ASK THE EXPERTS

SANJEEV VERMA | INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION COUNSELLOR AND MANAGING DIRECTOR AT INTELLIGENT PARTNERS

Advice from the best in the UAE.

Q I am interested in pursuing psychology in college. Can you tell me what does the subject cover and what are the career opportunities?

A Simply put psychology is the study of the human mind and behaviour. The objective is to explain, predict and control mental behaviour. Psychologists use their knowledge to solve mental illness, behavioural problems, learning difficulties, depression and anxiety through psychotherapy. They also work as social scientists to conduct psychological research and teach at university.

While the profession does involve studying all elements of human behaviour and factors that motivate human behaviour, it also encompasses specialty areas like animal research and organisational behaviour. While both professions treat people for mental illness a psychiatrist unlike a psychologist is a qualified doctor. A psychiatrist can understand and diagnose the link between mental and physical problems and is authorised to prescribe medicines. Psychologists however can only address the problem through psychotherapy, which may involve cognitive and behavioural interventions. In school it is advisable that you study math, biology, chemistry or physics. In college you will study cell biology, human anatomy, genetics, and evolution – topics covered in high school biology courses.

You also have a wide gamut of options to choose from. A clinical psychologist diagnoses and treats psychological disorders like depression, personality disorders, anxiety and trauma. An educational psychologist supports teenagers attain life objectives and also understand and help deal with emotional difficulties stemming from family, social or peer pressure.

With workplace stress becoming a consistent occurrence many large corporations today use the services of an organisational psychologist to advise management and workers how best to improve relationships between peers, increase productivity and combat depression.

In the corporate world graduating with a business psychology degree could help you join the Human Resources team.

Another interesting career is that of marketing psychologist which involves understanding consumer behaviour to predict product suitability and consumer spending habits. The role also involves studying market trends and how to leverage social media for maximum effectiveness.

Apart from Ivy League and Oxbridge Universities, psychology on its own or as a dual degree combined with business can be studied at Kings College, University of Chicago, University of Melbourne, University of Toronto, University of British Columbia to name a few.