Photo: Texas A&M University 

What is psychology?

An increasingly popular subject with Filipino students and in general, Psychology is the scientific study of people: how they think, how they act, react and interact. It is concerned with all aspects of behaviour and the thoughts, feelings and motivations underlying them.

Psychology is a fascinating science that deals with the study of the mind and behaviour. It has links with a variety of disciplines such as the biological, computer and forensic sciences, as well as with the humanities, such as sociology, philosophy and literature.

The common factor linking people who study psychology is curiosity and the search for knowledge.

Notable universities for psychology

Most of the world’s top universities for psychology are located in the United States and Europe. Seven of the top 10 universities are American, with the best ranked being Harvard, Stanford and Yale, according to higher education data specialists QS.

The UK has three institutions in the world’s top 10 Cambridge, Oxford and University College London (UCL). Other high-ranking British universities include King’s College London, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

The best universities for psychology in Australasia are the University of Melbourne, the University of New South Wales (UNSW), and the University of Queensland (UQ), respectively.

Why study psychology?

Psychology has a broad range of real-world applications, ranging from stress, health, mental illness, artificial intelligence and human-machine interaction, to personal development, social interaction and the environment, to name but a few.

Psychology offers good career prospects, but the skills you learn will also readily transfer to many other roles. These skills include oral and written communication, problem-solving, numeracy, computer literacy and the ability to carry out independent research.

Would you be a good psychology student?

Since the field of psychology is so broad, people with all personalities and backgrounds are drawn to the profession.

Many who enter this career path have a genuine concern for helping people overcome their mental health problems and cope with their emotions. They enjoy learning about human behaviour, why we act the way we do and the variables that influence our actions.

Others will be drawn to the research and design portion of a psychology career, which is ideal for those who enjoy math, numbers and statistical research.

Before enrolling, research the different fields of psychology to find the one you are most passionate about.

What can you do with a psychology qualification?

A degree in psychology can open up a broad range of career paths. These include market research, social work, teaching, nursing, advertising, sales, media and broadcasting, personnel management and even the police and Armed Forces.

There isn’t just one type of psychologist. Variants include:

• clinical psychologists, working in health and care settings 
• counselling psychologists, in private practice and commercial settings 
• educational psychologists, in local education authorities, schools and special schools 
• forensic psychologists, working in penal establishments, special hospitals and with young offenders 
• health psychologists, working in hospitals, health authorities and health research departments 
• neuropsychologists, helping people with brain injury 
• occupational psychologists, in management, personnel, training, selection and careers services 
• research and teaching in institutions of higher education

The possibilities with psychology are endless! Check out the psychology study options available to you today.