How to become a psychologist in Malaysia

4 July 2022

Student adds to whiteboard

Monash Psychology

Improving your critical communication and thinking skills.

Psychology is the scientific study of the mind and behaviour. Having a psychology background enables you to understand why humans act the way they do.

In the workforce, psychologists help people navigate and manage their emotional and behavioural challenges, while also helping patients make better day-to-day decisions that may bring about positive change. As psychologists are trained mental health professionals, one would require a master’s qualification and additional training to be a fully practising psychologist in Malaysia.

The journey begins with your SPM results.

If you have a Pass in your Mathematics and Science subjects and a minimum of three credits in any other subject, you can consider enrolling in a diploma in Psychology. With this, you will then be able to progress into a degree program and (depending on the institution) skip the first year of a three-year degree program.

With Credits in Mathematics and Science subjects and a Pass in English, you can pursue a Foundation in Science or a Foundation in Arts program. Many of such foundation programs include an introduction to psychology, which covers the areas of mental health, personality and abilities, child development and more. This exposure will help you determine your level of interest in psychology and if you would want to learn more.

Building blocks for a fulfilling career

Did you know that Monash University is ranked in the world’s top 50 for psychology (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2022)? Monash University Malaysia offers three psychology courses:

Monash Malaysia’s psychology courses provide a broad cross-section of topics in applied and professional psychology. Your studies will cover aspects related to the theoretical and empirical basis of the current understanding of human psychology.

Monash courses are designed to actively engage students in the learning process. Active learning is encouraged through participation in lectures, lectorials, tutorials and labs, and your academic growth will be assessed in online quizzes, exams, reports, presentations and lab journals.

In the process, you will also gain transferable skills such as communication, presentation, critical thinking, numeracy (statistics), problem-solving, teamwork and more.

Monash Malaysia’s psychology students have the advantage of using MyPsychlab, a personalised online learning system that enhances the study experience through its blended learning model. Through this system, you can enjoy personalised study plans, have access to a wide set of resources, participate in interactive lectures and have the opportunity for testing and feedback.

In order to fully understand the psychology industry, graduates are encouraged to partake in a one- to two-year shadowing experience after they complete their degree. This will help you gain real-life working experience as well as the ability to apply the theories learnt in your degree years under the guidance of a trained expert.

Further development to be a professional

With the experience you’ve gained from your degree and shadowing period, you are now ready to dive deeper into psychology with a postgraduate program. At Monash Malaysia, you can enrol in the Master of Professional Counselling that will take you through studies on mental health issues, counselling across different age groups, career development counselling, ethics and professional issues, cognitive behaviour therapy and more.

As part of the course, you will be required to complete 768 hours of clinical placements, with 300 hours consisting of client contact and 468 hours of non-contact placement activities. This is to ensure that you become a culturally competent counsellor upon graduation.

As a Monash graduate, you would be able to receive a 10% tuition fee waiver when you pursue a postgraduate degree. However, if you are not, you would still be eligible for a partial tuition fee waiver if you are a full-time student and you meet the requirements.

When you have completed your postgraduate studies, you now have the opportunity to work in places such as community mental health clinics, schools, health centres and private practices.

The final step to becoming a full-fledged psychologist or counsellor in Malaysia is to register with the Malaysian Allied Health Professions Council, the Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology or Lembaga Kaunselor Malaysia. This gives you the credibility of a psychologist or a counsellor and allows you to safely practice in Malaysia.

Register your interest to learn more about Monash’s courses and widen your understanding of the world of psychology.