Choosing a profession is one of the most difficult decisions a student has to make in 11th grade. A living example - the activities of adults who are nearby - can help in this situation. For example, in the same school there are teachers in various subjects, as well as an accountant, a deputy, a director, a social teacher, a speech therapist, and a psychologist. How to apply to become a psychologist and who is this profession suitable for?
In this article:
What does a psychologist do?
Where does a psychologist work?
What are the names of the areas of study for a psychologist?
Where to apply?
What exams should I take?
Pros and cons of the profession
The profession has many advantages. A psychologist is an interesting job without a routine. A specialist has to think independently, draw conclusions and make decisions, and not act according to a rigid template.
The main advantage of the profession is the opportunity to help clients and make people happy. Another advantage of the specialty is that the threshold for entering a university is not the most difficult. Which Unified State Exams should a psychologist take? Most often biology and Russian, other disciplines are optional.
The main disadvantage of the profession is the need to communicate a lot with people. This is why it is believed that it is easier for an extrovert to become a psychologist. But there are exceptions. It happens that introverts achieve great professional success.
Another disadvantage of the specialty is the high emotional load and negativity that psychologists face. It can be hard in the profession for people who have a hard time dealing with other people’s problems and losses.
The third disadvantage of the specialty is the negative attitude towards psychologists in the post-Soviet space. Professionals are often considered charlatans who engage in nonsense. The main reason for this opinion is that the result of a psychologist’s work is difficult to measure and evaluate, and the results of his work largely depend on the client’s willingness to change his life.
Who is it suitable for?
Both men and women work in military psychologist positions, and with the transfer of functions to civilian personnel, there are more women than men. There is no significant physical activity in this job, but there is constant psychological stress, which requires the employee to have high resistance to stress.
Regular work outside of normal working hours is not suitable for those whose presence is constantly required at home. At the same time, the activities of a military psychologist allow for professional self-realization and improve the skills of a specialist in a wide range of psychological issues.
Personal qualities of a psychologist
Personal qualities largely determine the success of a specialist. Professor L. B. Schneider united the entire group of mandatory traits of a psychologist into the concept of “humanity.” A professional needs to be “tuned” to helping people, ready to tolerate the shortcomings of clients, to work not only with “positive” people, but also with “negative” ones, for example, abusers.
To enroll as a psychologist, you need to pass the Unified State Exam well. What subjects will you have to study? The list of disciplines depends on the requirements of a particular university and specialization.
Where should a psychologist apply?
Just as psychologist is not a rare profession, universities that teach psychology are also not rare. Meanwhile, a lot depends on the choice. For some it is a matter of the prestige of the diploma, for others it is specialization and interesting practices, for others the location close to home is important (although we do not approve of this!).
We are sharing with you a list of the best universities in Moscow where you can get a psychology degree.
- Moscow State University
- National Research University Higher School of Economics
- RNIMU named after. N.I. Pirogov
- RSUH
- RUDN University
- RANEPA
- MPGU
- MGPPU
- MPSU
- MSPU
What are the names of the areas of study for a psychologist?
The main areas of training to become a psychologist in universities:
- Psychology - involves training to become general specialists. Training allows you to acquire general knowledge and skills in the field. Graduates are engaged in consulting clients in applied areas: from business coaching to family relationships.
- Clinical psychology - involves the study of connections between mental phenomena and diseases. Involves mastering a subject at the interface with medicine. Graduates are engaged in diagnosing mental health, conducting research and psychocorrection (psychotherapy).
- Psychology of performance - aimed at mastering applied skills in supporting personnel and resolving personnel conflicts. Graduates work in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Federal Penitentiary Service, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Armed Forces, and public assistance centers.
- Pedagogy and psychology of deviant behavior involves mastering methods of working with individuals whose behavior deviates from the norm. Graduates are employed in drug dispensaries, orphanages, social protection agencies, and participate in commissions on juvenile affairs.
- Psychological and pedagogical education - provides training for teachers who work primarily with children. They help their students adapt to society and control their behavior and development. Graduates work in specialized studies. institutions, for example, in Suvorov schools, kindergartens and schools.
- Socio-psychological work with the population - training is aimed at mastering the skills of providing social services to the population. Specialists work in rehab centers, public organizations, and large enterprises.
One of the most popular areas is “Psychological consulting and coaching.” Preparation for a profession involves developing skills in working with people’s motivation and getting rid of negative behavior or thinking. Graduates work in private clinics, for themselves, and in companies.
What does a psychologist do?
We often hear about the work of a psychologist - in films, in educational institutions or from friends. Just by the very name of the profession, one can assume that he deals with the human psyche, that is, he helps solve psychological problems.
By psychologists, most people mistakenly mean other specialists, not always understanding how they differ:
- The work of a conflict specialist is related to the prevention and resolution of various conflict situations in interpersonal interaction;
- A psychotherapist is a doctor who can combine psychological techniques with medical methods by prescribing drug therapy. He works with neurosis-like conditions and long-term psychological problems - apathy, depression, phobia;
- A psychotherapist who practices with psychoanalytic methods is called a psychoanalyst ;
- A psychiatrist is a doctor who is consulted for mental illness. Its basic task is to analyze the physiological causes of the disease and prescribe appropriate treatment.
Who is a psychologist? This is a specialist, not necessarily with a medical education, who is engaged in counseling mentally healthy people experiencing emotional difficulties, crises, or wanting to change their lives.
Where does a psychologist work?
It is a mistake to believe that psychologists most often engage in private practice. Of course, now such activities have become much more popular, but in fact, a psychologist can be found in any area that involves interaction between people. If you are afraid that you will not be able to find a job after graduation, know that this is not the case.
- Teaching at the university. You can teach students psychology as your teachers once explained it to you;
- Working in the education system. In kindergarten, school and the same university, people are needed who can provide psychological assistance to students;
- Hospitals and clinics. There it is necessary to support and restore the psychological health of department patients and their relatives;
- Police and prosecutor's office. In this area, the psychological state of employees is very important, therefore, in addition to selecting personnel, the psychologist is involved in strengthening discipline and carrying out prevention;
- Firms and organizations. Employees of a legal, IT, or financial company may also need psychological support and help with conflicts in the team. It’s also partly being a teacher, because you need to teach people how to communicate and influence effectively.
What qualities should a future psychologist have?
The effectiveness of psychological assistance is influenced not only by experience and skills. Special personal qualities are considered quite important for a specialist. One of the key traits of a good psychologist is empathy. It lies in the ability to “read” the feelings and emotions of clients. If a specialist remains deaf to suffering and anxiety, normal work will not work.
Other important qualities of a psychologist:
- desire to help people;
- flexibility;
- tolerance;
- curiosity;
- observation;
- ability for self-reflection;
- ability to listen to the client.
An important quality of a specialist is responsibility. The psychologist must evaluate and predict the consequences of using techniques and techniques. The professional is obliged to ensure the confidentiality of meetings and to prevent the client from becoming dependent on the consultant.
How to build a career
Previously, the career of a psychologist in the army still remained primarily an officer’s career, with promotions in rank and obtaining new positions characteristic of this type of activity. In the armed forces of the Russian Federation, a vertical hierarchy system was created, which allowed for career growth in the psychological direction: an officer became a supervisor of higher authorities, which controlled and analyzed the activities of subordinate military psychologists.
However, since 2009, there has been a tendency to change the status. Military psychologists continued to perform their work, but as “civilian personnel,” which significantly reduced career opportunities.
Therefore, the subsequent professional growth of a specialist was often associated not with the army, but with civilian activities in public and private companies and corporations, in training centers for personnel training. The specialist could find application for his professional skills in the promising professions of a business trainer, coach, and mediator.
Exams
Basic subjects for entering a university in the areas of psychology: Russian language and biology. In addition to standard disciplines, graduates are offered a choice of courses: foreign language, mathematics, social studies. Passing scores vary and depend on the internal policies of a particular educational institution.
In addition to standard requests, there are separate university requirements for certain areas.
Military psychologist
The profession of a military psychologist requires training in several areas at once. This includes clinical psychology, conflict management, rehabilitation, and socialization. The main specialized subjects for military areas correspond to the standard ones. This is biology, Russian, mathematics.
In addition to the standard Unified State Examination, when entering military universities and educational institutions, the Ministry of Emergency Situations is required to pass physical training standards. In addition, you will have to pass a test for selection based on professional and psychological qualities.
Child psychologist
In areas related to child psychology, there are several required subjects for admission. These are biology, Russian, mathematics and social studies. The specific list of subjects depends on the specialization (for example, speech therapist, speech therapist, etc.).
Salary of military psychologists
Before the transfer of the functions of a military psychologist to civilian personnel, an employee's salary depended on military rank, position, length of service and other factors related to military service. After this, wages dropped significantly. In some cases, they amounted to about 10 thousand rubles per month. For example, among the vacancies there are offers from 11-12 thousand rubles. in the Kaliningrad, Omsk, Samara, Kirov, Chelyabinsk regions and from 15-17 thousand rubles. – in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, in the Vologda and Novosibirsk regions. From 25-30 thousand rubles, vacancies for this position practically do not open.
Why do I want to become a psychologist?
Before choosing a direction and looking for an educational institution, answer yourself the question: “Why do I want to become a psychologist?” This is a very serious topic, so it will be better if you do this in writing and alone. You can even write an essay on this topic, after thoroughly studying and thinking about it.
It is likely that during the search process you will discover some important skills and abilities that you possessed, but did not attach importance to them. And perhaps you will be able to highlight some areas in which you will succeed as a specialist or individual.
Perhaps you are attracted to group work or individual counseling; this also matters when choosing a profession. Group counseling attracts leaders and people with an active lifestyle.
Therefore, analyze your own skills. If you are a good organizer, people around you listen to you, you know how to attract people with an idea and plan, you are able to distribute responsibilities and keep the situation under control - group counseling is suitable for you.
If you prefer thematic conversations in a one-on-one format, try to get to the bottom of the truth and thoroughly understand each specific case, you will be able to become an individual consultant.
Over the past few years, the direction of “coaching” has been gaining popularity - when a person becomes a trainer in the field of personal or professional growth, working remotely or live, individually or with a group.
In any case, to become successful, you need a serious amount of knowledge and experience in your chosen field. Only such a specialist can people trust their problem and will be willing to pay for his services.
Admission after 11th grade
When a student decided to study as a psychologist after 11th grade, he set a goal for himself, for the sake of which he should prepare for exams. The better an applicant is prepared for future difficulties, the easier the exams will be for him. It is important that the student does not succumb to pressure or stress.
The current Unified State Examination system allows you to take the test only once: final exams at school serve as an assessment for entrance testing. The student’s primary task is to pass exams and prepare for additional interviews at the university.
Examination process
To enter a university, a student takes mandatory and specialized exams - these are assessment tests that will show how ready the student is to absorb new knowledge. An important step for him is choosing a profession that requires a lot of strength and patience. Based on the results of these assessments, he is accepted into the chosen faculty or given recommendations on what subjects he needs to master before the next year.
Taking additional exams without aspirations for further studies is useless. Before taking the exams, you need to decide on an educational institution and clarify the subjects that are required to be passed. You can enroll as a psychologist after 9th or 11th grade with a certificate of secondary education.
University choice
If an applicant wants to engage in scientific activities in the future, it is necessary to find out whether there is an Academic Council at the university.
To gain basic skills, just inquire about the rating and the level of the educational and methodological basis. The main thing is to have accreditation, which will facilitate employment later.
Anyone who wants to fully understand the intricacies of the profession and gain theoretical and practical skills is better off enrolling as a full-time student. This way, you will be able to increase your knowledge every day with the help of competent and competent teachers.
Correspondence and distance learning
Distance learning methods are quite popular. But you need to understand that they are more relevant in terms of self-development. By giving them preference, you should not count on receiving a full education.
Already working applicants will benefit from the opportunity to obtain a specialty without interrupting their work activities. It will be necessary to interrupt it only for the duration of the sessions.
Ask a question
How to become a psychotherapist without medical help. education
The professional development of a psychologist can occur according to two branches of training: medical and humanitarian. It is enough for a general specialist to be a humanist. He will be able to work in a school, kindergarten, private company or research institute, that is, consult, provide psychological support, but not correct mental disorders. Only an educated physician can be an employee of healthcare institutions.
Features of the specialty
The profession of psychologist has been in great demand over the past 10 years. At school, at an enterprise or in a large office, such a specialist provides indispensable assistance, building the right relationships in the team.
The Faculty of Psychology is the result of a conscious choice and long-term study. It is impossible to master a profession with high social responsibility in one day. Training to become a psychologist takes place over 5–6 years using theoretical knowledge. The more a person studies, the easier it is for him to understand people and their behavior, knowing the psychotypes of the individual.
A psychologist studies human nature: he understands how actions lead to certain results. This is a specialist who can explain the nature of fear, find the root cause of a phobia or obsessive thoughts. If a person cannot understand what is happening to him, then the psychologist is an assistant, a guide to hidden thoughts and feelings.
Main responsibilities
The psychologist's specialization includes:
- patient counseling;
- conducting individual and group sessions of psychological assistance;
- compiling tests, developing business and educational games;
- The holding of trainings;
- reporting;
- personnel selection (in large companies), adaptation of workers to new working conditions.
The activity of a specialist involves assessing the mental state and personal qualities of the patient, identifying the causes of an unsatisfactory mental state, and providing assistance in difficult situations.
What does it take to become a psychologist?
What does it take to become a psychologist if the desire to have this profession is strong and conscious? To begin with, you should choose a direction and specialization that you intuitively like and for which you will begin to prepare.
What do you want to become? Consulting psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist? These are different professions and concepts, they have different preparatory bases and differ in methods and methods of treatment depending on the stage of the disease.
One way or another, you will additionally have to choose the direction of the school.
Today, the main ones are the following:
- neurolinguistic programming (NLP);
- synthon approach;
- Gestalt therapy;
- psychoanalysis.
It is important to understand that the foundations of knowledge that are laid in these schools vary; often specialists from different schools do not agree with each other in diagnoses, approaches, counseling methods, and treatment.
To choose who to join and begin specialized training, it is recommended to attend classes in all areas, then make a choice and decide on what is closer.
What to do if you graduated from school many years ago
First you need to pass exams in the form of the Unified State Exam (Unified State Exam) in those subjects that are necessary for admission.
If more than three years have passed since passing the exams, then such results will not be accepted. You need to take them again. It is better to find out how to do this at the educational administration institutions that are located at your place of residence. Specialists from these institutions have operational information, since they take part in the organization and conduct of the Unified State Exam.
Career
Depends on the ability of the psychologist himself to constantly improve and grow in the professional field, to expand the skills and techniques used. Its demand also plays a significant role. In the company, with due diligence, he will be able to rise from the ranks of an ordinary employee to the deputy head of the personnel department. If everything goes well, over time it will be possible to open your own office to provide psychological support to the population. All this is possible only with the necessary education and a tireless desire to constantly improve.
