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The Psychology Students Guide
Alternatives to Studying Psychology


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There are a world of opportunites out there, and you definitely do not have to do psychology! Here are some ideas to get you started on figuring out what you might want to do:

Do a counselling course
Psychology departments, and other organisations, often develop courses intended for graduates from a range of disciplines, such as nursing, medicine, and social work, as well as psychology. These courses might teach skills and theory of counselling, but are not intended to lead to registration as a psychologist. You can find these courses by looking in higher education course guides, as described below, or you can also look at ads in the APS journal InPsych, which may be available in your university library, or else you can subscribe to the APS to receive it.

Do a specialised therapy course
There are specialised organisations around that train people in a particular type of therapy, such as psychodynamic therapy (otherwise known as psychotherapy, or psychoanalysis), gestalt therapy, rational-emotive therapy, transpersonal therapy, etc. They are not designed to lead to registration as a psychologist, but they may lead to regristration with another type of board, and practice as a specialised therapist. Often the courses are selective of their applicants and take a number of years to complete, and may involve practical work with clients, in groups, or as an individual. I'm not sure how to find out about these courses. Sometimes they are advertised in the APS bulletin InPsych, and you could try looking up likely organisational names in the Yellow or White pages, or in a local guide.

Study in a related discipline
Such as social work, music therapy, art therapy, physiotherapy, organisational therapy, massage, medicine, nursing or psychiatry. To find courses in these disciplines, look in higher education course guide that is available to year 12 students - which is available at some public libraries. You could also check out the guide to university and TAFE courses which is sold in bookstores. Once you know which universities or TAFEs have courses, find the university and departmental webpage, or call up the department for course information.

Work in a related discipline
Such as becoming a research assistant for an academic at your uni or another uni, tutoring psychology students, doing Volunteer work, working in a hospital, working in a research centre, or working for a psychology-related organisation or in a psychology-related job.

Take some time off from your studies
To work, travel, develop other aspects of yourself which have been neglected in previous years, or whatever!

Study or work in an unrelated discipline
Maybe psychology wasn't right for you, in which case you can pursue some other dream or idea!


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https://www.angelfire.com/geek/psguide/alternatives.html Created April 2001.