THERE are many misconceptions about careers in psychology-related fields.

While most assume these careers are often associated with treating unstable or mentally ill individuals, there is much more to these jobs than meets the eye.

Professionals in these fields—such as psychologists and counsellors—are the unseen architects of well-being, empowering communities and individuals to take charge of and safeguard their mental, emotional and professional welfare.

As such, there are numerous opportunities for students to pursue, even if they are not interested in the clinical side of the profession.

Common misconceptions

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) Psychology and Counselling department head Dr Lee Wan Ying shared that while there are various clinical psychology applications, the field is not limited to these practices.

There are numerous underlying branches for students and professionals to pursue, such as educational, research and industrial-organisational (IO) psychology.

“Most of the time, people assume that psychologists can read your mind or know exactly what you’re thinking,” she said.

“Career-wise, they carry that same mindset, as students believe if they pursue psychology, they can only become counsellors or clinical psychologists in hospitals,” she said.

“But, psychology is not just about looking at mental illness—we’re also looking at people’s strengths, how to help them grow and self-develop. So, we have the ‘positive’ side to it as well.”

Dr Anisah Zainab (left) and Dr Lee Wan Ying together have more than two decades of experience in the psychology and counselling field.

Lee, an alumna of UTAR’s Psychology programmes—from degree to master's and PhD level—debunked the myth that individuals pursuing this field need to be naturally outgoing or “social butterflies”.

She mentioned that psychology and counselling students are adept at analysing diverse and complicated situations and data sets, opening up possibilities for careers in corporate environments.

“Most tend to assume that if you are naturally empathetic or good with people, you will become a good psychologist or counsellor, and if you don’t have that trait, you will struggle.

“But that is not true. Although empathy and interpersonal skills are important, there are actually other areas or aspects in psychology where there isn’t a need to always see and interact with clients, like in research, for example. Psychology is not always limited to face-to-face interactions,” said Lee.

Nurturing certified, licensed professionals

Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) Guidance and Counselling programme head Dr Anisah Zainab explained that, similar to psychology, careers in counselling are misinterpreted, leaving many unaware of its potential applicability in the corporate world.

“Apart from going into educational or mental health settings, entering the corporate field is also achievable. Nowadays, human resource (HR) departments in businesses provide employee assistance programmes which require licensed professionals to help employees in handling personal and work-related issues,” she said.

She added that this extended scope is also aided by the fact that Malaysia was one of the first in South-East Asia and Australasia to have legislations in place, such as the Counsellors Act 1998, to govern and regulate the profession, resulting in the creation of high-quality, certified professionals.

“Because of the stringent requirements listed in the Act, it serves as a guide for all counsellors in Malaysia.

“These high standards attract students from all over the world, including China and Somalia, to choose Malaysia for their further studies, because they believe and trust in the way we do things here,” she said.

At UTAR, over 95% of graduates secure a job within six months after graduation.

While the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) has become increasingly prevalent in recent years, especially as tools for emotional and mental self-diagnosis, Anisah believes that technology cannot replace the “human touch”.

“Although emerging technologies have made it easier for people to seek advice, the human element is still needed.

“AI could give you suggestions and tips, but true empathy and deep understanding about a situation—the relational context—still requires professional guidance, to cater to these interpersonal needs.

“Counsellors engage in active listening with clients, giving feedback that reflects their feelings, emotions and situation, while being backed by evidence-based, reliable assessments.”

She added that while technology will not outright replace human interaction in this sense, it can be used as a supplementary and complementary tool to aid in psychological assessments for counselling sessions.

Producing industry-ready graduates

At UTAR, future psychologists and counsellors are nurtured with the belief that they are not confined to the usual psychology and counselling-related roles, but instead, have the potential to expand beyond traditional settings.

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FAS) dean Dr Lee Lai Meng said that the Psychology and Counselling curriculum is consistently attuned to industry standards.

“All of our programmes are anchored by an industry advisor. These advisors analyse the programmes, speak to students and staff, and provide feedback on how we can improve the curriculum design,” she said.

“This, coupled with our numerous strategic partnerships, allows us to benchmark and learn from the industry and other academia, to ensure topics are up-to-date.”

FAS dean Dr Lee Lai Meng said that the Psychology and Counselling curriculum is backed by strong theoretical foundations and practical components, preparing students for their future careers.

She stated that the curriculum also benefits from strong theoretical foundations and practical components.

“At UTAR, we have a working counselling centre—the UTAR Community Counselling Centre (UCCC)—which is open to students and local communities.

“By engaging with real-life clients, students have the opportunity to observe actual sessions and apply what they have learnt, equipping them with strong practical skills and experience.”

This concrete foundation of theoretical knowledge and practical training is exemplified by the institution’s graduate employability rate, with over 95% of graduates securing a job six months after graduation.

UTAR offers psychology and counselling programmes under FAS, such as the Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) Psychology and Bachelor of Social Science (Hons) Guidance and Counselling.

For more information, visit www.utar.edu.my or contact 05-468 8888 (Kampar Campus) or 03-9086 0288 (Sungai Long Campus). Visitors can walk in or call for any enquiries on weekdays from 9am to 5pm (closed on public holidays).