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Psychologist

Psychologists use scientific knowledge about the mind and behaviour to help people and organisations understand and address real-world challenges. Specialisms such as clinical or forensic psychology need accredited postgraduate training, and protected practitioner titles require HCPC registration.

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Career fit

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Entry level
£49,000 (starter)
Mid-career (typical)
£49k – £65k
Senior / lead
£65,000 (experienced)
What you'll do

A day in the life

  • Assess people using interviews and tests
  • Plan and deliver therapy or interventions
  • Write reports and recommendations
  • Work with multidisciplinary teams
  • Keep up with research and supervision
The path

Your career roadmap

Every milestone from school to senior. Track progress as you complete each stage.

  1. 1

    GCSEs

    education
    Usually 2 years at school; adult courses vary

    Build foundations in English, maths and science for further study in psychology.

  2. 2

    A Levels or equivalent

    education
    Usually 2 years; Access courses often 1 year

    Complete A levels or accepted Level 3 qualifications that prepare you for psychology degree entry.

  3. 3

    BPS-accredited Psychology degree

    qualification
    Usually 3 years full-time; often 4 in Scotland

    Study psychological theory, research methods and statistics, usually completing an independent research project on a BPS-accredited degree.

  4. 4

    Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership

    certification
    After qualifying; processing times vary

    Confirm that your psychology qualification and results meet BPS requirements for Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership, known as GBC.

  5. 5

    Relevant work / experience

    experience
    Often 1–2 years or more; requirements vary

    Gain relevant experience in research, support services or workplaces linked to your intended psychology specialism.

  6. 6

    Postgraduate specialism

    qualification
    Often 1 year for a master's or 3 years for a doctorate; routes vary

    Complete postgraduate study in a specialism such as clinical, counselling, educational, forensic, health or occupational psychology.

  7. 7

    Specialist supervised training

    experience
    Included in some doctorates; separate routes often take 2 years or more

    Develop and demonstrate specialist competencies through supervised practice, either within your postgraduate programme or through a subsequent approved training route.

  8. 8

    Practitioner / Chartered Psychologist

    role
    Ongoing career; application times vary

    Enter qualified psychology work, obtaining HCPC registration for protected practitioner titles and applying separately for BPS Chartered status where eligible.

What you need

Skills you'll build

Qualifications
  • BPS-accredited psychology degree or conversion
  • Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership
  • Accredited postgraduate specialist qualification
Certifications
  • HCPC registration (practitioner psychologist)
  • BPS chartered membership