Winton Au Assistant Professor Psychology Department The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)

While most people tend to associate psychology only with personal counselors, the subject offers a wide range of career opportunities, and a diverse range of study that can have applications in a multitude of situations. Winton Au, Assistant Professor of the Psychology Department at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), notes that the subject remains popular with local students.

"About 30 or 40 schools in Hong Kong offer psychology A-Level or AS-Level, although this is not a prerequisite for taking the undergraduate degree," he says. Three universities conduct psychology undergraduate degree programs in Hong Kong: the University of Hong Kong (HKU), the CUHK and The City University of Hong Kong. These three also conduct conversion programs for degree holders whose subject is not psychology, but wish to take a post-graduate degree in the subject.

Mr Au says that the CUHK admits a government quota of about 60 to 70 undergraduate students each year, and that this figure is usually fully subscribed. For those not yet sure whether to go for a psychology degree, Mr Au suggests trying out a few courses before taking the plunge.

"HKU SPACE and The Open University of Hong Kong offer part- time programs that are useful for prospective students to try out before deciding on taking the subject further," he says. "The Asia Pacific Institute of Business also runs a few courses taught by members of the CUHK's psychology department, and executives can learn things like conflict management, how to handle staff, or other commercial applications for psychological techniques and theories."

Schools of thought

While the study of psychology can cover a multitude of theories and related areas, Mr Au explains that the subject can be basically broken down into a handful of fields. Apart from the basic skills, such as a basic overview of the subject, statistics and research methods, Mr Au's department conducts more than 40 courses spread into four basic categories: cognitive science, educational and developmental psychology, social and industrial psychology and clinical and health psychology.

"Cognitive science is basically concerned with the operation of the brain, and includes neuro-psychology, human intelligence, human factor psychology and computers and psychology," explains Mr Au, adding that topics discussed include sensory perception and how to improve memory.

Educational and developmental psychology has practical applications in the classroom for school teachers, and can affect the design of curricula, improve teaching methods, and motivate students. In Hong Kong, educational psychologists have to adhere to strict academic criteria, and must hold an honors degree in psychology or equivalent, plus a Master's or Doctoral degree in educational psychology with strong emphasis on professional practice.

"This subject involves topics such as the developmental stages of a child's morality and cognition or the factors that determine human intelligence," says Mr Au.

Many educational psychologists in Hong Kong are employed by the Education Department, but there are also job opportunities in mainstream secondary schools and primary schools (ever since the implementation of Schools Support Scheme in 1994), non-governmental special schools and education centers, tertiary institutions and private practice.

"Social and industrial psychology has applications in the workplace, ranging from the impact of leadership in an organization to the factors surrounding prejudice and stereotyping," adds Mr Au.

Meanwhile, clinical and health psychology is a broad discipline that encompasses such topics as diagnosing phobias, therapy and counseling, sex stereotypes and the sources of stress.

A professional opinion

Converting all of this training into a vocation generally requires a postgraduate degree, and at this stage, students can choose to specialize in a number of disciplines.

"The CUHK and HKU offer Master's degree programs in Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, and Industrial-Organizational Psychology that can help psychology graduates to become professionals," says Mr Au. "Completion of these two-year full-time courses will qualify them as registered clinical psychologists, registered educational psychologists, and registered industrial-organizational psychologists."

Students can also join the Hong Kong Psychological Society if they choose, but although Mr Au explains that this is voluntary at the moment, the organization is pushing for statutory registration to ensure practitioners are up to standard.

"Studying psychology has other benefits too," adds Mr Au. "It can improve problem solving ability and analytical skills through designing experiments and conducting surveys. Communications skills are also important, as students must write clear reports on their findings. Meanwhile, psychology can also boost people skills, teaching graduates to empathize with others and devise ways to help them."

Taken from Career Times 2002/09/27