Graduation is the name of the degree achieved just after completing class 12th. The stream of study taken after class 10th is usually the one in which the individual gets to do further study. Nowadays, Graduation is a minimum three-year course as per the Kothari commission’s educational system standardization on the 10+2+3 pattern. Graduation makes one eligible for entrance exams for various jobs. So, the question might come that why would anyone go for the masters in any subject. The perks are many.
Graduation is merely getting a Bachelor’s Degree. After graduation one can go for post-graduation, it involves a deeper and more focused study of the preferred subject. Admissions in masters require the cut off percentage in Graduation or an entrance exam or both. Master’s degrees denote mastery of a specific field of study. It can take from one to four or more years to complete.
Master provides a special edge to the master’s degree awarded. It gives a Specialized Knowledge in the field of interest, which is much beyond the graduation counterpart. It also represents industry expertise and credibility. It builds upon the current abilities and helps develop new skills too.
Career Advancement and transition into senior positions are easier for the master’s degree holders. It directly translates to an Increased Earning Potential.
Professional Network also gets enhanced by doing efforts in a specialised field. Time with specialists makes the transition of the newbie into the Professional field better.
In the field of Psychology, Masters in Psychology is of two types namely, M.A. Psychology and M.A. Applied Psychology. M.A. Psychology is known by the name of M.Sc. Psychology by some universities.
Generally, in M.A. Psychology, learners study the behaviour and associated psychology. It trains them to identify the subtleties of behaviour, properly use psychological tests and devise the treatment plans. While in M.A. Applied Psychology, the major focus of the learner stays on the application of the psychological researches in the solving of human problems. M.A. Psychology is more inclined to the general topics of psychology while M.A. Applied Psychology is more inclined towards the specific psychological topics. M.A. Psychology focuses more on explaining everyday phenomenons while M.A. Applied Psychology subjects explain the Structure of psyche and its impacts on life. M.A. Psychology teaches the relation of the individual functioning at social levels and at its place M.A. Applied Psychology teaches the application of psychological phenomenon in terms of the specialisation in psychology.
Though both are Masters in Psychology, we can see a clear difference in the curriculum of it and in the different ways same subjects are taught.
One of the major universities for psychology in Delhi includes the Delhi University and Jamia Millia Islamia. Both are great hubs to get a formal education in psychology but both provide different types of courses. We have M.A. Psychology at Delhi University and M.A. Applied Psychology in Jamia Millia Islamia. As a student which course shall one choose? This question will be dealt with, in subsequent paragraphs.
Both the central universities have the two year Masters programme for M.A. Psychology. Both have four semesters. Though both the courses Teach about the psychological functioning at the individual and social levels in an inclusive way. They both fulfill the Committee on Model. Courses in Psychology’s recommendations but their approaches and ways of doing it differs a lot, these differences are as follows-
| M.A. Psychology | M.A. in Applied Psychology |
| More towards the General topics of Psychology. The papers available for the study include more general topics like cognitive processes, Listening and communicating, Basic organisational processes, etc. | More towards the specific psychological topics. The applicatory counterparts in the applied psychology include Cognitive Psychology, Positive Psychology, Organisational Development and change, etc. |
| More subjects explaining the daily life phenomenons. Psychology of advertising, Emotions in everyday life, Appreciating Diversity | More subjects explaining the Structure of psyche and its impacts Psychopathology, Psychometrics, |
| A general overview of psychological functions. Planning Recruitment and Selection, Training and Development. Gender | In-Depth learning of psychological functions and processes. Cross-Cultural Psychology, Human Resource Management, Psychodiagnostics, |
| Teaches the relation of the individual functioning at social levels. An experimental enquiry into Selfhood, Evolution of Indian Psychology, Industrial Relations and Workers’ Compensation Act | Teaches the application of psychological phenomenon in terms of the specialisation in psychology. Current Paradigms in Organisational Behaviour, Intervention in Counseling |
Some universities are listed below, which provide MA Psychology and MA Applied Psychology course
| Colleges offering M.A. Psychology Delhi University North Campus Ambedkar University of Delhi Banaras Hindu University Aligarh Muslim University University of Calcutta Fergusson College, Pune | Colleges offering M.A. Applied Psychology Jamia Millia Islamia Delhi University South Campus University of Calcutta Amity Institute of Psychology and Allied Sciences, Noida University of Madras, Chennai |
