How to Become a Psychologist

Psychologists are medical professionals that provide a vital service within communities. Whilst they cannot provide medications in the way that psychiatrists can, psychologists fulfil a key role in supporting the mental health of those that need it, and their role is varied, challenging, and important.

From how much you will earn with a psychologist salary, to what kind of psychologist jobs are available, here’s everything you need to know about how to become a psychologist:

What is a Psychologist

A psychologist is an individual who uses the scientific study and understanding of the mind and behaviour to deal with the problems of others within the real world. This could include dealing with emotional trauma, mental health issues, or simply improving their patient’s mental attitude. The role of a psychologist is a versatile one, as the nature of the profession means that you’ll rarely deal with the same problems and issues from one day to the next. It can also be a challenging profession, but its versatility means that it will suit someone who thrives in new and diverse environments.

The role of a psychologist is rarely a 9am-5pm job, but the working hours you can expect to work will depend on your area of specialism as well as on your place of work. If you are a private psychologist then you will run your own office and set your own office hours, but as many of your patients will have their own work schedule, you may find that you work evenings and weekends to suit their needs. As a clinical or forensic psychologist working in a hospital setting you can expect your working hours to be longer: these are high-pressured roles, and shift work is often required.

Where you work will also be dependent on the type of psychologist you wish to become. There are many specialisms of the profession that require that you work in a hospital setting. These include clinical psychologists, health psychologists and child psychologists. If you work in one of these positions, then it is likely that you will be working within the NHS. A considerable number of psychologists will work for themselves and have their own private offices: this will give you more flexibility to decide where you are going to work, as you can choose where you will establish your office. If you like the idea of spending your working hours in other people’s places of work then occupational psychologists, education psychologists, media psychologists and military psychologists all work in external locations as part of their working day. This can make your role feel much more varied, although you will need a vehicle (and therefore a full driving licence) to get from location to location within these roles.

Personal Qualities of a Psychologist

If you’re thinking of qualifying as, and working as, a psychologist then you will need to have the following skills and qualities:

• A strong knowledge of psychology. You can gain this either via the qualifications that you will need to practice as a psychologist, by completing relevant work experience, or a combination of the two
• You must be outgoing and confident when working with other people from all backgrounds and socioeconomic levels. This will include both your patients as well as your colleagues and peers
• To have excellent verbal communication and active listening skills. You should be able to provide counselling that is non-judgmental, creating a safe space for your patients to share their thoughts and feelings. Starting a conversation between a patient and psychologist is often the hardest part, so having the communication skills to initiate this connection will be vital
• Sensitivity to, and understanding of, the needs of others. The role of a psychologist requires a high degree of empathy, so that you can effectively handle the problems of your patients and treat those issues with the weight and respect that they deserve. No matter how small it seems, it is important to understand that dealing with each problem is key to unlocking the next
• The ability to look at statistics and conduct data analysis, and then translate this and apply it to the needs of your patients
• The ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• The ability to write and prepare in-depth reports on each of your patients that can be shared with other medical professionals, such as their primary care physician
• Strong critical thinking skills. You will need to be able to think on your feet, improvise in unexpected situations, and adapt your sessions at short notice to suit the needs of your patients. These skills will also help you to diffuse tricky situations

What a Psychologist Does

The role of a psychologist will vary depending on what kind of psychology you choose to practice and specialise in. To help you better understand which field might be right for you, here is a brief overview of some of the most popular roles for a psychologist to undertake:

• As an Educational Psychologist you will work primarily with children and young people. Your role will involve supporting those children under your care with their educational and psychological development. You will work as part of a varied team including teachers, parents, administrators, and the students themselves
• As an Occupational Psychologist you will work within larger companies, often corporations, to ensure that the working environment provided is healthy for all employees. Your knowledge and expertise will be applied to business organisational issues, and you are likely to work with both individuals and teams of people within this role
• As a counselling psychologist, you will fulfil perhaps one of the most commonly perceived roles of a psychologist. This will involve working with patients to deal with any problems they are facing within their lives: this could be economic, social, spiritual, or cultural issues. From working alongside patients with depression to helping patients to overcome the emotional impact of domestic violence, or physical and emotional abuse, this is an incredibly varied role
• As a neuropsychologist you will work exclusively with patients with brain illnesses or injuries. Your primary role will be to help them recover and/or improve their quality of life
• As a developmental psychologist, you will study human psychology at every age and stage. You will watch as humans progress through the milestones of life and seek to explain why they grow and change throughout their lifetime
• As a clinical psychologist you will be working in a medical setting, and your role will involve dealing with medical psychological issues, such as anxiety or depression. Your primary role will be to help your patients manage their clinical conditions and ultimately recover where this is possible
• As a sports and exercise psychologist you will work with athletes and other sports professionals. You will focus on helping them to improve their performance and find their motivation
• As a forensic and criminal psychologist, you will apply your knowledge of psychological theories to assist professionals with their criminal investigations. You may also work within a prison environment to support prison staff as well as to assist with the rehabilitation of offenders within these environments
• Finally, you could also work as a psychology teacher. You will work within a college, university or high school to teach the basics of psychology to students, helping them to apply this to their own studies

How Much Does a Psychologist Earn?

When working out a psychologist salary, much will depend on your level of qualifications and the working hours you choose salaries in this role are often pro-Rata’d meaning that your take home pay will be much lower if you choose to work in a part time position. The average starting salary (on a full-time basis) for a psychologist in the UK is around £24,000, whilst a more experienced psychologist can expect to earn up to £60,000.

Qualifications Needed for a Psychologist

You cannot practice as a psychologist in the UK unless you have been sanctioned by the British Psychological Society (BPS) and in order to gain this licence you will need to demonstrate an adequate list of qualifications and experience so that you can be chartered. The route to becoming a psychologist can be a lengthy one, but the rewards are worth the challenging work that you put in. Here is a full list of the qualifications you will need to become a psychologist.

• The most traditional route to become a psychologist is to secure the A-levels you need for entry to a relevant degree course. At an earlier education level, you may wish to consider studying a GCSE in psychology: this will give you a solid foundation in the scientific principles that influence human behaviour, and the typical application of psychology in the real world
• Securing an A level certificate in psychology can help you secure an undergraduate psychology degree in psychology. Whilst this isn’t a requirement for all university courses, it can give you a competitive edge if you are applying for a particularly oversubscribed course
• The best route to becoming a psychologist is to study for a degree in either psychology, early childhood and psychology, economics and psychology, law with psychology, neuroscience or psychology with criminology at university level
• Once you have completed your degree study, you will need to go on to study at a postgraduate level in order to secure a position within the role. You will need a degree at 2:1 level or higher to be accepted onto a place on a postgraduate course. The course that you study will depend on the area of psychology that you wish to specialise in. To become a neuropsychologist, for instance, you need to have specialist neuroscience knowledge and a postgraduate degree in clinical or educational psychology
• At this point you will need to gain appropriate practical experience before you are free to practice independently. This kind of practical, hands-on training gives you the opportunity to learn from experts in the industry and get a better idea of what your future, independent, engagements with patients will look like

On the Job Training

Continued Professional Development (CPD) is important if you wish to become a psychologist: this is an area that is constantly changing, and where best practice can change quickly depending on new research. For this reason, you can never consider your learning to be over, or that you are fully qualified as a psychologist. You will be expected to complete a certain number of continued professional development hours each year in order to maintain your licence to practice. CPD applies to any new information from which you would learn and develop. Some examples include:

• Work-based learning: reflecting on feedback from your patients and peers, and working to improve the services you offer based on this
• Professional activity: working with your peers to provide support and advice within a professional body
• Formal education. For example, going on formal CPD courses for psychologists or carrying out research within your area of expertise

Professional Bodies

The British Psychological Society (BPS) is the largest professional body in the UK aimed specifically at psychologists. Their primary role is to promote excellence in psychology, and they also provide support and advice to their members. As a member of the BPS, you will have access to member networks where you can connect with your peers, online communities to share the latest updates within the industry, and access to a full database of the standards and guidelines that you will be expected to adhere to as a professional within your field. What’s more, the BPS can provide access to the tools you will need to undertake your continued professional development, promoting your career with additional training and support.

There are also other professional bodies for each individual field of psychology, so the one that you will join will depend on the area of the profession that you choose to specialise in. If you become a clinical psychologist, for example, then the Association for Clinical Psychologists (ACP) would be a great body for you whilst if you become a counselling psychologist then the British Association for counselling and psychology will provide the professional support and development to best suit your needs.