How to Become a Psychologist: Career Guide, Courses, After 12th, Eligibility, Entrance Exams, Jobs, Salary

Steps to Become a Psychologist

To become 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, and educational quantity. 
• 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 Psychologists after 12^th 

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 in undergraduate programs in top colleges.
• The candidates can pursue undergraduate programs in B. A or B.Sc. course. The candidates can also enroll 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, behavioral 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 in 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, counselor, 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.

Psychology Courses

Some of the top courses that can be pursued to become a Psychologists are tabulated below for your reference, 

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,