Professor Au: Market for clinical and educational psychologists is not yet saturated

According to Terry Au, chair professor and head of psychology at Hong Kong University (HKU), the Hong Kong market for clinical and educational psychologists is not yet saturated. In recent years, postgraduates have been immediately placed within the job market and can commence new careers earning relatively good starting salaries.

For the past decade, HKU has offered a Postgraduate Certificate in Psychology, which has attracted professionals in search of a career change. This course is designed to bring holders of a recognised honours degree in a subject other than psychology up to the standard of a graduate majoring in psychology. Earning the certificate makes the student eligible to apply for postgraduate work in the departments of psychology at HKU and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, including training in clinical and educational psychology.

"Most students who sign up for this programme want to make a career change. The programme is designed for students who received their degrees in a field other than psychology. For instance, someone could be a teacher by profession and now wants to enter the field of educational psychology," says professor Au. "The certificate programme involves coursework and writing a thesis. When the students pass, they are treated by local universities as if they have a bachelor's degree with a major in psychology."

Career choices

According to professor Au, once the student earns the postgraduate certificate in psychology, the next step in the career plan is to apply for a postgraduate degree in order to reach one's career goal. These non-psychology majors can focus on two distinct fields: educational or clinical psychology. Students who obtain a Master's level degree in either field usually become practitioners and are virtually guaranteed a job with a salary starting at around HK$28,000 to HK$30,000 per month.

Established in 1981, the Master's of Social Science in Educational Psychology programme is designed to provide instruction and training in the theory and practice of educational psychology. This HKU educational psychology programme is the first and the only such professional training programme in Hong Kong.

Professor Au explains, "Students with higher degrees in educational psychology will be able to work as school psychologists. They will handle the academic assessment of learning disabilities and problem behaviour among the student population and also work with school teachers to help children with special needs." According to professor Au, the HKU Psychology Department graduates 14 Master's of Social Science students in educational psychology every two years, and has a 100 percent job placement rate for these new educational psychologists.

The Hong Kong government has recently given HKU a grant to place educational psychologists in 25 schools, starting from this year. Each psychologist is expected to administer about five area schools. "We hope the government will find it valuable and cost effective and will expand the programme throughout Hong Kong," says professor Au.

The University of Hong Kong also offers a postgraduate programme leading to Master's and Doctoral degrees in clinical psychology. The curriculum of the Master's degree programme, the first clinical psychology programme established in Hong Kong, extends over two years. It comprises three main components: academic study, a dissertation and practical training.

HKU's clinical psychology programme graduates approximately 19 students every two years. The university is able to place all graduates even during these difficult economic times, says professor Au. They usually work for the government in the areas of social welfare, correctional services and health services and for the Hospital Authority.

Currently, the government has imposed a hiring freeze and the university is looking to the private sector to carry on these critical services. "Private mental health providers are likely to pick up services where the public cannot receive services from the government-funded programme," professor Au anticipates.

Course information

An undergraduate degree in psychology can open up a wide range of job opportunities. Psychology majors may enter the field of marketing and excel at product marketing or event management. Some students go on to teach at private schools where a teaching diploma may not immediately be required. The private sector also attracts psychology majors in the areas of training or research. Some students become research assistants at the university and go on to complete their postgraduate degrees. "Overall, psychology and social sciences tend to attract very strong students. They usually do well and hold a high grade point average. These students have developed general competencies such as effective writing and speaking skills," says professor Terry Au, chair professor and head of psychology at Hong Kong University (HKU). Undergraduate students at HKU interested in pursuing a major in psychology must enter through the social sciences programme. Students have one year to declare their major and spend this first year studying general social science courses. According to the university, "Given the limited exposure of secondary school students to the fields of humanities and social sciences, this arrangement is welcomed by the students as they are given ample time to explore their potential and interests before making a decision." Students have the option of specialising in several subjects, including psychology, politics and public administration, social administration, sociology, economics, finance or statistics. According to professor Au, students entering the university knowing they want to major in psychology can take introductory courses in the subject during their first year and then continue with higher-level courses in the second year of this three-year programme. Upon graduation, students will earn a Bachelor's degree in social science with a major in psychology. Psychology majors are on a par with non-psychology majors who have completed the one-year Postgraduate Certificate in Psychology offered by HKU. They are eligible to apply for postgraduate work in psychology departments at local Hong Kong universities.

Taken from Career Times 2003/03/07