The world of clinical psychology has grown tremendously throughout these years and will continue to grow and evolve due to its focus on the ever-changing needs of human and brand new approaches within the context of mental health.
Are you someone that has an interest in the human mind and behaviour? Do you enjoy working with others? Do you have the natural instinct to help others become better?
A career as a Clinical Psychologist may just be perfect for you!
What is Clinical Psychology?
Known to be one of the largest and most common areas of psychology, Clinical Psychology is the study of a specialty that provides clinical or counselling services to detect, assess and treat various types of mental illnesses including emotional and behavioural disorders. Clinical Psychologists are trained with adequate skills and knowledge to work with a wide demographic of individuals. Becoming a Clinical Psychologist is extremely important in today’s society as you will play a crucial role in showing us how and why we behave the way we do.
What do Clinical Psychologists do?
Clinical Psychologists identify mental, emotional and behavioural problems faced by clients in their daily lives. They conduct psychological tests, observations, interviews in order to diagnose pre-existing disorders or comorbids of a potential one. They will then work with the client in developing the most effective course of treatment, focusing on managing the client’s needs. Clinical Psychologists also conduct follow up sessions with their clients to ensure the improvement of their quality of life along with the effectiveness of the course of treatment, to make changes if needed. Despite many misconceptions, it is important to understand that clinical psychologists are NOT qualified to prescribe medications to treat mental illness.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Clinical Psychologist include:
- Identify and diagnose psychological, emotional and behavioural issues
- Develop and implement treatment plans to help improve client’s condition
- Work alongside client to establish goals of session and plan course of treatment to achieve the goals and needs of patients
- Monitor client’s progress throughout sessions
- Conduct research on various treatment approaches
- Publish research findings in the form of journals to aid future psychologists
- Creating and administering programs to treat and prevent social problems
What’s the Difference between a Clinical Psychologist, Psychiatrist, and Counselor?
Clinical Psychologist | Psychiatrist | Counselor |
Spends time assessing, diagnosing, treating, researching, and preventing mental health issues | Assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health issues are within the area of competence of a psychiatrist | Offer counseling services (e.g. talk therapy) on issues such as career issues, grief, transition period in life, addiction, trauma etc (Except mental illness) |
Does not have a medical background | Has a medical background | Does not have a medical background |
Treatment is done through psychotherapy (e.g. successive consultation sessions) | Able to prescribe medication in treating mental health issues | Does not provide psychological assessments and diagnosis. |
What do you learn in a Master of Clinical Psychology?
Most Master’s programmes offered in private universities focus on research, theory and practicality. You will dive into a wide range of topics that include child & adult development, diagnostic testing, clinical research as well as internal and external practicum. This programme is generally divided into 3 parts for assessment: coursework, research project and practical training. Before completion of your Master’s degree- you will usually be tested for your competency in clinical diagnostic and clinical therapy in diagnosing and treating mental health issues in hands-on, real-world settings.
Clinical Psychologists are able to work in a variety of settings upon completion of a Master’s program. Many graduates move on to work in hospitals, clinics, private centres, universities and even high schools. You will be able to use your expertise in many different contexts for different purposes.
Some of the career pathways that you can perform, besides being a Clinical Psychologist include:
- Career Counselor
- School Counselor
- Counselling Psychologist
- Family Therapist
- Marriage Therapist
*Note: Keep in mind that different career pathways chosen may have varying requirements.
Why do you need a Master in Clinical Psychology?
Earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology will only provide you with the foundation that you need, to progress towards becoming a specialized Psychologist. You will need a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology, typically taking 2 years to become a Registered Clinical Psychologist. Many Clinical Psychologists also often progress to earn a doctoral degree which requires an investment of about 6 years. However, certification guidelines to become a Clinical Psychologist vary tremendously depending on the country you wish to practice in.
In Malaysia, Clinical Psychologists are required to register with the Health Ministry under the Allied Health Professions Act to be able to practice. Besides that, you are also advised to register with the Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology (MSCP) as it means that your training is acknowledged, and that the MSCP would be able to endorse you! Further requirements would be that the member fulfills 1500 supervised hours during his/ her master degree studies, of which 700 are direct hours of work with their clients.
General Entry Requirements for Studying a Master in Clinical Psychology
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
Qualification | Scores |
Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology | Min. CGPA 2.75 |
Bachelor’s Degree in any field AND a minimum 45 credits of prerequisites modules in Psychology | Min. CGPA 2.75 |
*NOTE : Different universities have different entry requirements. Contact us for more information.
ENGLISH REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Qualification | Scores |
IELTS | Min. 6.0 |
TOEFL (IBT) | Min. 70 |
*NOTE : Different universities have different entry requirements. Contact us for more information.
Keep in mind that many universities also require applicants to go through multiple stages of assessments including interviews with clinical psychologists and personality tests as a form of entry requirement to determine the suitability of applicant for the course offered. Internships and/or practicums are strongly advised for psychology students while completing their degree.
Top Universities to Study Master in Clinical Psychology
#1 HELP University
Program Offered | Masters of Clinical Psychology |
Program Duration | 2 years (Full time) |
Intake | January |
Indicative Fee (2021) | RM 52,900 |
#2 Taylor's University
Program Offered | Masters of Clinical Psychology |
Program Duration | 2 year (Full time) |
Intake | January, March & August |
Indicative Fee (2021) | RM 53,048 (Local Students) RM 67,144 (International Students) |
#3 UCSI University
Program Offered | Masters of Clinical Psychology |
Program Duration | 1 year 8 months (Full time) 3 years (Part-time) |
Intake | January, May & September |
Indicative Fee (2021) | RM 54,500 (Local Students) RM 63,500 (International Students) |
About the Author
Raveena Rakni Suresh Raj
Leo baby & psych major
