M Phil Psychology: Eligibility, Course Details, Colleges, Syllabus, Admission 2025

Updated on Mar 17, 2025

Shivam Kumar

An M.Phil. Psychology expanded as Master of Philosophy in Psychology is a postgraduate research degree, recognized by the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). M Phil Psychology course duration is 1-2 years for students who want to seek knowledge in psychological domains, on diagnosing and treating mental health issues.

The M Phil. Psychology Eligibility Criteria is that the candidate needs to have a 2-year MA/MSc degree in psychology from a UGC recognized university with an aggregate of 55% marks. Admission to this course depends on your eligibility, and for some institutions you need to even pass entrance examinations.

The M Phil. Psychology Fees vary depending on the institution. Public Universities like Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), Ranchi, and National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) may offer the course in somewhere between INR 50,000 – 75,000. On the other hand, private universities like Amity University and SGT University offer courses in INR 4,00,000 – 5,00,000.

Completing an M Phil Psychology course opens many dynamic career paths in the field centered around teaching and research. Some Job Profiles after completing this course are Lecturer/Assistant Professor, Research Scientist, Curriculum Developer, etc. The average Salary after doing M Phil. Psychology falls in the range of INR 3,00,000 – 8,00,000.

M Phil Psychology Course Highlights

Some basic details about the M.Phil. Psychology course is given below:

Details	Particulars
Course Name	M.Phil. Psychology (Master of Philosophy in Psychology)
Course level	Postgraduate
Duration	1 or 2 Years
Course Type	Full Time
Eligibility Criteria	2 Year M.A/M.Sc degree in Psychology recognized by UGC with optimal credit points.
Admission Process	Merit Based/Entrance Based
Course Fees (Average)	INR 50,000 – 5,00,000
Courses Covered	Dissertation, Behavioural Medicine, Psychology Therapy and viva-voce, Biological Foundations of Behaviour, Psychiatry, Psychosocial foundations of behavior and Psychopathology
Top Colleges	Central Institute of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Amity University, Annamalai University, etc
Job Profiles	Assistant Professor, Lecturer, Curriculum Developer, Research Scientist, Forensic/Clinical Psychologist, Rehabilitation Counselor.
Top Recruiters	Manipal Hospital, Apotext, Pharmaceuticals company, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Intel
Average Salary in India	INR 3,00,000 – 8,00,000

M Phil Psychology Eligibility Criteria

For candidates who’re interested in pursuing this research-oriented degree, they should hold a 2-year degree in M.A./M.Sc in Psychology with an aggregate of 55% marks.

M Phil Psychology Entrance Exams

There are some universities or institutions that conduct entrance exams for this course. For example, University of Delhi, Lovely Professional University, AIIMS, NIMHANS. If the candidates want to pursue the course from certain colleges, they’ll have to show up for the entrance exams.

Exams	Application Date	Exam Date (Tentative)	Application Fee
CUET PG 2025	2 January, 2025 – 8 February, 2025	13 March 2025 – 1 April 2025	INR 1,400
LPUNEST 2025	26 January 2025 – 10 March 2025	15 March 2025 – 31 March	INR 1,000
INI CET	10 March 2025 – 15 April 2025	17 May 2025	INR 4000 (General/Foreign National/OCI/OBC)INR 3200 (SC/ST/EWS Applicant)

M Phil Psychology Colleges in India

The M.Phil Psychology is a tough course, not every institution has the infrastructure to provide this course, but there are still some great colleges in India which provide this course.

NIRF Ranking(University)	College Name	Course Fees (Approximate)
26	Bharathiar University, Coimbatore	INR 42,570
-	National Forensic Sciences University, Delhi	INR 1,50,000
27	Lovely Professional University
31	Amity University	INR 4,65,000
-	Central Institute of Psychiatry
7	Annamalai University

M Phil Psychology Admission Process 2025

The M Phil Psychology admission 2025 can vary depending on the college or institution you’ve chosen. However, to give you a general idea, listed below is the admission process for Amity University, Noida, which provides M Phil Psychology:

Start with reaching out to the official site of Amity University. You need to sign up as a new user, if you’ve already signed up, sign in.

Fill out the required details and sign in as a new user. After that, choose the program and campus you’re applying for.

Fill out the applicant details required, and then make a payment of INR 1100. Once the payment has been made, other options will open, such as Personal details, educational details, and documents, etc.

Fill out the details and you’re done with the application. Now, depending on the eligibility criteria, you’ll get selected.

M Phil Psychology Syllabus

The syllabus for the Postgraduate course M Phil Psychology can change as per the notice and regulations issued by Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI). The syllabus listed below is taken from the National Forensic Sciences University, Gujarat.

Semester I	Semester II
Psychosocial Foundations of Behaviour and Psychopathology	Biological Foundations of Behaviour
Statistics and Research Methodology	Psychotherapy and Counseling
Psychiatry	Behavioural Medicine
Psychological Assessment and Viva-voce	Psychological therapy and Viva-voce
Psychodiagnostic Reports	Dissertation

M Phil Psychology Job Opportunities in India

Completing M Phil Psychology opens some exciting career aspects, the job profiles and salary drawn mentioned below are listed from credible sources such as Naukri & Indeed. Let’s have a look at them:

Job Profiles	Experience	Recruiters	Average Salary Drawn
Research Scientist	0-5 Years	Mabbit Communication	INR 8,00,000 – 10,00,000
Assistant Professor/Lecturer	2-6 Years	Apeejay Stya Group	INR 6,00,000 – 11,00,000
Psychological Counselor	2-6 Years	SR Educational	INR 3,00,000 – 8,00,000
Chief Clinical Psychologist	3-8 Years	Divamo Well Being	INR 6,00,000 – 7,20,000
Child Psychologist	0-3 Years	Jey Special Needs	INR 2,16,000 – 3,00,000

M. Phil Psychology Course Comparison

As M Phil Psychology is going to be phased out in 2026-2027, students are often confused on whether to go with this course or not, here’s a list provided on which course you might want to pursue:

Features	M. Phil Psychology	M. Phil Clinical Psychology
Overview	It is a research-oriented degree which emphasizes theoretical knowledge and research methodologies. The main focus is to enhance the research skills	This is a clinical-focused hospital-based program, which focuses on the practical application of the psychological principles in the assessment.
Specialization	Research Methodology, Cognitive Psychology, Development Psychology, Social Psychology	Psychological Assessment, Psychotherapy, Clinical Practice, Neuropsychology, Diagnosis and treatment of mental disorder.
Eligibility Criteria	2 Year M.A/M.Sc degree in Psychology recognized by UGC with optimal credit points.	2 Year M.A/M.Sc degree in Psychology recognized by UGC with optimal credit points.
Average Course Fee	INR 50,000 – 5,00,000	INR 50,000 – 7,00,000
Subjects Covered	Psychology, Psychiatry, Psychopathology, Research Methodologies	Dissertation, Behavioural Medicine, Psychology Therapy and viva-voce, Biological Foundations of Behaviour, Psychiatry, Psychosocial foundations of behavior and Psychopathology
Job Profiles	Assistant Professor, Lecturer, Curriculum Developer, Research Scientist, Forensic/Clinical Psychologist, Rehabilitation Counselor.	Rehabilitation Counselor, Forensic Psychologist, Curriculum Developer, Assistant Professor/Lecturer
Average Salary	INR 3,00,000 – 8,00,000	INR 3,50,000 – 10,00,000

* M Phil Psychology is getting phased out by the M Phil Clinical Psychology, the main difference between them is M Phil Psychology focuses on theoretical knowledge, in which the student might not become a licensed psychologist. On the other hand, the clinical Psychology offers a licensed approach to the course and focuses on the training and practical aspect under the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI),

M. Phil Psychology Recommended Books

Here are some recommended books for the M Phil Psychology course:

Books Name	Author’s Name
Biopsychology	James W. Kalat
Statistical Methods	Dr. SP Gupta
Research Methodology Methods and Techniques	C.R Kothari
Theories of Personality	David Lest.
Abnormal Psychology	William. J Ray

M Phil Psychology FAQs

Which is better an M Phil or a PhD in Psychology?

An M Phil is the highest master’s degree you can achieve in Psychology, whereas a PhD is the highest qualification you can achieve in Psychology. Doing a course that fits well with your eligibility is the best option. However, a PhD in Psychology is the best option, if you’re looking to widen your career aspect.

Can I use the prefix Dr. after M. Phil in Psychology?

If you’re still practising after doing an M Phil in Psychology, you’ll be addressed Dr informally by your patients. However, if you wish to put the prefix in front of your name, then you’ll have to complete your PhD in Psychology.

Is M Phil Psychology being phased out?

Yes, according to the notice issued by University Grants Commission (UGC), and the addition of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, made some real important changes, and in that was the decision of phasing out M Phil Psychology. It will be only available for the 2025 batch, if the students are thinking to pursue this course, this is their last chance.

Can I do M Phil Psychology from Distance?

Yes, you can do M Phil Psychology from distance learning, because the course focuses on theoretical knowledge rather than giving practical knowledge, that’s why it is the best option for interested students to pursue this course from distance.

Is M Phil Psychology a lengthy course?

The course length can depend on the institution, however, the course generally comprises 2 semesters in which all the theoretical knowledge is provided to the students.

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