Applied Psychology vs Clinical Psychology: Which is Better?

The fascination around psychology has grown more with time. Two of the most popular branches students often compare are applied psychology vs clinical psychology. From becoming capable of helping someone from mental duress to using psychological principles to improve workplace efficiency, psychology offers diverse career paths.  
Students and adults alike are often confused between applied psychology Vs Clinical psychology, not knowing what each course entail, and which one’s better. Good thing, you are on the right page to get all your doubts cleared, along with understanding which course suits you the bets. Read on!

What is Clinical Psychology?

The branch of psychology that concerns itself with diagnosing, treating, and preventing mental health disorders, is popularly known as clinical psychology. Experts practising it are called Clinical psychologists, and they treat emotional, cognitive, and behavioural issues using psychotherapy and psychological assessment techniques.

Core Activities in Clinical Psychology:

• Mental health assessment
• Therapy and counseling
• Treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, and personality disorders
• Rehabilitation and crisis intervention

Clinical psychology careers include clinical psychologist, therapist, counselor, mental health consultant, and psychiatric researcher.

Applied Psychology vs Clinical Psychology – Key Differences

For better understanding of these two branches of psychology, let us delve in details on their differences:

Having an understanding of differences go a long way in making up your mind on which branch of psychology you’d like to choose and make a career in.

Applied Psychology Careers vs Clinical Psychology Careers

Both branches of psychology come to varied career choices. Depending on the job role you will wish to embark upon, you can decide which to pursue in the battle between applied psychology vs clinical psychology.

Applied Psychology vs Clinical Psychology: Which is Better?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Here’s how to decide:

• Choose Applied Psychology if you enjoy working in diverse sectors, solving behavioral problems, and applying theory in real-world settings.
• Choose Clinical Psychology if you’re passionate about mental health, therapy, and directly helping individuals with emotional and psychological challenges. 
  Ultimately, the better option depends on your passion, personality, and long-term goals.

Build Your Career with UPES

At institutions like UPES, the B.Sc. (Hons.) in Psychology and Behaviour lays a strong foundation in both applied and clinical domains.

You'll explore:

• Developmental and Cognitive Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Counselling Skills
• Organizational Behaviour
• Research Methodology
• Health and Community Psychology

The program is perfect for students still exploring their interest in applied psychology vs clinical psychology, as it provides exposure to both paths before specializing later.

Conclusion

Choosing between applied psychology vs clinical psychology is a matter of aligning your interests with your desired impact. Whether you're drawn to corporate behavior or clinical therapy, psychology offers fulfilling and future-proof careers.

Explore your path with the B.Sc. (Hons.) in Psychology and Behaviour at UPES—a program designed to give you exposure, flexibility, and skills across all major psychological domains.