Psychology is the science of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, as well as feelings and thought. It is an academic discipline of immense scope.
Here are the best career options for BA Psychology graduates in India:
Child psychologist
Child psychologist is one of the most in-demand careers right now. Students who are graduating after completing Bachelor of Arts in Psychology are the most eligible people for this job. Child psychologists are responsible for understanding children’s behaviour, feelings and emotions and help them to deal with problems.
They may also work as researchers, seeking to find specific patterns, studying the actions of children, or providing answers for development. These professionals are uniquely equipped to deal with substance abuse and childhood issues of emotional development.
Salaries have been rising a lot lately in this field. Right now, you can expect to earn anywhere around INR 7,20,000, although a lot of stuff depends on how good you are at your job and the organization that’s hiring you. The work-life balance is good, but that usually depends on the company that you are working for.
Getting hired is a bit difficult in this industry. The job is challenging enough that you won’t be bored and it’s not so difficult that you would be demotivated. Just the perfect middle ground, if you ask us. Salaries are usually a little slow to grow in this field, but that may change sooner than you expect, given the rise of mental health advocacy.
Psychologist
Right now, Psychologist is one of the most in-demand professions in India. Students who will graduate after completing BA in Psychology are the ones who are eligible for this position. Psychologists are responsible for studying the human mind. They have to do research and that helps to understand human behaviour, mental health disorders, and mental health.
They work to promote understanding, good mental health, and memory through experimentation and counselling. These professionals can work in an environment that spans schools, hospitals, and corporations.
The real picture is that money in this sector has been steadily increasing year-by-year. You should expect to earn somewhere between INR 3,50,000-4,00,000 rupees per annum when you begin your journey in this field, but a lot depends on how good you are at your work and the company that hires you.
Only a few people who are successful enough to rise to the top are offered leadership positions. In this field, a lot of soft skills are needed, and being an introvert can work against you. A high degree of self-assurance is an absolute must. If you don’t like working in groups and have poor communication skills, this may not be the best option for you.
Clinical psychologist
Want to do something that helps people in a tangible way? Want to bring real, positive change into the world? As a BA Psychology graduate, your best bet to achieve these dreams is to become a Clinical psychologist.
So how does a clinical psychologist do all this? Clinical psychologists are responsible for treating and supervising mental health problems. Their primary task is to assess and treat mental health disorders including social and emotional disorders. They may use a variety of treatments including behavioral analysis, psychotherapy, biofeedback, marriage and family counseling.
They may work in private practices, families, mental health organizations, with couples or groups of all ages, hospitals, and socioeconomic statuses. As you can see, if you really love helping people and want to dedicate your life to such a cause, you can definitely go down this route.
Work-life balance, unexpectedly, is a bit hectic in this profession because your work life and your personal life overlaps quite a bit. What happened during ‘job hours’ may affect your mood during your off-hours.
The best part about his job is the rewarding nature of it. You can go to sleep everyday knowing that you have helped someone in their lives, and they are thankful to you for it. Growth prospects are also good, and leadership opportunities are available from a very early stage. A lot of soft skills are needed to excel in this role.
Salaries differ from organization to organization, but on average, you would be earning roughly INR 3,75,000 when you begin your career. Monetary growth is slow, but steady.
Psychology Instructor
Another option that you may not have thought of, being a BA Psychology graduate, is becoming a Psychology Instructor. Okay, sarcasm aside, becoming a Psychology Instructor is actually a really good idea. There is a reason that people automatically assume that if you graduated in psychology, you are going to become an Psychology Instructor. This career is safe, with steady demand and steady salaries.
If you have been living under a rock, here is what an Psychology Instructor does – Psychology instructors are responsible for delivering lessons on human behavior and the way the human mind works to the students. They usually teach introductory courses such as neuroscience, psychological disorders, and social disorders.
They also teach specialized courses like neuroethics, political psychology, and cognitive development. They also do research in psychology and publish their papers in academic journals. No surprises there.
I know it’s tempting, but don’t be fooled by the simplicity of that job description, the work is still work. Timings are the good ol’ 9-5, and most companies don’t allow employees to work from home, but that has changed a bit after the pandemic.
Salaries are good in this profession, with a decent amount of money being offered to freshers. Monetary growth is slow, but quite steady.
There is not a lot of travel involved in this job, but you may be subjected to a few transfers here and there. Excited? Great, start applying to Psychology Instructor jobs. Not your cup of tea? Read on, we got a few more options to help you along.
Teacher
Becoming a Teacher may seem like risky business to you, and you would not be very wrong in thinking so. There is no organized way to get into this field, and most of the hiring happens through connections and networking. But once you get in, being a Teacher is one of the most rewarding professions out there.
As a Teacher, your main work would be instructing students on a single subject, such as Math, English, and History, Science, Art or any other language. They must plan based on the curricula and cover the basic topics in algebra to advanced information on psychology.
They make administrative and budget decisions, prioritizing teaching methods, completing parent and student counselling, lecturing and discussing concepts, conducting progress reports, and keeping records in accordance.
Apart from this, you may be expected to oversee a few more things here and there, depending on who you are working for. The work is super-exciting, especially if you are into child psychology.
Growth in this industry, like many others, is directly proportional to your skills. The better you are, the more you’re paid. Period. Anyone who says that this is wrong is lying. Although predicting starting salaries is next to impossible in this line of work, here’s a number that will get you get excited – INR 3,50,000 per annum.
So these were some of the highest-paying professions that you can go for after completing a BA. in Psychology. Did you like the article and found it informative? Then please share it with fellow psychology students so that they can make well-informed decisions about their professional life. Subscribe to our newsletter to get a weekly update about the different career options added on the website.