Educational psychology

What is it?

Educational psychologists are involved in counselling clients in educational contexts. Their focus is on guiding and counselling clients with a view to alleviating emotional problems, making subject and career choices, assisting learners with barriers to learning, and facilitating the school admission process. Most educational psychologists work in educational institutions (schools or universities) or in private practice.

Some conduct basic research on topics related to the learning of reading, writing, mathematics and science. Others develop new methods of instruction including designing computer software. Still others train teachers and investigate factors that affect teachers' performance and morale. Educational psychologists conduct research in schools and government. They may be employed by the Department of Education or the corporate sector to design and implement training programs.

School psychology is related to educational psychology. The primary responsibility of a school
psychologist/ counsellor is to help learners, teachers and parents with career and subject choices, school adjustment and personal matters. Specifically, the school psychologist:

• administers and evaluates aptitude tests and interest questionnaires
• interprets the results in a suitable form so as to assist learners to understand their strengths and aptitudes
• helps learners to gain self-knowledge and equips them with decision-making skills which will allow them to make appropriate career choices
• guides the emotional development of learners on a one-to-one basis
• liaises with parents and other teachers
• initiates appropriate measures for learners with learning problems
• addresses issues such as drugs and HIV/AIDS.

School psychologists emphasise the enhancement of general adjustment and academic development of pre-school and school children. They assess children and provide consulting and counselling services to children, parents, teachers and principals. School psychologists help educators and others promote the intellectual, social, and emotional development of children. They are also involved in creating environments that facilitate learning and mental health. They may evaluate and plan programmes for children with special needs, or deal with less severe problems such as disruptive behaviour in the classroom. They sometimes engage in programme development and staff consultation to prevent problems. They provide on-the-job training for teachers in classroom management, consult with parents and teachers on ways to support a child's efforts in school, and consult with school administrators on a variety of psychological and educational issues.

Educational psychologists could be self-employed.

Educational Psychology training route

CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS AT UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL
Bachelor's degree and teaching certificate Complete a bachelor's degree with relevant teaching subjects. Your degree should also include Psychology as a major and recognised teaching subjects Minimum duration: 3 years Average part-time duration: 5-6 years Complete a postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) Minimum duration: 1 year Average part-time duration: 2 years	Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree Try to complete Psychology as a major subject as far as possible for your BEd degree  Minimum duration: 4 years Average part-time duration: 6-7 years If you complete the BEd degree without psychology as major, you would need to add the undergraduate modules for Psychology as a major subject before applying for the Honours BEd School Guidance and Counselling specialisation modules
Apply on Form 31 for the selection for the Honours BEd with specialisation in School Guidance and Counselling before 31 July Only a limited number of students will be admitted annually to this degree (25 students) Students who are provisionally selected must appear before a selection committee in Pretoria (usually in October) Minimum duration: 2 years (year 1: general modules; year 2: specialisation modules) There are five weeks of compulsory classes as prescribed by the HPCSA throughout the year (ONLY IN PRETORIA) Students from other universities who already have an Honours BEd degree, still have to apply and do the specialisation Guidance and Counselling modules (HBEDAAG & HBEDOPW). This then becomes an endorsement to your completed Honours BEd degree. Please access further information about the application and selection process at this link: http://www.unisa.ac.za/contents/studyinfo/docs/download/gen_2009/ school_guidance_admission_2009.pdf
Master of Education (MEd) in Guidance and Counselling A limited number of students will be admitted annually to this degree Students must apply before 31July of the year preceding the year in which they wish to register for selection Students who are provisionally selected must appear before a selection committee in Pretoria in September Practical training, which is compulsory, is offered only in Pretoria. Complete a one-year internship Write the qualifying examination of the Professional Board for Psychology Register as an educational psychologist with the Professional Board for Psychology

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