Although progression paths are depicted as solid lines in the diagram, it is never this straightforward in reality. The likelihood of progression from one stage to another varies with academic results, relevant working experiences, GRE scores (where applicable) and other university-specific requirements.
Essentially, there are two general paths in Psychology:
Research
Commonly known as the “academia path”, you will be
actively involved in research (data collection, data analysis, literature
review ect.). You will most likely be working in universities (or government
bodies), with a team of Research Assistants, Research Associates and
Professors. Depending on your field of research, participants that you deal
with may be preschool children, adults or the elderly. Usually, you will also
be involved in lecturing and mentoring.
Practice
Also known as the “practitioner path”, you will be
heavily involved in therapies, interventions, ect. Depending on your field of
specialisation, you may be working in schools, Multinational Corporation (MNC),
family services or even in the prison service. In your line of work, you will
most likely deal with Social Workers, Counsellors, Psychologists and other
professionals related to the organization you work with. Your clients vary with
your position, specialization and the organization you work with.
In Singapore, the governing body for the practice of
Psychology is the Singapore Psychological Society (SPS). Although membership in
SPS does not in itself imply that one is qualified to practice Psychology in
Singapore, it is nevertheless explicitly required by some jobs. SPS membership
is also a precursor for the Singapore Registered Psychologist (SRP) membership.
Membership requirements can be found here: http://www.singaporepsychologicalsociety.org/2011/?page_id=75
If you are keen in obtaining an SPS membership, do note
that SPS only recognizes overseas Psychology programmes which are accredited by
their relevant accreditation body (do take note of this when browsing through study options). For example, if you are studying for a Bachelors of
Arts in Psychology degree awarded by a university in Australia, the programme
has to be accredited by the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APA)
for the degree to be recognized by SPS.
Visit http://www.singaporepsychologicalsociety.com/
for more information.
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