industries to help people lessen their stress and encourage them to work together in a better way leading to the progress of the company.
Counseling Psychology
If you feel you can make people feel better with the power of words and beliefs, counseling psychology can certainly be your expertise area of study. Most of the schools or educational institutions these days tie up with counselors to keep a check on the mental health of their students. Some of the state governments have encouraged the roles of special educators and child psychologists as mandatory practices to improve the education process.
Clinical Psychology
Students who want to work towards improving mental beings or help people with depression can choose Clinical Psychology as their subject.
Top 7 Psychology Courses in India
Students who want to do a psychology course in India must have the skills necessary to excel in the field of psychology. In addition to technology and skills in India, top universities and institutions also focus on a student to grow and master the course of their choice. We bring you to the list of the top seven colleges to study psychology courses in India.
1.IGNOU
Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) offers a variety of programs and courses for students, which can be done in the regular, distance, or online format. Listing the top psychology colleges in India, IGNOU has diverse disciplines in the field of psychology and students can opt for a school, undergraduate, postgraduate, or an advanced diploma course. The psychology courses offered by IGNOU are as mentioned below:
- BA in Psychology.
- MA in Psych Psychology
- Masters in Anthropology
- PG Diploma in Mental Health
- Gandhi Postgraduate Certificate
- Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology
Admission Process: For admission in IGNOU, candidates must first apply online. There are two sessions for which candidates can apply for admission. January and July. For admission in Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses, admission will be given on a merit basis once the candidates complete the application forms. For doctoral-level courses, the students are needed to appear for the entrance examination conducted by IGNOU at their centers.
2. University of Mumbai
The University of Mumbai is another name in the list of top psychology colleges in India. The Department of Psychology at the University of Mumbai offers admission to all degrees – Postgraduate, Ph.D., and Advanced Diploma courses in psychology for the candidates to choose from. The four streams taught in the Master of Arts in Applied Psychology are Clinical, Consulting, Industrial, and Social. The psychology courses offered by the University of Mumbai are as follows:
- MA in Applied Psychology
- Ph.D. in Applied Psychology
- Advanced Diploma Course in Psychology (Clinical, Consulting, Industrial, Social)
Admission Process:
Admission in Applied Psychology is by entrance test followed by a personal interview of the candidate. The application can be filled in online. For candidates applying for a Ph.D., the candidates should present their research work during the interview process as a mandatory requirement.
3. The University of Ahmedabad, School of Arts and Sciences
One of the upcoming names in the choice of psychology universities in the country is the Ahmedabad University School of Arts and Sciences. The candidates have all the subjects here and can choose their area of interest to pursue a BA in Psychology. This course introduces theories of behavioral studies and gives good exposure to the students to theory and research in the field of psychology.
The reason why the University of Ahmedabad lists the top psychology colleges in India is that here the various disciplines in the study of psychology are included along with covering the major curricula of the scope of it.
Admission Process:
Students who have applied for admission in the undergraduate courses will be checked upon their 10th and 12th percentage. Students will also be asked to write a personal statement on their interests and dreams to analyze their ‘why’ to choose psychology. A personal interview over skype will be the last step of the process.
4. Jesus and Mary College
One of the most prestigious colleges in India is Jesus and Mary College (JMC) in the capital city of New Delhi that offers a wide variety of undergraduate courses. Affiliated with the University of Milli, the Department of Psychology at JMC teaches students various aspects of life that include knowledge, emotion, behavior, and spirituality. With a diverse range of subjects, JMC ranks among the top psychology colleges in India. The most popular course at JMC is BA (Hons) in Psychology.
Admission Process:
For admission to the college, the candidates will get admission only after completing the cut-off list prepared by the University of Delhi. Candidates who have completed the cutoff lists are admitted to the college.
5. Loreto College, Kolkata
While making a list of top psychology colleges in India, one of the oldest names in the country is the Loreto College of Kolkata. The institution offers undergraduate courses in Psychology. Whether you come from any stream, science, arts, or commerce, Loreto College in Kolkata offers elective courses in the field of psychology and candidate courses as well. Candidates affiliated with the University of Calcutta can view and choose from the various Psychology courses offered by Loreto College.
- BA (Hans)
- BSc (Hans)
Admission Process:
For admission to Loreto College, students must meet the eligibility criteria given on their website before applying for admission. Eligible candidates can also apply for admission online and pass through the first step. Candidates are required to appear for the entrance test, followed by a personal interview.
6. Christ University, Bangalore
The Christ University of Bangalore lists the top psychology colleges in India as it offers different courses to the candidates including various subjects to choose from. The Department of Psychology was one of the first to be discovered at Christ’s institution.
The department offers several programs, including online certifications that encourage students to pursue career and life missions that integrate psychological awareness and a stable job. The courses offered by Christ University are mentioned below:
- B.A. in Communications, English, and Psychology
- B.A.in Psychology, Sociology, Economics
- B.A.in Arts, English, and Psychology
- B.A.in Theater, English, and Psychology
- MS/MSc in Educational Psychology
- MSc in Psychology (HRDM)
- MSc in Behavioral Sciences
- MSc in Psychology (Clinical)
- MSc in Counseling Psychology
- MSc in Psychology (HRDM)
- Diploma / PG Diploma in Psychology
- Master of Philosophy in Psychology (MPhil)
- Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology
Admission Procedure:
Candidates must apply online for admission in Psychology at Variety and apply for the Christ University Entrance Test (CUET). Eligible candidates can apply for the desired course offered at the University. Candidates appearing for the campus entrance exam will be called for an interview. Candidates who have applied for MPhil or Doctoral courses should present their research work during the interview.
7. IIPR (Indian Institute of Psychology and Research)
Indian Institute of Psychology and Research also makes a good choice to go for a psychology course in India. With a major focus on psychology streams, IIPR offers students a wide variety of subjects including journalism, marketing, economics. Candidates should clear the entrance test/interview and step into the institute as per the eligibility criteria. The syllabus and eligibility criteria are available on the official website of the college.
Courses offered in IIPR
- BA (Psychology, Marketing, Economics)
- BA (Psychology, Journalism, Women’s Studies)
- BA (Journalism, Psychology, Alternative English)
Admission Process:
The admission process for undergraduate and postgraduate are different when it comes to psychology courses in India.
UG: For admission in undergraduate courses at the Institute, candidates must meet the eligibility criteria prescribed by the Institute, the candidate must have passed the tenth class from a recognized university and achieved at least 40%.
Eligible candidates should apply, and shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview. Candidates can opt for an online interview as well as interviews for interviews. Eligible candidates will be called to the institute to complete the admission process.
PG: For admission in Postgraduate courses at the Institute, candidates should take Psychology as a major subject in their bachelor’s and meet at least 40% eligibility criteria. Eligible candidates are required to appear for the entrance test, followed by a personal interview. Eligible candidates will be called to the institute to complete the admission process.
You have many options to take the educational path in psychology courses in India and it is wise to know what career each degree can open a wide range of chances for growth and learn for you. Invest your skills in the right direction and make your ambitions reach their destination.
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