What subjects must be taken to become a psychologist in college and university?

Today, the profession of a psychologist is becoming increasingly popular. Many organizations hire a full-time psychologist; this position is mandatory in kindergartens and schools. It is not surprising that there are many young people who want to enroll in the Faculty of Psychology, both after the ninth and after the eleventh grade. In this article you will learn what subjects you need to take to become a psychologist when entering a technical school or university. You will become aware of what qualities define a good psychologist. Find out what specialized areas there are and where guys who have studied in the relevant specialty can work.

Pros and cons of the profession

The positive aspects of working as a psychologist include:

• the opportunity to understand your life and find harmony;
• the ability to provide professional assistance to people from close circles;
• the opportunity to learn new things and develop comprehensively;
• Demand for the profession – the opportunity to find a job after graduating from university;
• with constant self-development and improvement of your professional skills - good competitiveness.

The disadvantages of choosing this specialty include:

• the presence of great responsibility for the psychological health of the patient (the advice given can affect the person’s future, including causing harm);
• the need to be prepared to accept the point of view of another person, even if it completely contradicts your personal views;
• inability to refuse to solve the problem faced by the patient;
• empathy for the tragedy of the person who has applied, which can lead to personal problems and depression in a specialist if he is inexperienced and does not yet know how to let go of what he has heard.

What qualities should a future psychologist have?

Exams are only part of the tests that must be passed before being accepted into the psychology department. Before submitting them, the applicant must speak with a member of the admissions committee.

During the conversation, it is revealed whether the applicant to the university has the following qualities:

• Sociability;
• Commitment to acquiring skills;
• Lack of xenophobia (intolerance towards anything foreign);
• Tolerance;
• Friendliness;
• Sense of responsibility;
• Ability to express emotions and hide them when necessary;
• Willingness to empathize;
• Listening skills;
• Persuasiveness.

Without these skills, you will not be able to become a good psychologist. This is why many applicants are eliminated during the interview with the admissions committee.

What to take upon admission

You have already decided on the choice of your future work activity, now it is important to know what exams are needed to become a psychologist. Even if you still have a whole year ahead of you before admission, today you need to understand which school subjects you should pay attention to.

After ninth grade

Not everyone knows, but after leaving school after 9th grade, you can already take a direction in the field of psychology. Finding a technical school or college where you can study to become a psychologist is difficult. In the best case, you will be able to receive a general education program, accompanied by an in-depth study of psychology, followed by preferential admission to a university. Such colleges usually require passing:

• Russian language;
• biology;
• social studies;
• algebra.

You have a backup option - enroll in a medical educational institution, study, for example, to become a nurse or paramedic, and then enter the university to become a psychologist, on preferential terms. To enter medical college, you will need to pass the following exams:

• Russian language;
• mathematics;
• chemistry;
• biology.

After eleventh grade

If you plan to enroll after 11th grade, then for the EGE, you need to choose the following subjects:

• Russian;
• biology (major subject);
• mathematics.

Some universities may require an exam result in social studies. Therefore, it is better, having previously decided on a university, to find out which exams are preferable in this particular educational institution. In addition, some universities may require writing an essay with psychological content. It is also possible to have an interview during which the admissions committee will be interested in your personal qualities.

If you decide to learn a new profession, but graduated from school a long time ago, then you should know that in order to enroll as a psychologist, you will have to take the EGE along with school graduates.

List of documents for admission to psychology

Before visiting a university and applying to study at the Faculty of Psychology, a person needs to prepare the following documents:

• Photocopy of passport (all pages);
• 6 photographs in 3x4 cm format;
• Medical certificate institutions on health status (established sample);
• Certificate of passing the Unified State Exam (copy or original);
• Application for admission to a university (the form is taken at the university and filled out on site or at home);
• Certificate of completion of 11th grade. You can bring a photocopy, but the admissions office may require the original.

Certificates of completion of courses in the field of psychology will be added to the package of documents. In this case, originals are not required. Enough with the photocopy. Having such certificates increases your chances of being accepted into a university.

Choosing a university

When choosing an educational institution, find out which one suits you best. Here it is worth taking into account both its territorial location and the availability of a good hostel; if you are going to study in another city, it would not be a bad idea to read the reviews of those who studied there.

If we consider Moscow, the best universities where you can get a diploma in psychology are:

• Institute of Practical Psychology and Psychoanalysis;
• State Academic University of Humanities;
• Moscow State University named after Lomonosov;
• Russian State Social University;
• Institute of Psychology named after. Vygotsky.

How much do psychologists earn in Russia?

The average salary of a psychologist in Russia in 2021 was about 32 thousand per month. The amount of monthly income is influenced by factors such as length of service, field of activity, region, and the availability of opportunities to perform additional work in the specialty.

Moscow, Kazan and St. Petersburg can boast of the highest salaries.

The minimum salary for specialists ranges from 12 thousand, and the maximum is about 70 thousand rubles. Salary directly depends on length of service.

University graduates with no work experience can expect a salary of no more than 20 thousand. Along with experience, wages also increase.

It is worth noting: employees of government agencies, those working in the educational sector and the Ministry of Emergency Situations cannot boast of high earnings.

Required personal qualities

A good psychologist must have a number of special qualities.
It is important to understand that in order to become a psychologist, it is not always enough to study at university. Here, as in any professional industry, there are a number of qualities, the presence of which will help make you a good specialist. Next, we will talk about what traits you need to have in order to confidently step into the profession of a psychologist.

1. Love for continuous learning. The profession in question presupposes the need for regular self-development, expanding one’s knowledge, techniques, and mastering new practices.
2. Friendliness, ability to find a common language with any person.
3. Persuasiveness. The ability to convey your thoughts to the listener.
4. Responsible attitude towards your business.
5. Tolerance, the ability not to judge people for their actions or thoughts.
6. The ability to correctly express your emotions.
7. Having empathy, the ability to empathize with other people.
8. Ability to be a good listener. For many patients who find themselves in a psychologist’s office, it is important to be listened to and shown sympathy, sometimes they simply have no one with whom they can share their pain and relieve the psychological burden.
9. Lack of xenophobia.

If you do not currently have the above qualities, you still have enough time to develop new skills and work through fears, if any.

Who is a psychologist

Every person sooner or later came across the term “psychologist”. Today, this specialty has truly gained unprecedented popularity, so you can learn at the university, through courses, and even through videos on the Internet. And although training is now more accessible , in modern society the demand for this profession is still high.
A psychologist can be engaged in different types of activities: some conduct personal consultations with patients, simply listening and giving some advice to solve life problems, and some are engaged in recruiting personnel for a company. This profession includes a huge range of activities, so it is considered interesting for people who do not like to do the same type of tasks. Each specialist not only helps other people, but also finds something new for himself, thus developing.

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At the moment, psychology is especially needed in the field of education. Almost every school has found a teacher with a similar profile. This affects the upbringing of children and their level of education. In addition, individual psychologists who provide consultations are especially popular. These kinds of people can give advice, understand the problem and even restore the patient’s mental health. This type of work pays several times more than in government agencies, but requires more knowledge and responsibility from a specialist.

Directions in training

Many applicants do not even realize that when choosing the profession of a psychologist, they still have to choose a narrow direction. Next, we will look at what psychology options will open to you:

• clinical - the study of psychology based on its relationship with various diseases;
• special - the study of deviant behavior of people, the reasons for its occurrence, preventive measures;
• official activities - such a specialist is involved in personnel selection, assessing the health of the team, and carries out rehabilitation measures;
• consulting and coaching – help in difficult life situations, guidance on the right path;
• socio-psychological work – social support of the population, implementation of social services;
• psychological and pedagogical education – training of specialists responsible for the psychological behavior and development of children, their adaptation.

Main responsibilities

There are advantages and disadvantages to this work. The main disadvantages are the constant tension and stress that inevitably arise when communicating with patients. You should not forget about them if you want to become a practicing psychologist. The specialist's activities include:

• various tests carried out to determine the personal characteristics of clients;
• psychological trainings;
• consultations in difficult life situations;
• analysis of the influence of social, professional and other factors on behavior and thinking;
• studying the reasons resulting from the unsatisfactory condition of patients;
• therapeutic conversations, individual counseling;
• assistance in adaptation (at a new place of residence, in a different team).

Places of future work

Working with children in kindergarten is one of the possible places of work for a psychologist.

Many might have the impression that after graduation they will be able to go into private practice. However, not all graduates open their offices and begin private receptions. Most go to government agencies to gain experience; in the future, they have the prospect of moving to private firms and opening their own practice. In any case, you should not worry that, having received a diploma in psychology, you will have serious difficulties finding a job. So specialists of the chosen profession are needed:

• at the university (you can stay at the same educational institution where you previously studied, or become a teacher for new students yourself);
• in the prosecutor's office or police (adequate psychological health of employees and strengthening of discipline are very important);
• in clinics and hospitals – restoring psychological health in patients and their relatives, maintaining the well-being of employees;
• in the education system (in schools, kindergartens, colleges, universities) - providing psychological support to students;
• in organizations and firms - professional support from a psychologist may be needed by an employee of an organization of any type.

Knowing what you need to take for a psychologist, you can delve into the study of these subjects in advance. Remember that many educational institutions have preparatory courses where you can brush up on relevant subjects. When choosing the profession of a psychologist, be prepared to communicate with people, meet their problems, be able to listen, and help.

Where should you apply for this specialty?

After finding out all the details and details, you should make a rating of the best higher educational institutions that are suitable for your chosen specialty.
Before enrolling, you need to find out whether the higher education institution has laboratories, what departments exist there, and whether the university can graduate candidates or doctors of science. Little things like this speak volumes about the quality of a higher education institution. It is worth noting that after graduating from school, it is best to receive higher education in this specialty full-time. Despite the fact that this profession seems easy , it contains many subtleties and details that will be needed in the future. If you want to enroll in a master's program, you need to additionally find out everything about the necessary exams. To enroll in a master's program, you must pass psychology and other exams in general subjects (information about them is available in the admissions office).

Features of the profession

A military psychologist is a responsible and reserved person who knows how to analyze and store information. He has many responsibilities, because he needs to solve important and complex problems every day:

• professional and psychological selection of people wishing to enter military service;
• development of a set of measures aimed at strengthening discipline, patriotism and combat readiness of personnel;
• psychological preparation, adaptation and rehabilitation of people leaving or returning from a combat zone;
• counteracting negative social, informational and psychological influences to which military personnel may be exposed during their service;
• psychological counseling for military personnel and their family members;
• group classes aimed at developing mental hygiene and psychoprophylaxis;
• psychological resistance and others.

A military psychologist conducts an examination of psychological fitness, assesses the military’s readiness to perform a particular operation, analyzes the situation in a regiment or unit, identifying and correcting problems.

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.

I want to become a psychologist: where to start my career

First of all, find a job in kindergartens, schools, social and psychological institutions, as this is a suitable start for young people. In the process of activity, diagnostics, correction, and prevention are carried out (you can develop your own methodology over time).

A person with the appropriate education will find a place in a hospital, clinic, dispensary or medical center. His responsibilities will depend on this.

Large trading companies are in demand for specialists who are able to develop corporate culture, control the team building process, assess the personal qualities of staff, and prevent conflict situations.

In addition, there is always a use for a psychotherapist in law enforcement agencies and military units.

Short description

Clinical psychology methods are used in classical medical practice. This area began to actively develop at the end of the 19th century and is closely related to psychiatry. There are several sections of clinical psychology: psychotherapy, neuropsychology, psychosomatics and others. Clinical psychologists have in-depth knowledge of anatomy and medicine. The direction is wide-ranging, because specialists are responsible for the harmonious development of the psyche, adaptation, psychological support and rehabilitation of patients.