Human Services Psychology

Human Services Psychology is a programme that has given a new dimension to the clinical psychology and other related specialities. Programmes in Human Service Psychology are derived from a general systems theory about diverse nature of problems, this helps a programme to foster more comprehensive approach to integrate practice and research work.A doctorate in Human service psychology is a cost effective professional training which covers number of specialities within one single programme.

Human Services Psychology is described as a branch of psychology which is concerned with the wellbeing of humans. It focuses on the knowledge acquisition of the psychological and physical disorders to come up with treatment and prevention of psychological and physical deseases. This programme helps students to gain knowledge and practical experience to solve broad rang of human problems.

It uses the biopschosocial technique to integrate theory and practice for the learners to have a holistic approach to research in field of psychology and practice. . The Human Services Psychology Program deals with three major components:

- behavioural medicine: deals with problems which are related to physical health

- health psychology or clinical psychology: assesses and treats problems I behavioural & psychological functioning of human beings.

-community & applied social psychology: deals with functioning of a person at individual and community level

HSP programme’s primary focus is to train practitioners for research and to provide best services to the underserved, poor, minorities, children, youth and the aged. The progamme requires students to produce a course work on any of the special issues. It encourages students to take a combination of special programmes such as Clinical/Behavioral Medicine, Clinical/Community or Community/Behavioral Medicine. The programme in HSP provides students a rich experience and a more integrated perspective on public service issues.

To get in any university for the HSP programme student must have received a bachelaureate degree from an accredited institution. The minimum grade required is B, or a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Admissions are competitive based upon the scores on the Verbal, quantitative and advanced Psychological Tests of the graduate test records, letter of recommendation and other relevant information necessary to assess students potential for successfully completing programme. Students must also identify research interests which is then matched with the competence of programme faculty.

Once admitted to a course each student is assigned a faculty advisor from the relevant department with whom student is required to work during the first year on various researches related projects. In consultation with the course advisor students will come up with the programme of their respective coursework. S/he will practice and research activity that builds on the students experience in field of Human Service Psychology. Students will work in the field of heir own interest, this will help them gain experience in the field which they want to work in future.

In a regular programme in HSP students are required to take a set of core course involving courses related to research methodology and statistics. In addition to the subject areas of psychology: biological, cognitive/affective and social bases of behavior, and individual differences. They will also be required to do at least 1500 hours of internship (particularly clinical students) in addition 18 credit hours of research is also required. Core units are also dependant on the students past academic experience for instance it will be different for the students who have done their masters from those who have completed acceptable graduate programme.