The Department of Psychology organized a guest lecture for 59 final year students on the topic ‘Current Trends in Psychology’ on Thursday, 5th May 2022. An alumnus of School of Social Work, Roshni Nilaya (2013-2016 BA batch), Mr.Mohammed Swaroop currently works as Assistant Professor of Psychology at Acharya Institute, Bengaluru.
He listed the numerous options available after completing undergraduate programme. The most apparent and popular choice was to pursue a Master's degree, where one may study towards their MA or M.Sc degrees. Other alternatives included internships, specialized courses, diplomas, and so forth. When discussing Master's degrees, he noted the various mainstream fields that were often pursued, which included clinical psychology, industrial psychology, counselling psychology, and neuropsychology.
Mr. Swaroop then went through each field in-depth to help students differentiate and develop a deeper understanding of it. We were able to better understand the practices and learn what to expect from each subject as well as the abilities needed to practice them. Mr. Swaroop made a point of mentioning which career one may practice based on personality type. He advised that if one desired to work at a quicker speed in a clinical atmosphere, clinical psychology would make a decent bet. If, on the other hand, one was an introvert who disliked dealing with people, they may choose between test construction and research. This assisted us in determining which field would be more suitable for us.
Mr. Swaroop next discussed the possibilities accessible to people who did not wish to pursue a Master's degree. Internships, PG Diploma courses, specializations, certificate courses, research, test construction, parapsychology, and other alternatives were available. He emphasized the significance of internships as a method of combining theoretical knowledge in a practical context, which may help one determine if the area is something they would like to pursue further. He also emphasized the necessity of focusing on a certain profession and how it pays to be well-versed in one sector. He also mentioned Handwriting Analysis and other abilities that one might learn and incorporate into their practice. Apart from these courses, the students were briefed about the various areas in which they may participate. These included mental health advocates, activists, and so forth. These individuals were primarily concerned with the significance of mental health and its various manifestations.
The guest speaker then discussed the significance of learning a variety of abilities that can help one stand out from the rest. We were encouraged to acquire other abilities and attend courses rather than focus solely on academics, as grades can only get one so far. We were also educated about how the field of Psychology has transformed as a result of the influence of Covid-19, and how this has resulted in individuals being more conscious of and open about their mental health. We were told to use "Divergent Vision" to cross off the alternatives we didn't want to pursue, and "Convergent Vision" to narrow down our selections.
Mr. Swaroop then concluded the session with a very informative Q & A session which helped us clear our queries.
