Educational Psychologist

For the general well-being of a person, mental health plays an important role as much as physical health does. However, mental health is always neglected, especially among students. A recent WHO study revealed that one in every seven 10-19 year old has experienced mental health issues. Also, in the 15-19 age group, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death. Adolescents are often uncomfortable talking to their parents about mental health issues. Here, the role of an Educational Psychologist comes into play. If you want to create your career in Educational Psychology, and are looking for a complete guide that will explain the nitty-gritties of the profession, continue reading this blog.

Courses	BA or BSc/MA or MSc/MPhil or PhD in Educational Psychology
Duration	UG – 3years PG – 2 years MPhil – 2 years PhD – 2 to 4 years
Average Salary	INR 7.72 – 9.72 Lakhs
Employment Areas	Academic settings, Private consultant, Community environments, Hospital trust and charitable organization, Nurseries and special units etc.
Documents Required	Degree certificate, License etc.

Career as an Educational Psychologist

Educational psychology is a sub-branch of psychology and is dedicated to children and adolescents.

Educational psychologists deal with various problems varying from socio-economic troubles, peer pressure, behavioural issues, and stress. They employ various methods to assess the problems their clients face, understand the proper cause, and provide solutions accordingly.

There are many job opportunities available for Educational Psychologists. The scope is increasing as more people become aware of mental health issues.

Key Responsibilities of Educational Psychologist

Some of the basic responsibilities that an educational psychologist has to shoulder are:

• Assess a child’s emotional and learning needs.
• Design and develop therapeutic and behaviour management programs to cater to different child’s needs.
• Suggest approaches to support the best educational environment for a child.
• Advice educational professionals and parents on how to cater to a troubled child’s needs.
• Diagnose the learning disabilities if faced any by a child.
• Conduct active research.
• Develop and apply programs and actions that will help boost the well-being of children.

Skills Required to Become Educational Psychologist

When dealing with small children and adolescents, certain skills become necessary for an educational psychologist.

• Strong interpersonal communication skills: Educational psychologists need these skills to deal with parents, students, teachers, and other professionals daily.
• Empathy is also another important skill that an educational psychologist must possess. It helps them build a rapport with their students and instil confidence in patients.
• Good public speaking skills
• Eye for detail

How to Become an Educational Psychologist: Step-By-Step Guide

Mentioned down below is a step-by-step guide on how to become an educational psychologist.

1. Earn your bachelor’s degree in psychology. It is generally a three-year bachelor’s program. Depending upon the educational institution, you might be allowed to specialize in one or more areas of psychology.
2. Next is earning a master’s degree in educational psychology. You can also consider earning a doctorate in educational psychology as that will help obtain higher roles leadership opportunities.
3. Once you complete your education, you need to obtain a license. One of the license requirements is completing more than 1200 hours of internship. Therefore, enrol yourself in internship programs to acquire exposure and experience.
4. You must take the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology, i.e. EPPP.
5. Once you pass the exam, you have to obtain your state licensure. Then, you can apply for jobs in your state. (India-based)

In different countries, the process of obtaining a license may vary. You should be aware of the different rules and regulations that prevail.

Also Read: Best Countries to Study Psychology

Educational Psychologist Courses

Courses available for Educational Psychology (UG, PG, PhD) include:

Level	Courses
UG	BA/ BSc in Psychology
PG	MA/ MSc in Educational Psychology, MPhil in Educational Psychology
PGD	PG Diploma in Education in Society
Doctorate	PhD in Educational Psychology

 Top Universities Abroad

Top universities abroad to pursue a degree in Psychology as per QS World University Rankings 2023 are: 

Rank	Name of University
#1	Harvard University, Cambridge, USA
#2	Stanford University, USA
#3	University of Oxford, UK
#4	University of Cambridge, UK
#5	University of California, Berkeley, US
#6	University of California, Los Angeles, US
#7	University College London
#8	Yale University , US
#9	University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
#10	Massachusetts Institute of Technology, US

Top Colleges in India

Some of the top psychology colleges in India as per NIRF Rankings are:

#1	Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi
#2	Jai Hind College, Mumbai
#3	Fergusson College, Pune
#4	St. Xaviers, Mumbai
#5	Tata Institute of Social Science
#6	Ambedkar University, Delhi
#7	Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi

Also Read: Best Colleges for Psychology

Eligibility Criteria

UG Courses

• For BA: Candidates must obtain a minimum aggregate of 45% in their 10+2 exams conducted from a recognized board
• For BSc: Candidate must be a student of science stream and obtain a minimum aggregate of 45% in their 10+2 exams conducted by a recognized board

PG Courses

• For MA and MSc: candidates must obtain a minimum aggregate of 50% in their BA and BSc exams, respectively, conducted by a recognized University.

MPhil Courses

• Candidates must complete an MA or MSc in Educational Psychology from a recognized University and obtain a minimum of 55% aggregate.

PhD Courses

• The interested candidates must complete MA/ MSc/ MPhil in Educational Psychology from a recognized university and obtain a minimum of 60% aggregate.

Documents Required

• Pass Certificate of the degree examinations
• Certificate proof of your internship
• Result of EPPP examination
• License etc.

Application Process

To describe the application process in brief here is a quick rundown:

• First research about the colleges or universities you wish to apply to.
• Fill the application form for your chosen course and submit the application fees.
• Admission is different for each college and university. Some might be merit-based while some may conduct entrance exams.
• Once you get selected, you need to submit the required documents and the required fees to confirm the admission.
• For students abroad, the results of TOEFL/ PTE/ IELTS examinations along with LORs and SOPs are important.

Also Read: Here’s a List of Important Documents Required to Study Abroad

Scope of an Educational Psychologist in India & Abroad

As mentioned earlier, as people are getting aware of mental health issues, especially in children, the job opportunities for educational psychologists have been ever-growing. As the field of educational psychologists is extremely diverse, therefore the scope of an educational psychologist in both India and abroad is plenty.

Job Profiles & Salary 

The salary of an Educational Psychologist depends upon the educational institution he/she is working in and the work experience he/she has gathered

Category Avg. Salary
Fresher Educational Psychologist INR 2 LPA
Experienced Educational Psychologist INR 7.72 Lakh – INR 9.72 Lakh

Also Read: Scope of Psychology

Famous Educational Psychologists

Some of the eminent personalities in the field of educational psychology that one should know about are

• Albert Bandura: A famous educational psychologist who is known for the Social Learning Theory
• Howard Gardner: Produced several published books and papers on Multiple Intelligence Theory
• Jerome Bruner: Specialized in the field of human cognitive psychology and helped in developing several theories
• Jean Piaget: Introduced the theory of cognitive development
• John Dewey: Considered as the founding father of functional psychology

FAQs

Hopefully, our article was able to shed some light on the career of an educational psychologist. For more educational inquiries, visit the Leverage Edu website to get an expert opinion on various universities and courses.