Psychology Syllabus 2024: Course, Semester/year-wise syllabus, Specializations Syllabus, Books and Entrance Exams

Updated on Apr 12, 2024 10:07 IST

Psychology syllabus covers human behavior at a deeper level and understands the root causes of one’s negative thought patterns, or declined cognitive functioning. Psychology as a course is vast, as it offers insights into profuse facts about the human mind, factors affecting one’s cognitive abilities, and how social and cultural factors contribute to one’s mental well-being.

Earlier, Psychology was considered an area of interest just to learn something, not as a career or profession to pursue, especially in India. But with spike in the mental health issues, awareness has increased and people have started recognizing the importance of Psychology, and how it can help people.

The Psychology syllabus diversifies human interest by providing in-depth knowledge on topics like the Functions of the Central Nervous System, the role of neurons in communication, and many other related topics. A candidate can pursue Psychology at different levels i.e. undergraduate level, post-graduate level, or even through diploma courses depending on one’s level of interest and their professional pursuits.

The course has many subdomains under it where the same aspects are studied for people belonging to different age groups. Some of the well-known Psychology fields include Child Psychology, Developmental Psychology, and Personality Psychology. The course allows one to understand Psychology deeply, and become well-versed with it, opening multiple doors for a candidate’s career.

The various top Psychology career professions one can pursue after learning include Clinical Psychologists, Counselling Psychologists, Psychiatrists, and Environmental Psychologists.

Table of Contents

Psychology Syllabus Highlights
Psychology Graduate Courses Syllabus
- 2.1 BA Psychology Syllabus
Psychology Post-Graduate Courses Syllabus
MA Psychology Syllabus
Specializations offered in Psychology
Books and Authors for Psychology Subjects
Entrance Exams Syllabus for Psychology Courses
FAQs on Psychology Subjects

Psychology Syllabus Highlights

Before we straightforwardly move towards the syllabus section and get confused with it, it’s better to understand the basics first. This table will briefly explain the different facets of the Psychology course that need to be understood and known before starting your career in it, or even before moving forward to the article.

Psychology Syllabus Important Facts	Information
Psychology Eligibility Criteria	UG Courses: Should have completed 12th from a recognized board with an average of 50%, or more. PG Courses: Should be graduated from a recognized university/college with an average of 45%, or more
Psychology Course Levels	Graduation, Post-Graduation, MPhil, Doctoral
Psychology Course Branches	Media, Educational, Community, Criminal, Industrial, Animal, and Clinical Psychology
Psychology Course Duration	Graduation: 3 years Post- Graduation: 2 years MPhil: 1-2 years Doctoral: 3 years
Psychology Scope in India	Jobs in different units like Government sectors, Hospitals, Clinics, and Rehabilitation centers.
Psychology Course Fees	INR 10,000 – INR 1,00,000
Psychology Admission Criteria	Entrance Exam, or Direction Admission through Interview

Psychology Graduate Courses Syllabus

As we have discussed, one can pursue Psychology at various levels- graduation, post-graduation, and doctorate. So here we will deeply study the graduate-level Psychology courses.

BA Psychology Syllabus

There are various prominent courses in the field of Psychology, BA Psychology being one of them. The entire course of BA Psychology is divided into 6 semesters, each semester having a duration of 6 months. This table provides a brief about the BA Psychology syllabus in different semesters.

BA Psychology Subjects Semester I	BA Psychology Subjects Semester II
Sensory Process and Perception	Child Development
Endocrine Glands	Intelligence
Introduction to Psychology	Memory and Forgetting
Physiological Effects of Correlation	Heredity and Environment
BA Psychology Subjects Semester III	BA Psychology Subjects Semester IV
Social Interaction	Attention Span
Public Opinion and Propaganda	Work and Environment
Measures of Central Tendency	Assessment of Intelligence
Social Psychology	Determinants of Abnormal Behavior
BA Psychology Subjects Semester V	BA Psychology Subjects Semester VI
Guidance and Counselling	Psychological Tests
Methods of Counselling	Non-Test Appraisal Techniques
Aptitude and Personality tests	Developmental Psychology
Special Areas of Counselling	Diversity and Multiculturism

BSc Psychology Syllabus
BSc in Psychology is another course that has been a preference of a lot of Psychology students in the current times. Let’s have a look at its syllabus in different semesters.

BSc Psychology Subjects Semester I	BSc Psychology Subjects Semester II
Language (English)	General Psychology
Local Language (Choice)	Social Psychology
Biological Psychology	Child Development Study
Introduction to Social work	Psychology of Individual Differences
BSc Psychology Subjects Semester III	BSc Psychology Subjects Semester IV
Research Methodologies	Statistics in Psychology
Human Development	Developmental Psychology
Behavioral Sciences	Consumer Behavior
Environmental Studies	Social Psychology - II
BSc Psychology Subjects Semester V	BSc Psychology Subjects Semester VI
Psychological Research	Community Psychology
Computer Assisted Testing	Human Resource Development
Counselling Psychology	Abnormal Psychology – II
Organizational Behavior	Project

Psychology Post-Graduate Courses Syllabus

After completing graduation, students looking for more knowledge and better career opportunities pursue their post-graduation through various courses like MA, and MPhil. In the coming part, we will discuss the syllabus of these courses briefly.

MA Psychology Syllabus

MA Psychology is one of the famous post-graduate courses in the field of Psychology. It’s a 2-year course, let’s understand the MA Psychology Syllabus briefly through this table.

MA Psychology Subjects Semester I	MA Psychology Subjects Semester II
Applied Psychometry	Social Psychology
Cognitive Process	Basic Organizational Processes
Emotions of Everyday Life	Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Paradigms of Psychology	Applied Developmental Psychology
MA Psychology Subjects Semester III	MA Psychology Subjects Semester IV
Indian Psychology and its applications	Appreciating Diversity
Group Process in Organization	HR Practices
Training and Development	Psychology of Advertising
Positive Psychology	Psychology at the Margins

Psychology Course Syllabus topics you might be interested in:

IGNOU MA Psychology syllabus

Specializations offered in Psychology

There are various specializations in Psychology, leading to different career pathways in the field of Psychology. Some of the common and well-known specializations are mentioned in the table below:

Psychology Specializations	Details
Clinical Psychology	Involves studies related to mental health issues like anxiety, stress, depression, and grief and their treatment through medical techniques.
Cognitive Psychology	Involves concepts like memory loss, language, problem-solving, and cognitive skills.
Development Psychology	Includes studies related to the development of the human brain and emotions during their lifespan.
Counselling Psychology	Covers issues that individuals face while adjusting to a new place, organization, college, etc., and the counseling methods that can help them overcome their problems.
Educational Psychology	Focuses on enhancing learning practices starting within schools, colleges, and other academic institutions giving individuals an opportunity to demonstrate their skills.
Forensic Psychology	Through this specialization, psychologists can help lawyers and police track the mindset of criminals and gather forensic evidence.
Social Psychology	Focuses on human feelings and how they gets affected due to others.

Books and Authors for Psychology Subjects

Here are some books that candidates who are interested in taking psychology courses should refer to:

Name of Book	Author/Publication	Details
Encyclopedia of Human Intelligence	MacMillan	All the aspects related to human IQ are discussed in this book.
Handbook of Social Psychology	Random House	Socialization issues, the role of sex, power, and leadership in making decisions are covered by this book.
Handbook of Stress: Theoretical and Clinical Aspects	Free Press	Research, questionnaires and tests related to the treatment of stress and other psychological issues are explained in this book.
Advances in Personality Assessment	Hillsdale, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates (NJ)	New techniques and advancements related to personality assessment are discussed in this book.
Review of behavior therapy: Theory and Practice (Irregular)	Guilford Press	Different aspects of human behavior and personality are explained in this book.
The Psychoanalytic Study of The Child	New Haven, CT: Yale University	Analytical study regarding the psychology and development of emotions in a child are discussed in this book.
Encyclopedia of Psychology	Wiley	Concepts related to general psychology are explained in this book.
The Happiness Hypothesis	Jonathan Haidt	Impact of morality, religions, consciousness, etc., on human psychology, is dissected using scientific studies in this book.
The Little Book of Psychology	Emily Ralls and Caroline Riggs	Key theories and overview of psychology are explained in this book.
The Lucifer Effect: How Good People Turn Evil	Philip Zimbardo	The fine line between good and bad is explained beautifully in this book.

Entrance Exams Syllabus for Psychology Courses

There are various entrance exams one can take to get admission into a good college/university and pursue a Psychology career as a mainstream. Here is the list of some entrance exams that one needs to appear in to secure admission in UG Psychology courses.

Psychology Top UG Entrance Exams	Exam details
CUET	Conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA) Includes 29 subjects as major domains Held in both pen-paper mode and online mode The entire paper will be divided into 3 parts- each consisting of MCQs Duration: 1.5 hours
JMI Entrance Exam	For both UG/PG Courses Held in offline mode Includes MCQs and Descriptive test (if applicable) Duration: 3 hours
NIMSEE	Conducted by NIMS University National level exam Will be held in offline mode 100 MCQs
Symbiosis Entrance Test	Conducted by Symbiosis MCQs Duration- 2.5 hours No of questions: 150-200 (depending on the course)
MRNAT (Manav Rachna National Aptitude Test)	Will be conducted online Consists of 75 MCQs Duration- 90 minutes

There are several PG courses for Psychology that one can opt to expand their knowledge and increase their career opportunities. Here are some entrance tests that one can appear in to secure admission in PG Psychology courses.

Psychology Top PG Entrance Exams	Exam details
BHU PET	Computer-based test The paper will be divided into 2 sections Each section consists of 60 questions Duration - 120 minutes
DUET	Conducted by NTA 100 MCQs, comprising of 4 marks each Duration- 2 hours
TISSNET	Conducted by TISS Mumbai Comprising of 3 sections with a total of 100 questions Duration- 1 hour 40 minutes
Manipal Entrance Test	Will be conducted in CBT/online mode. Total Marks - 240 Exam duration - 2 hours
CUET PG	Conducted by NTA 75 Questions Duration - 1 hour 45 minutes Conducted in online, or CBT mode

Psychology Syllabus topics you might be interested in:
CUET Psychology Syllabus
CUET PG Psychology Syllabus

Top Psychology Colleges in India

Psychology is a versatile and diverse field, and studying the same from a reputed college makes all the difference in your career. Here is the list of top UG and PG colleges where one can go and pursue Psychology.

Top UG Psychology Colleges	Average Fees (in INR)
Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi	60,810
St. Xavier's College, Kolkata	1.63 lakhs
Fergusson College, Pune	38,400
Kamala Nehru College for Women, New Delhi	1080
Indraprastha College for Women, Delhi	540

Top PG Psychology Colleges	Average Fees (in INR)
St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata	1.84 lakhs
Fergusson College, Pune	1. 8 lakhs
K.J. Somaiya College of Arts and Commerce	11,000
Kishinchand Chellaram College, Mumbai	78,000
Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai	68,000

So, ace your psychology career by knowing these essential insights beforehand. Through this article, you might have understood the Psychology syllabus, specializations, and the entrance exams you can take to get admission into Psychology course. Further, there are insights of the syllabus you will be studying after getting into your respective UG/PG course.

FAQs on Psychology Subjects

What are the subjects covered in psychology?

Psychology is a very vast field, and covers different subjects related to the mind, and the different psychological aspects around it. A few of them are:

Introduction to Psychology
Behavior and Environment
Psychological Approaches to the Environment
Community Psychology and Social Psychology
Psychological Scaling, Scaling Methods, and Assessment Parameters

Which is better, BA Psychology or BSc Psychology?

Both BA Psychology and BSc Psychology have their relevance in the fields of health, education, sports, and other sectors. However, while BA Psychology focuses on theoretical concepts more, BSc Psychology also emphasizes practical training and projects. The syllabus also differs as BSc Psychology also includes subjects like Maths and Statistics, which are not covered in BA Psychology. Both courses make candidates eligible for post-graduation studies. Therefore, it hardly matters which course one takes if completing a PG in Psychology is the ultimate goal of the candidate.

Which is better, BA Psychology or BSc Psychology?

Which is the hardest subject in Psychology?

Though it’s a truly interesting, and fascinating field few courses, and subjects are very complex and different at the same time. Here are a few of them:

Advanced Statistical Methods: The Mathematical Backbone of Psychology
Neuropsychology: The brain’s intricacies revealed
Developmental Psychology: Spanning the human lifespan
Psychopathology: The study of mental disorders
Cognitive Psychology: Delving into mental processes
Experimental Psychology: Design and Analysis of Psychological Research

How many branches of psychology are there?

There are majorly eight branches of psychology known as abnormal, biopsychology, cognitive, personality, social psychology, forensic, developmental, and industrial-organizational psychology.

Is Psychology a difficult subject?

Psychology is not a complex subject, yet it’s tricky due to ever-evolving concepts of human and their mind. Yet one can make it interesting and easy for them if they pay due attention from the very beginning and pen down their notes well. Further, showing interest and curiosity in something makes it easier altogether.

What is the syllabus of the Clinical Psychology entrance exam?

The syllabus for pursuing an M.Phil or PhD in Psychology is very vast and one has to go through all the topics deeply. But yes there are a few topics you can undertake that are more important than others, and get yourself well prepared for your entrance exam. Here are those few topics:

Theories of Personality
“Introduction to Psychology” book
Any Research Methodology book
Abnormal Psychology
Social Psychology

Popular Exams

Following are the top exams for Psychology. Students interested in pursuing a career on Psychology, generally take these important exams.You can also download the exam guide to get more insights.

CT SET 2024

CT Scholarship Entrance Test

Jun '24	CT SET 2024 Counselling Start TENTATIVE
Jun '24	CT SET 2024 Result TENTATIVE

Dates | Application Form | Admit Card |

SAT India 2025

Scholastic Assessment Test - India

7 Dec ' 24	SAT Test December Date
26 Nov ' 24	SAT Deadline for Changes, Regular Cancellation, a...

Dates | Application Form | Centre | Syllabus |

CPGET 2024

Common Post Graduate Entrance Tests

21 Sep ' 24	Second Phase of Counselling Begins
20 Sep ' 24	Reporting to Respective Colleges

CUET 2025

Central University Entrance Test

Feb '25 - Apr '25	CUET 2025 Application Process TENTATIVE
Apr '25	CUET UG 2025 Application Form Correction TENTATIVE

Popular Psychology Specializations

Following are the most popular Psychology Specializations . You can explore the top Colleges offering these Specializations by clicking the links below.

Popular Specializations

Clinical Psychology
113 Colleges
Applied Psychology
68 Colleges
Personnel Management
26 Colleges

Popular Psychology Colleges in India

Following are the most popular Psychology Colleges in India. Learn more about these Psychology colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.

Amity University, NoidaNoida

Admission '25 Placement Cutoff

Psychology Courses

19 Courses

Exams