How Long Does It Take To study Clinical Psychology In South Africa?

What is Clinical Psychology?

Clinical psychology is an integration of social science, theory, and clinical knowledge for the purpose of understanding, preventing,

and relieving psychologically-based distress or dysfunction and promoting subjective well-being and personal development.

How Long Does It Take To study Clinical Psychology In South Africa?

THREE years are required for a bachelor’s degree, ONE year is required to complete an honours degree, 

and TWO years are required for the Master’s in Clinical, Counselling, and Research Psychology degrees (one-year of coursework and one-year internship).

Schools That Offer Clinical Psychology Courses In South Africa

  • The University of the Witwatersrand. Clinical Psychology.
  • The University of Port Elizabeth. Clinical Psychology.
  • The University of South Africa. MA in Clinical Psychology.
  • Rhodes University. Ph.
  • The University of Cape Town. Clinical Psychology.

How much do clinical psychologists earn in South Africa?

An early career Clinical Psychologist with 1-4 years of experience earns an average compensation of R310,532 based on 112 salaries.

A mid-career Clinical Psychologist with 5-9 years of experience earns an average compensation of R449,666 based on 31 salaries.

Clinical Psychologist Requirements In South Africa?

According to Prof Tholene Sodi, PsySSA president-elect and chair of psychology at the University of Limpopo, South Africans are also highly stressed, which creates a need for the qualified experts that psychology can provide.

A degree in psychology not only opens the door to the mind but can also open the door to a successful, rewarding career.  Graduates who have studied psychology can build meaningful careers in areas where having a grounded knowledge of psychology, an applied skill set and well-developed research and writing skills, are valued.

With a view to helping you get the most out of your education, let’s take a look at the steps to becoming a registered psychologist:

  • In South Africa, a bachelor’s degree in psychology is the first step on the path to being able to register with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) in one of the professional psychology categories.
  • You can register with the HPCSA in the following nine categories:
  1. Clinical psychologist
  2. Counselling psychologist
  3. Educational psychologist
  4. Industrial or organisational psychologist
  5. Research psychologist
  6. Neuropsychologist
  7. Forensic psychologist
  8. Registered counsellor
  9. Psychometrist

The minimum requirements for registration with the HPCSA in the first seven categories are as follows:

  • Five years of full-time formal education in psychology, i.e. a three-year bachelor’s degree, majoring in psychology or its equivalent, plus an honours degree in psychology, plus a directed master’s degree programme in psychology approved by the HPCSA
  • Successful completion of a full-time approved internship of 12 months duration
  • Successful completion of the National Examination of the Professional Board for Psychology in the relevant registration category

The minimum requirements for registration with the HPCSA as a registered counsellor are as follows:

  • A -year bachelor of psychology professional degree approved by the HPCSA, including a 720-hour practicum
  • Successful completion of the National Examination of the Professional Board for Psychology in the registered counsellor category

The minimum requirements for registration with the HPCSA as a psychometrist are as follows:

  • A four-year bachelor of psychology professional degree approved by the HPCSA
  • An approved six-month/720-hour face-to-face practicum, or an equivalent of not more than 12 months of part-time practicum
  • Successful completion of the National Examination of the Professional Board for Psychology

Alternatively, the bachelor of psychology professional degree (BPsych) is approved by the HPCSA for the education and training of registered counsellors.  Graduates of this programme will be eligible to sit for the National Examination of the Professional Board for Psychology in the registered counsellor category in order to register with the HPCSA as registered counsellors.

As a four-year NQF8 degree programme, the BPsych has a ”built-in” honours equivalent.

Graduates are therefore also able to articulate into a master’s degree programme with a view to becoming a psychologist.