Become a Psychologist

Psychologists study human behaviour in order to explain thoughts, feelings and emotions. Once they understand where behaviour is coming from, they can improve lives by offering support in the form of counselling or therapy.

  • Average salary in UK

    £34,192 (PayScale)
  • Average salary in US

    $77,761 (PayScale)
  • Average salary in Canada

    CA$76,398 (PayScale)
  • Average salary in Australia

    AU$90,000 (Seek)
Source: PayScale

What skills do you need to become a psychologist?

  • Scientific mind

    Psychologists use scientific methodologies in their work, such as clinical assessments and psychometric tests. Therefore, it’s important to understand the human brain and behaviour from a scientific perspective.

  • Empathetic nature

    Since the purpose of a psychologist is to improve the emotional wellbeing of others, you need to have an empathetic and non-judgemental nature in order to thrive in this role. Psychologists deal with very sensitive and personal issues, so you must be understanding of this.

  • Research skills

    A large proportion of the work psychologists do will involve research, so you need to enjoy research work. This might include conducting tests, interviews, assessments, observations or case studies.

  • Great communication

    You’ll be working with lots of different people as a psychologist, often with varying personalities and issues. Therefore, you’ll need to be great at communicating, particularly when it comes to listening and explaining things to others.

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