Psychology is no doubt an interesting course to study in the university. And if you are thinking of a superb institution to study in South Africa, then you can consider going to the University of the Witwatersrand.
However, to study psychology at the University of the Witwatersrand, you must fulfill necessary requirements, one of which is in the area of aps score. The aps score for psychology at Wits is 34+. This is a pivotal requirement that is considered before you can be selected to study in the university.
APS Score For Psychology At WITS
The APS score for psychology at Wits is 34+. But this not the only entry requirement. You are also required to be with English at level 5. Additionally, you should be made aware that it is expedient that you complete two semesters of Sesotho, IsiZulu, or South African Sign Language.
However, if you are going to be studying the course on a part time basis at the institution, you will only need an APS score of 34+. In addition to this, you should also have English at level 5 or above.
Does meeting the aps score guarantee you a place in the institution? No, of course. This is because the institution already revealed that they put several things into consideration when making their final selections.
You should know that each year, there are usually numerous applicants fighting for a space in an institution like the University of the Witwatersrand. This is because the university is one of the best of its kind in the whole of South Africa. However, on the other hand, it is obvious that they can’t admit everyone, but can only bring in those the system can cater for.
Therefore, while the aps system will help in making things easier for their selection (since many applicants will be disqualified based on this), they still have to consider the number of space that have been created each year in each department. Hence, as good as it is to beat the aps score set by the school, there is still a possibility that you won’t be admitted even after this.
But if you are admitted to study psychology in Wits, you will enjoy the body of knowledge you will have access to. After using three years in the university to get your degree in psychology, you can decide to proceed with your education and do your one year Honours before proceeding for Masters.
You can apply for your Masters of Psychology even at the University of the Witwatersrand. You will get to specialize in a specific area – be it educational, research, community counseling, clinical, and so on.
At this stage, you will have the opportunity to register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Your final year may be given to an internship programme which will take a full year.
Kindly note that you may have to engage yourself in a year of paid community service before you can be registered as an independent practitioner.
Advantages Of Being A Psychologist In South Africa
These are some prominent advantages of being a psychologist in the country:
1. It Is A Satisfying Career
Indeed, helping people overcome their issues can be rewarding, and you see yourself becoming a blessing that is touching and improving lots of lives through your career. You can find yourself living a purposeful and delightful life by helping others improve the quality of their lives.
Don’t forget that there are numerous folks in the country who are struggling with disabling mental disorders and disabilities. Your profession gives you the opportunity to help these ones learn to cope with their disorders and disabilities, as well as guiding them to overcome mental and emotional issues.
2. Flexible Work Schedules.
Once you are independent, you can do your own things the way you like it. That is, you can set how many hours you want to work each day and week, and can decide how many vacations you want to engage. Hence, it won’t only be work and work, but you can also have time to spend with your family and friends.
3. High Earning Potential.
As you grow in your field, you get better and better, and you get to earn good money annually. If you are really good with what you do, and you are able to establish a successful private practice, you will find yourself earning a whole lot of money doing what you love to do – helping people.
So, this is one of the beautiful things about being a psychologist in South Africa. You get paid to help people. Aside the satisfaction and happiness that comes from living to help others improve their lives, you are also going to get a descent living as an attractive benefit.
4. Being Independent
You can decide to work for yourself. This is one of the numerous nice things about being a psychologist. It can be done with an entreprenuerial mindset, and you determine a whole lot of things without waiting for others. There are many folks in this profession who are already doing their own things themselves, and they aren’t waiting for another coy to employ them. It is cool being your own boss of course.
Of course, being self-employed isn’t for everyone in the country, and not every psychologist will be independent (or find success by running their own things independently). However, this can give the person complete control over their time, as well as their earning potential.
5. Working With New People
Your job will avail you the opportunity to work with clients from all walks of life, cultures and backgrounds. This is thrilling. It means you will get to help a lot of people from different walks of life to overcome mental and emotion obstacles.
In Conclusion
It is amazing to become a psychologist, but the first step is to study psychology in the university, and you can start from Wits. The aps score for psychology at Wits is just 34 and above.