What are all the information I need to know before changing my career to Psychology?

[Rajesh Kumar M J]

I work in IT industry after finishing my UG in Mechanical Engineering in India. Now I would like to change my profession to Psychology as I feel I am passionate about it and I am interested in areas like counselling psychology, clinical psychology, cognitive etc. I need some clarifications for switching to new career.


1. Is it worth to do a PG in Psychology in distance mode in India or some other countries?

2. Can I go for MA or MSc and what is the difference between both degrees?

3. Should I join MSW course to become a psychologist/ Therapist ?

4. What are all best institutions to study is distance mode?

5. How long it will take to finish MA and PhD later?

6. What about job scope and opportunities after my degree??

7. How much it will cost to finish PG and PhD Approximately?

8. Any suggestions for me?? Thanks in advance!!!

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[PsychBiker]

1. No
2. Pragmatically, nothing
3. Probably not
4. None for psychology
5. Wut
6. Hundreds, technically
7. Nothing or over $100,000
8. Find someone in the field to talk to and dont ask such open ended questions in an online forum. Also, what the hell is a PG?

 

[Rajesh Kumar M J]

1. No
2. Pragmatically, nothing
3. Probably not
4. None for psychology
5. Wut
6. Hundreds, technically
7. Nothing or over $100,000
8. Find someone in the field to talk to and dont ask such open ended questions in an online forum. Also, what the hell is a PG?

1. No
2. Pragmatically, nothing
3. Probably not
4. None for psychology
5. Wut
6. Hundreds, technically
7. Nothing or over $100,000
8. Find someone in the field to talk to and dont ask such open ended questions in an online forum. Also, what the hell is a PG?

Thanks for your reply. PG means Post Graduate.

 

[MCParent]

I work in IT industry after finishing my UG in Mechanical Engineering in India. Now I would like to change my profession to Psychology as I feel I am passionate about it and I am interested in areas like counselling psychology, clinical psychology, cognitive etc. I need some clarifications for switching to new career.


1. Is it worth to do a PG in Psychology in distance mode in India or some other countries?

2. Can I go for MA or MSc and what is the difference between both degrees?

3. Should I join MSW course to become a psychologist/ Therapist ?

4. What are all best institutions to study is distance mode?

5. How long it will take to finish MA and PhD later?

6. What about job scope and opportunities after my degree??

7. How much it will cost to finish PG and PhD Approximately?

8. Any suggestions for me?? Thanks in advance!!!

This might be a good place to start:

http://psychologygradschool.weebly.com/

Did you want to practice in the US or India, or somewhere else? In the US, online schools are not really legit and you wouldn't be able to get licensed to practice in many states. I don't know what Indian law is on psych practice (though, getting the best training would involve moving here).

If you have an engineering degree, do you have research experience? I know several people who switched into psych after getting degrees in engineering, biology, physics, and other such areas and were able to get spots at high quality, funded (i.e., you get a tuition remission and stipend) programs.

 

[Rajesh Kumar M J]

This might be a good place to start:

http://psychologygradschool.weebly.com/

Did you want to practice in the US or India, or somewhere else? In the US, online schools are not really legit and you wouldn't be able to get licensed to practice in many states. I don't know what Indian law is on psych practice (though, getting the best training would involve moving here).

If you have an engineering degree, do you have research experience? I know several people who switched into psych after getting degrees in engineering, biology, physics, and other such areas and were able to get spots at high quality, funded (i.e., you get a tuition remission and stipend) programs.

I am planning to practice in India only. But if I found more resource and scope in US, then I can save money to apply there as I belongs to middle class family. I don't have much research experience n my domain. Thanks for your help. If you have more suggestions please do help me.

 

[Jaded Psychologist]

I am planning to practice in India only. But if I found more resource and scope in US, then I can save money to apply there as I belongs to middle class family. I don't have much research experience n my domain. Thanks for your help. If you have more suggestions please do help me.

My recommendation is keep your current career and volunteer if you want to help people. I have been in the field over 20 years and am seeing it lose it's financial power and feel good aspect. In other words, you are working more to make money but ultimately will get burned out on the compassion end. I am a VA employee and while I earn a good salary, I don't really feel like I am making much of a difference anymore. I left the VA for 8 months to do private practice and regretted that decision. If you are dead-set on a career in counseling, think about Social Work. More opportunities with less $ investment. Sorry to be such a downer but I joined the forum just to give you this advice. Good luck in whatever path you choose.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

My take--the field is certainly changing, and I'd imagine some folks are going to get crunched as a result, but I also feel as though adaptation is going to occur. Psychologists are fairly versatile in the services, skills, and expertise they can offer; we just may need to think about different ways of marketing them, recruiting clients/patients, and earning money.

The VA in particular is a unique practice environment. There's been a good bit of shuffling around over the past couple years, and that'll likely continue for the next couple years as well. It certainly differs from place to place, but there aren't many other large hospitals/hospital systems in which I've seen psychologists consistently holding high-level administrative positions, so that's at least a plus.

 

[ikibah]

Why is it when I talk to psychologist in the field they only have positive things to say about the field but the people of SDN seem to not see things that way....would prove to be an interesting study...

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

Practice setting, populations served, # of yrs in the field, and day-to-day work can vary GREATLY. If everyone was a dentist, the day-to-day wouldn't vary too greatly, but it is much different in the field of psychology. Even within my dept we have quite a range of experiences, so my day looks nothing like my colleague across the hall or the others down the hall.

It is important that students hear all different points of view, as many come in with expectations of the field that are very very contrasting from the reality.

 

[ikibah]

Practice setting, populations served, # of yrs in the field, and day-to-day work can vary GREATLY. If everyone was a dentist, the day-to-day wouldn't vary too greatly, but it is much different in the field of psychology. Even within my dept we have quite a range of experiences, so my day looks nothing like my colleague across the hall or the others down the hall.

It is important that students hear all different points of view, as many come in with expectations of the field that are very very contrasting from the reality.

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I get that but I feel like the vast majority of the people on this forum say more negative things about the field in contrast to those who I have spoken to in person who have much more positive things to say....

 

[cara susanna]

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I get that but I feel like the vast majority of the people on this forum say more negative things about the field in contrast to those who I have spoken to in person who have much more positive things to say....

Are they generally older? A lot of people on this forum are early career.

 

[WisNeuro]

I think there are some troubling aspects of the field, but I love my job and am more optimistic than pessimistic in general.

 

[ikibah]

Are they generally older? A lot of people on this forum are early career.

Hmm...I'd say most of them were pretty established in the field and maybe in their forties...That's a good call.

 

[smalltownpsych]

As early career psychologists we tend to see the problems of the field more clearly than those who entered 20 years ago. Internship crisis, declining wages, FSPS flooding the job market are some examples.