The Complete Guide to Psychology in Malaysia
Has your fascination with the human mind led you to consider becoming a psychologist in Malaysia? Well, you’ve come to the right page.
If you’re interested to learn exciting psychology theories and discover how they can impact human behaviour, pursuing a psychology course in Malaysia could be the right choice for you.
This course guide will fill you in on everything you need to know about pursuing psychology in Malaysia, including what psychology is, how to become a psychologist and the best psychology universities in Malaysia.
#1. What is Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of human behaviour and mental processes — specifically, understanding how people think, feel, act and interact with themselves and with others.
While many think that psychologists only sit and listen to people’s problems, there’s more to psychology than meets the eye. A psychologist seeks to discover what makes people behave in certain ways and uses this understanding to solve problems. This can range from boosting productivity in the workplace (industrial/organisational psychology) to understanding consumer behaviour to convince them to buy goods and services (consumer psychology).
For example, the psychology of colour is often used to influence the perception of a product or brand. So, if a company is launching an eco-friendly product, using green for its packaging and branding campaigns will convey this message more effectively since green is linked with nature.
By undertaking a course in psychology, you will learn the fundamental principles of psychology and gain a comprehensive understanding of the human mind, helping you on your journey to becoming a qualified psychologist. You will also be taught various research methods such as lab experiments, field surveys and natural observations that are crucial in the field of psychology.
Types of Psychology Courses and Branches
There are many branches of psychology, and each branch focuses on different aspects of human thought and behaviour. Here are some of the basic branches of psychology.
|Field||What It Is All About|
|Biological Psychology||The study of brain function at the neuron and neurotransmitter level, and how it can influence thoughts, behaviour and emotions.|
|Clinical Psychology||Relates to assessing and treating serious mental disorders and psychiatric problems (e.g. depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia).|
|Counselling Psychology||Focuses on solving a diverse range of everyday problems and disorders with less severe symptoms, such as marital conflict, career advice and coping with negative events.|
|Cognitive Psychology||Deals with the study of mental processes such as learning, memory, problem-solving, decision-making and perception.|
|Educational Psychology||Deals with the psychology of teaching and seeks to understand and improve how people learn in educational settings.|
|Forensic Psychology||The application of psychology in the field of criminal investigation and law. Applications include performing psychological assessments for criminals, evaluating a witness’s credibility and criminal profiling.|
|Industrial and Organisational Psychology||Relates to improving productivity and efficiency in the workplace while maximising the physical and mental well-being of employees.|
|Social Psychology||Deals with how people's thoughts, feelings and behaviours are influenced by others, whether real, imagined or implied.|
#2. Psychology Course Requirements
a) What are the subjects required to study psychology?
Here are the psychology subject requirements for SPM or equivalent:
As for A-Level, STPM or equivalent, there are no required subjects. However, the following subjects are recommended:
- A Science subject (e.g. Biology, Physics, Chemistry)
b) Diploma in Psychology requirements
These are the general entry requirements for a Diploma in Psychology:
- SPM (or equivalent): Minimum of 3Cs and pass in Mathematics and Science
c) Psychology Degree Requirements
To pursue a Degree in Psychology, you need to complete a pre-university programm