Educational psychologist
Help children and young people who have learning difficulties, additional support needs or emotional behavioural issues.
About the job
What it's like
Do you want to help young people get the most out of their learning journey? If so, educational psychology could be the perfect career for you.
In this role, you'll help children and young people who are working through a range of challenges. These could include learning difficulties, additional support needs or social, emotional and behavioural issues.
Your work will improve young people's lives! Educational psychologists find solutions that can enhance their learning and wellbeing.
But educational psychologists work with many different people, not just school students! You'll collaborate with parents and carers, teachers, social workers and healthcare professionals to make sure young people receive tailored support.
You'll probably work in the public sector, but there are also some private sector posts available.
Educational psychologists must be able to deal with pressure. You'll need to stay calm while working with young people during stressful situations.
Your tasks might include:
working with teachers, parents and other professionals to understand what a young person needs – you'll then decide on the best approach
observing and assessing the young person if necessary
helping develop solutions that match the needs of each young person you work with
running projects to promote healthy learning and socialising amongst young people
training teaching staff who work with young people with additional support needs
carrying out psychological research and developing policy
Explore more information about this job
Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:
British Psychological Society – find out all you need to know about becoming a psychologist
Disclosure Scotland – learn about the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) – explore the organisation that regulates health and social care professionals
British Psychological Society – discover the Scottish Division of Educational Psychology
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Top skills
Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!
It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.
Meta skills
Here are some of the meta skills you'll need to do this job.
- motivating others
- developing a plan
- empathising
- questioning
- observation
- verbal communication
- listening
- supporting
- building relationships
- reflecting
Your skills are important
Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.
Getting in
Explore each section to find more information about getting into this career.
Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:
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English
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Psychology
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Foundation Apprenticeship: Social Services and Healthcare
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Foundation Apprenticeship: Social Services Children and Young People
You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.
You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.
Discover what's on offer at your school on Apprenticeships.scot.
There are four steps you must take before you can work as an educational psychologist in Scotland.
Step 1 – study a Psychology degree
You'll need a degree in Psychology. This degree must be approved by the British Psychological Society (BPS).
If you have a degree in a different subject, you can do a conversion course. These are usually called MSc Psychology (Conversion) or MSc Psychology of Mental Health (Conversion).
Not got the grades you need to go to university? Getting qualifications at college, such as an HNC or HND, could help you progress to more advanced study. Useful subjects include:
Social Sciences
Applied Sciences
Counselling
Social Care Practice
Working with Communities
Childcare Practice
Use the My World of Work course search to look for degrees, conversion courses, HNCs or HNDs.
Step 2 – get work experience
Before you start postgraduate training, you'll need one or two years' experience working with young people in an education, care or community setting.
For example, you could work as a:
assistant psychologist
research assistant in an education or child development project
This valuable experience will help you gain an understanding of child development, learning difficulties and Scotland's educational systems.
Step 3 – complete a postgraduate qualification
You'll need a Master of Education (MEd) in Educational Psychology.
When you complete this course, you'll be a qualified trainee educational psychologist.
Step 4 – register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
After completing your postgraduate training, you must register with the HCPC as a Practitioner Psychologist (Educational) to start working in the United Kingdom.
At this stage, you're officially an educational psychologist. You can use the My World of Work job search to find vacancies.
Volunteering in a health or social care role can help you build the skills and experience you’ll need to become an educational psychologist. Search for opportunities on Volunteer Scotland.
Once you've qualified, it's a good idea to become a member of the British Psychological Society (BPS).
You should also consider joining the Scottish Division of Educational Psychology.
A driving licence is desirable for this career.
To work as an educational psychologist, you must be a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme, run by Disclosure Scotland.
Find the right course for you
Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Educational psychologist'
