Psychology is one of the most interesting and exciting sciences. Therefore, it is not surprising that an increasing number of graduates are planning to enroll as a psychologist and connect their lives with this type of activity.
Psychological assistance is important, and sometimes simply irreplaceable, in various life situations. Even simple advice from a qualified specialist can solve the problems of citizens in need of psychological support.
The profession of a psychologist is not only in demand, but also well paid. This type of activity involves constant personal development against the backdrop of continuous exploration of the spiritual facets of patients in need of help.
If you decide to master psychological skills at a professional level, you should choose a university and carefully prepare for the entrance exams. We will talk about which subjects to take and what is needed to become a psychologist in
In the following video you will learn everything about the profession of “Psychologist”:
Entrance exams
The most important step on the path to acquiring the desired profession is preparation for entrance examinations. Each educational institution has its own requirements for applicants. The nuances of the educational program of a particular university are reflected in the list of entrance exams.
It is better to ask the admissions committee of the chosen educational institution about which subjects you need to take to become a psychologist. However, there are a number of general rules for psychology departments.
The mandatory entrance program for this area includes exams in:
- Russian language;
- mathematics;
- biology.
Future psychologists entering after 11th grade, in addition to the Unified State Exam in Russian language, mathematics and biology, will have to pass social studies.
A number of educational programs for training psychologists are closely related to medicine. You can increase your chances of successfully entering a university after receiving secondary specialized medical education.
To enter a medical college, 9th grade graduates will need to successfully pass entrance examinations in the State Examination Form according to:
- Russian language;
- mathematics;
- biology;
- chemistry.
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.
Choosing an educational institution
Where you need to enroll as a psychologist depends on the goals of the future specialist. If an applicant plans to engage in scientific activities in the future, it is worth inquiring about the availability of an Academic Council at the university (for the possibility of defending candidate and doctoral dissertations).
To obtain basic knowledge within the framework of educational programs (bachelor's, master's and specialist's degrees), it is enough to have information about the ranking of the university and the level of the educational and methodological base. An important criterion is the accreditation of the educational institution. When hiring, this condition will be considered first.
Distance learning methods are becoming increasingly popular. This method of acquiring knowledge is more relevant for self-development. You should not count on full-fledged psychological education through remote access.
Young people who want to fully embrace the resources of the educational and methodological base and acquire practical skills are recommended to enroll in full-time studies. This type of training will provide the student with the opportunity to replenish their knowledge every day (taking into account personal consultations with representatives of the teaching staff of the educational institution).
For busy applicants (or already established specialists in another field), the best option is distance learning. Here you have the opportunity to gain knowledge without interrupting your work activity.
| List of the most popular educational programs in the specialty “Psychologist” | ||
| Direction | Number of universities (in Russia) | Cost of training on a commercial basis (for 1 year, minimum) |
| Psychology | 67 | 20 100 |
| Social pedagogy | 28 | 27 870 |
| Psychological support for professional activities | 5 | 99 500 |
| Educational Psychology | 29 | 28 288 |
| Pedagogy of additional education | 3 | 30 900 |
| Psychology and pedagogy of vocational education | 4 | 29 000 |
| Pedagogical prevention, correction and rehabilitation | 8 | 40 000 |
| Social Psychology | 21 | 28 288 |
| Psychology of management | 13 | 34 300 |
| Diagnosis and consultation of persons with disabilities | 2 | 38 800 |
| Practical psychology | 3 | 31 800 |
| Special education (defectological) | 3 | 40 000 |
| Development and education of personality | 2 | 44 000 |
| Pedagogy of gifted children | NSPU (Novosibirsk) | 50 000 |
| Psychological assistance to the population using remote technologies | MGPPU (Moscow) | 120 000 |
| Neuropsychological rehabilitation | TSU named after Derzhavina (Tambov) | 102 000 |
| Pathopsychological diagnosis and therapy | 9 | 90 500 |
| Clinical psychology | 21 | 80 500 |
| Social psychological practice | NITGU (Tomsk) | 56 000 |
| Speech therapy and special psychology | 2 | 29 000 |
| Clinical and psychological assistance to children and families | 8 | 90 500 |
| Child practical psychology | KubSU (Krasnodar) | 36 400 |
| Legal psychology | 3 | 37 000 |
| Psychology of the Fashion Industry | RSU named after Kosygina (Moscow) | 190 000 |
| Penitentiary psychology (work with convicts) | 2 | 88 000 |
| Psychology of emergencies and extreme situations | 7 | 90 110 |
| Pedagogy of deviant behavior | 2 | 88 930 |
| Psychology of family relationships | IKBFU Kanta (Kaliningrad) | 129 000 |
| Applied psychology | KemSU (Kemerovo) | 118 000 |
Professional Responsibilities
The work of a psychologist in the army is aimed at increasing the effectiveness of military personnel and maintaining their stable moral and psychological state. Regulatory documents define the following job responsibilities:
- analysis of the socio-psychological processes occurring in the regiment and units,
- studying the psychological qualities of personnel,
- development of proposals aimed at strengthening discipline and crime prevention,
- providing psychological assistance to those soldiers and officers who have signs of neuropsychic instability,
- assistance to military personnel and members of their families in psychological adaptation to the conditions of military service,
- carrying out work to maintain combat readiness,
- psychological selection of personnel,
- interaction with medical services,
- methodological work to ensure psychological and pedagogical training of military personnel,
- creating conditions to counteract the negative psychological impact on personnel,
- informing senior officials about the work done and activities carried out.
Ideally, to solve all these diverse problems, a psychologist should collect and process information about the individual personal qualities and psychological state of each soldier. This knowledge, among other things, also makes it possible to assess the professional capabilities of a serviceman, which makes it possible to clarify for him the most productive type of military specialization. The psychologist reports his observations to his superiors, but the dissemination of information should not be used to the detriment of military personnel and members of their families.
Exams
We will consider in more detail what exams you need to take to obtain the specialty “Psychologist”.
Military psychologist
Military psychologists are quite popular specialists. This profession covers several areas of psychology: clinical, conflict, rehabilitation, social, etc. The shortage of such specialists is due to their versatility and high level of training.
You can master the profession of a military psychologist not only at a military university, but also on the basis of a civilian higher educational institution (retraining programs). It is recommended to find out which subjects need to be taken as a psychologist at a military university by personally contacting the admissions committee.
The list of main major subjects for admission to the Faculty of Psychology corresponds to the generally accepted ones (Russian language, mathematics, biology).
In addition to standard exams, in order to enter a military university or an institution of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, good physical preparation is required. The applicant will have to pass the standards. In addition, you need to pass a professional psychological selection test.
Child psychologist
Child psychologists are especially in demand, since this area is not popular. Working in preschool institutions and specialized children's centers requires increased responsibility and complete dedication.
What exams you need to take to become a child social psychologist depend on your specialization (speech therapists, defectologists). In any case, compulsory subjects (Russian language, mathematics, biology, social studies) are included in the entrance examination program.
Clinical psychologist
The specialization of a clinical psychologist touches on medical aspects, but does not allow one to fully work with borderline states of patients (neuroses, psychoses, phobias). The competence of a clinical psychologist includes the study of the patient’s psyche and its psychocorrection using psychological techniques.
Treatment of mental disorders requires the help of specialists with higher medical education (psychiatrist, psychotherapist). What subjects to take to become a psychotherapist depend on the profile of the faculty of the medical university.
What is the difference between a psychologist, psychotherapist and psychiatrist, see the picture:
The list of mandatory entrance exams for obtaining the specialty of a clinical psychologist (as well as for a psychotherapist) includes:
- Russian language;
- mathematics;
- biology.
Where should a psychologist apply?
Just as psychologist is not a rare profession, universities that teach psychology are also not rare. Meanwhile, a lot depends on the choice. For some it is a matter of the prestige of the diploma, for others it is specialization and interesting practices, for others the location close to home is important (although we do not approve of this!).
We are sharing with you a list of the best universities in Moscow where you can get a psychology degree.
- Moscow State University
- National Research University Higher School of Economics
- RNIMU named after. N.I. Pirogov
- RSUH
- RUDN University
- RANEPA
- MPGU
- MGPPU
- MPSU
- MSPU
Pros and cons of the profession
The following video is for those who are faced with a choice whether to go or not to study as a psychologist:
The profession of a psychologist is an interesting and multifaceted activity that requires dedication. Therefore, the future specialist must understand that working with the psyche of patients involves not only positive, but also emotionally difficult moments.
The positive aspects of the work of a psychologist include:
- constant self-development;
- building competent relationships with others (taking into account psychological skills);
- developing a tolerant attitude towards people in need of psychological correction;
- decent wages.
The difficult aspects of the profession are presented as:
- a high level of responsibility for the mental balance and actions of their patients;
- emotional “burnout” (a professional is forced to “pass through” every story).
History of the profession
From the very first organized military operations in the history of mankind, the motivation and fighting spirit of warriors was placed at the forefront by military leaders. The promise of material and non-material rewards in case of victory and punishment in case of defeat, intimidation of the enemy with war paint, shouts and frightening outfits, personal example of the commander, etc. - all this was supposed, on the one hand, to exert psychological pressure on the enemy, and, on the other, to prepare their soldiers for battle. Those leaders who took into account the psychological component achieved the most impressive victories, and their names remained in history.
However, military psychology as a separate discipline did not find development for a long time. The full need for a specialist, ready not only to motivate, but also to provide qualified psychological assistance, was realized later. In the 21st century, when information began to be considered as an independent factor influencing victory, and the methods of transmitting information multiplied many times over, the role of psychological control increased.
In Russia, the position of regimental psychologist in the Armed Forces was introduced only in 1992, as a result of an analysis of educational work among personnel. A little later, the positions of battalion psychologists and psychologists of Centers (Points) for psychological assistance and rehabilitation appeared.
However, since 2009, military psychologists have been “removed from their shoulder straps”, transferring job functions to civilian personnel with a change in not only their status, but also the format of remuneration. Maintaining the workload while reducing salaries gradually began to lead to a shortage of personnel. Currently, a large-scale reform is being carried out in the armed forces of the Russian Federation, which is planned to be completed by 2020. It involves the return of the military to this position and the structural expansion of the institute of military psychology.
Personal qualities of a psychologist
How not to make a mistake in choosing a profession? The following picture will help:
Young people who want to become excellent specialists in the field of psychology must have a certain character. The predominant personal qualities of a psychologist are:
- tolerance;
- goodwill;
- equilibrium;
- determination;
- mental flexibility and clear thinking;
- developed sense of compassion;
- ability to analyze and draw correct conclusions.
The specialist must be able to listen to the patient and be aware of the degree of responsibility for the results of his activities.
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Salary of military psychologists
Before the transfer of the functions of a military psychologist to civilian personnel, an employee's salary depended on military rank, position, length of service and other factors related to military service. After this, wages dropped significantly. In some cases, they amounted to about 10 thousand rubles per month. For example, among the vacancies there are offers from 11-12 thousand rubles. in the Kaliningrad, Omsk, Samara, Kirov, Chelyabinsk regions and from 15-17 thousand rubles. – in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, in the Vologda and Novosibirsk regions. From 25-30 thousand rubles, vacancies for this position practically do not open.
Prospects for the profession
If military psychologists are given back their shoulder straps and salaries accepted in the army, the profession will be able to quickly restore its former attractiveness. Interest in it from graduates of specialized universities continues unabated even now. And the army reorganization program in terms of providing psychological training to personnel makes these prospects real. Taking into account the fact that the success of tactical activities still depends on the readiness and motivation of a soldier in a modern army in everyday service and especially during combat operations, good opportunities open up for the development of the profession.
