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AB in Psychology in the Philippines

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (AB PSY) is a four year degree program that helps students
understand human behavior and different thinking processes through the use of basic scientific
principles and psychological theories.

The AB PSY program equips students with the knowledge and skills to assess and conduct
empirical research regarding individual and group behavior by integrating subjects in
personality, human development and psychological testing.

Subjects and Curriculum


The AB PSY curriculum contains both General Education Subjects (English, Math, Filipino, Social
Sciences and Humanities) and Professional Subjects (subjects related to Psychology).

Examples of Professional Subjects include:


o General Psychology
o Psychological Statistics
o Developmental Psychology
o Personality
o Social Psychology
o Psychological Assessment
o Abnormal Psychology
o Industrial Psychology and Counseling
o Human Behavior in Organization

Elective subjects are also integrated in the AB PSY curriculum, and include:
o Current Issues in Psychology
o Educational Psychology
o Filipino Psychology
o Group Dynamics
o Clinical Psychology
o Environmental Psychology
o Positive Psychology
o Family Psychology
o Forensic Psychology
o Cognitive Psychology

The AB PSY program is taught to students through classroom discussions and clinical exposures.
In addition, students also need to attend an internship or a practicum in a company or
organization where they can practice the lessons that they’ve learned during classroom
lectures.

As a requirement for graduation, some schools require students to accomplish a research paper
and defend it facing a panel composed of faculty members and an expert in the field of
psychology.

Is Psychology a profession?
Many careers in the field of psychology are considered a profession. A graduate of AB in
Psychology who passes the relevant board exams might be employed as a Psychometrician, a
Guidance Counselor or a Psychologist (which also requires a Master’s degree), all of which are
considered to be professions.

The career paths for each of these professions are described later on, as well as their
corresponding board examinations.

What are the admission requirements for the AB in


Psychology program?
Requirements at each school may differ, but these are the common requirements:
o Must be a high school graduate.
Those who did not complete high school education may opt to first attend Alternative
Learning System (ALS) and pass the Philippine Educational Placement Test (PEPT) to qualify for
college. However, some universities only offer selected courses for PEPT passers.
o College entrance exam: must pass the college entrance examination with a specified rating set
by the school.
o Interview: must pass the interview conducted by the college dean/faculty.
(See source)

What skills, traits and attitude will help you succeed in


this course?

o Inquisitiveness – a desire to understand the inner workings of the human mind and to
discover why people act and think the way they do.
o Inter-personal skills – able to work well with varying groups of people and understand the
reasons behind their actions and behavior
o Intra-personal skills – this includes the personal capacity for self–reflection and assessment.
You must be able to understand yourself in order to understand others.
o Analytical skills – the ability to understand the complexity of human behavior with the use of
scientific method to analyze and measure the variations for certain actions.
o Decision making skills – suggesting courses of action for different individuals requires
gathering evidence, assessing probable consequences and making quick yet difficult judgment
calls.
o Communication skills – has excellent written and oral communication skills and can effectively
communicate with diverse groups of people.
o Patience – understands that significant periods of time can pass before substantial results can
be seen.
o Being an effective listener – you must be an active listener who understands the uniqueness
of every person and yet communicates in a patient manner in order to change the behavior of
others.
How difficult is AB in Psychology?
AB in Psychology is not considered a difficult course. Although you need to learn certain
theories and principles to properly deal with different kinds of people, these lessons are not
particularly difficult to understand. Also, the workload involved when studying this course is not
as heavy compared to many other courses.

How long does it take to complete the AB PSY


program in the Philippines?
The AB PSY program takes four years to complete. The program may be completed in less than
4 years in schools that follow the trimestral curriculum.

Review for the board examinations (if you wish to take them) will take a few additional
months.

AB in Psychology vs. BS in Psychology


The AB in Psychology program focuses more on the social aspects of the study of human
behavior and psychological function. In addition, it discusses psychology in the context of
environmental or external factors rather than combining it with science.

The BS in Psychology degree has a heavy biological and physical sciences emphasis; it is
considered to be more specialized and specific. In addition, the B.S. Psychology course requires
more laboratory, statistics and science classes. B.S. students are also trained to become more
computer-oriented, knowledgeable with technology and other practical skills needed for a
particular discipline within the field.
While one degree is not necessarily better than another, some educational experts suggest that
students who earn a B.S. degree in psychology have greater flexibility and more career
opportunities.

Practicum in Psychology
A student of the AB PSY program is required to attend a practicum where he/she will be
assigned in different units of an organization, company, or institution by a practicum on-site
supervisor, as approved by the practicum faculty coordinator. During the practicum, students
are given the opportunity to apply their knowledge and practice their skills in actual settings.

The student is required to finish a total of 150 hours for the Practicum in Psychology. (See
sources 1 and 2)

Relevant Board Examinations


A graduate of AB in Psychology has three board examinations in respective fields:

o Licensure Examination for Psychometricians


The exam for Psychometricians can be taken with a degree in Psychology, and without any
work experience.
A graduate of AB in Psychology who passes the Licensure Examination for Psychometricians is
conferred the title as Licensed Psychometrician. Like the Licensure Exam for Psychologist, it is
conducted by the Board of Psychology under the supervision of the Professional Regulations
Commission (PRC). The exam is conducted once a year in the month of August.
The subjects covered in the exam include:
o Theories of Personality
o Abnormal Psychology
o Industrial Psychology
o Psychological Assessment
(See source)

o Guidance Counselor Licensure Examination


Graduates of AB in Psychology are allowed to take the Guidance Counselor Licensure
Examination. The examination is conducted by the Board of Guidance Counseling under the
supervision of the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC). The exam is conducted once a
year in the month of August.
The scope of the examination includes:
o Philosophical, Psychological and Sociological Foundations of Guidance
o Counseling Theories, Tools and Techniques
o Psychological Testing
o Organization and Administration of Guidance Services
o Group Process and Program Development
(See source)

o Licensure Examination for Psychologist


To be a licensed psychologist in the Philippines, a graduate of AB in Psychology needs to pass
the Licensure Examination for Psychologist. The examination is conducted by the Board of
Psychology under the supervision of the Professional Regulations Commission (PRC).
Before one can take this exam he/she must obtain a Master’s degree in Psychology and
acquire a total of 200 hours of supervised practicum/internship/clinical experience under the
supervision of a licensed psychologist or other licensed mental health professionals. The
Licensure Exam for Psychologist is a 2 day exam held once a year in the month of October.
The subjects covered in the exam include:

o Advanced Theories of Personality


o Advanced Abnormal Psychology
o Advanced Psychological Assessment
o Psychological Counseling and Psychotherapy
(See source)
Career opportunities for AB PSY graduates

o Jobs for licensed Psychometricians


o Psychometrician – uses scientific methods and tools to accurately measure attitudes,
personality traits and behavior for analysis. Conducts and disseminates tests,
questionnaires and personality assessment sheets to patients and individuals.

o Jobs for licensed Guidance Counselors


o School Counselor – works in elementary, middle, and high schools to provide academic,
career, college readiness, and personal/social competencies to all K-12 students through
a school counseling program.
o Career / Vocational Counselor – advises graduates and employees about career paths
that would be suitable to their unique personalities and life circumstances.
o Rehabilitation counselor – focused on helping people who have disabilities achieve their
personal, career, and independent living goals through a counseling process.
o Marriage, Couple and Family Counselor – assess, diagnose, and treat mental illness and
psychological distress within the context of the marriage and family systems. They
provide counseling services in several different areas including premarital counseling,
relationship counseling, child counseling and separation.
o Substance Abuse Counselor – trained in understanding the workings and pathology of
addiction and helping patients learn how to manage their addictions.

o Jobs for licensed Psychologists

NOTE: becoming a licensed psychologist in the Philippines requires a Master’s degree in


Psychology.

o Educational Psychologist – works with students for both counseling appointments and
also to examine flaws in educational systems and determining appropriate guidelines for
faculty–student relations.
o Clinical Psychologist – assesses diagnoses and treats patients suffering from various
psychological disorders. Beyond psychoanalysis, the clinical psychologist is able to
prescribe drugs for the treatment of mental illnesses.
o Industrial / Organizational Psychologist – increases workplace productivity by
determining which employees are suitable for given job descriptions while overseeing
and maintaining the welfare of the organization.
o Occupational Psychologist – apply psychological knowledge, theory and practice to the
world of work. They aim to help an organization get the best performance from their
employees and also to improve employees' job satisfaction.
o Forensic Psychologist – works with law enforcement agencies to examine crime scenes
and determine motives for criminal behavior.
o Engineering Psychologist – examines the relations between humans and machines to
determine ergonomic standards and suggest better technology for user capabilities.
o Rehabilitation Specialist – work with people whose disabilities make it difficult for them
to engage in a full spectrum of activities.
o Sports Psychologist – focus on the psychological aspects of sports and athletics, including
topics such as motivation, performance and injury.

o Jobs for non-board passers:


o Human Resources personnel – assists with recruitment and interview process; provides
administrative support to the Human Resources Director on all personnel matters
o Social service personnel – help individuals locate psychological resources in their
community, providing counseling services directly to clients and other types of case
management services.

o Jobs not related to the AB PSY program


o Call center agent – answers phone calls and inquiries of clients and provides customer
support, usually to people from other countries
o Administrative Staff – personnel responsible for the organization and management of
office duties and tasks; positions that include office secretary, personal assistant and
office clerk
o Freelancer working online – doing online jobs for clients abroad, such as data entry,
article writing, SEO, customer support, administrative support etc., which mainly
depends on your skills
o Salary Levels
The salary level for AB in Psychology graduates depends on the field of work they are in, their
level of experience and of course in their personal abilities.

In the Philippines, a guidance counselor with 1 to 4 years of experience has an average salary
of P10,000 to P15,000 per month. Those who have 5 years of experience and above have an
average salary of P14,000 to P22,000 per month (see source).

Psychometricians with 1 to 4 years of experience can expect to earn P11,000 to P16,000 per
month (seesource).

Reviews of AB in Psychology graduates:


Read reviews >>
L. D.
Studied Bachelor of Science in Psychology (slightly different course)
at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila , Manila
Graduated: 2008

My current job:
Self-employed

How long did it take to find a job after graduation:


Immediately

Do I recommend studying Bachelor of Science in Psychology:


No, because psychology is, unfortunately, very unpopular in our country.
Was this review useful to you? Yes No

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