The word psychology literally means, "Study of the soul". It derives from Ancient Greek: (psyche, meaning "breath", "spirit", or "soul"); and (logia, translated as "study of"). The Latin word psychologia has likely origins in mid-16th century Germany. The earliest known reference to the English word psychology was by Steven Blankaart in 1693 in The Physical Dictionary which refers to "Anatomy, which treats the Body, and Psychology, which treats the Soul. Psychology first became an independent field of investigation distinct from philosophy with the creation of Wilhelm Wundt's laboratory at Leipzig University in 1879. In modern times, Psychology is a branch of science that deals with mental processes and behaviour. It is the systematic study of human and animal behaviour, mind and thought. To pursue the career of a psychologist, one should have a genuine desire to help other human beings. There are specialisations in many fields of psychology such as social psychology, child psychology, occupational psychology, clinical psychology, educational psychology, experimental psychology, etc

One can pursue Psychology at the plus two level, graduate, post graduate and doctorate level. At the graduate level, one can study psychology as an Honours subject in most universities. After graduation, one can opt for an MA or M.Sc in Psychology, Social work or Counseling. Specialisations in the subject can be pursued at the post graduate level or at the doctoral level- M.Phil or Ph.D, after post graduation. At the master's and doctoral level, education becomes increasingly specialised. For those who do not wish to put in too many years of study, there are one year Diploma courses in Special Education or Mental Retardation. The eligibility & duration for a psychology course is:
• For Bachelor programme in psychology, the eligibility is 10+2. The duration for a bachelor course is 3 years.
• For Post graduate courses in psychology, the eligibility is Bachelor degree in psychology. Post graduation is of 2 years duration and during the course, specialisation in a special branch of psychology is possible.
• For Ph.D./ M.Phil , the eligibility is PG or Diploma in psychology. For a course in M.Phil or Ph.D., the duration is of 2 year duration.
The personal skills required are good communication skills, patience, ability to work with all kinds of social/ cultural and age groups are the essential qualities of a psychologist. The candidate should have a genuine interest in people, their behaviour and have empathy for their problems. They have to be sensitive and caring and also have the ability to understand people of very different backgrounds and upbringing. Good at science, math, critical reading and writing. Study of psychology includes a diverse range of activities such as the processes of thinking, learning and perceiving, remembering, forgetting, physiology of the nervous system, development of children, social relationships and their effect on personality development, mental disorders, applications of psychology to the study of society, industry, education etc., techniques of experimenting and testing, and statistics. There is a wide variety of topics in the professional study of psychology and some overlapping occurs between the different specialised branches.
Some colleges which offer Psychology courses in India are:
• Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi ;
• Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra ;
• University of Delhi, New Delhi ;
• Utkal University, Bhubaneshwar ;
• University of Ajmer, Ajmer ;
• Arunachal University, Itanagar ;
• Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar (B.R.A.) Bihar University , Muzaffarpur ( Bihar) ;
• Bangalore University, Bangalore ;
• Mahatma Gandhi (M.G) University, Kottayam ( Kerala) ;
• Nalanda Open University, Patna ( Bihar) ;
For more details, please visit this link given below:
http://www.webindia123.com/career/options/psychology/data/institutes.htm

There are various job prospects after finishing programme in psychology. Psychologist with master's degree, work under the supervision of one or more doctoral level psychologists. Those with bachelor's degree are eligible for jobs in community health centers and vocational rehabilitations and as administrative assistants.
• Clinical Psychologists - Clinical Psychologists work in counselling centers, independent or group practices, hospitals, community health centers or clinics. They help mentally and emotionally disturbed clients adjust to life and may help medical and surgical patients deal with illnesses or injuries. Areas of specialisation within clinical psychology include health psychology, neuro psychology, and gero psychology.
• Counselling Psychologists - Counselling is the skill of helping normal people, through discussion, to decide how best to cope in specific situations. Counselling psychologists deal with people who have serious emotional and personal problems. They use various techniques, including interviewing and testing, to advise people on how to deal with problems of everyday living.
• Social Psychologists - Social psychologists work with social organisations and institutions in research, systems design or other applied psychology fields. They seek to understand the nature and causes of individual behaviour with others and with the social environment.
• Educational Psychologists - They work in schools and colleges with teachers, students, parents and administrators to resolve students learning and behaviour problems. They may evaluate the effectiveness of academic programmes, behaviour management procedures, and other services provided in the school setting.
• Industrial Psychologists - Industrial psychologists work for business, industry or government. They apply psychological principles and research methods to the workplace to improve the working conditions and productivity of employees. They also advise companies on ways of getting consumers interested in products and services.
• Research psychologists -As researchers, psychologists proceed like scientists. They investigate the physical, cognitive, emotional, or social aspects of human behaviour. They use laboratory experiments and various kinds of tests, interviews, questionnaires and surveys. Prominent areas of study in experimental research include motivation, thought, attention, learning and memory, sensory and perceptual processes, effects of substance abuse, and genetic and neurological factors affecting behaviour.
• Developmental psychologists - They study the physiological, cognitive, and social development that takes place throughout life. Some specialise in behaviour during infancy, childhood, and adolescence, or changes that occur during maturity or old age.

The work of a professional psychologist is challenging and highly remunerative. Earnings depend on qualification, area of psychologists having M.Phil and Ph.D degree. Remunerations in the corporate sector are the highest, though salaries vary according to the level of involvement and the job profile. At the entry level the remuneration varies approximately from Rs. 5,000/- to Rs. 8,000/-. Established consultants in any of the fields of specialisation can earn at an average between Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 10,000 or even more. Those are in private practice have much more earnings. Abroad, the average annual salary for clinical, counselling, and school psychologists is $64,140. The middle 50 percent earned between $48,700 and $82,800. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $37,900, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $106,840.