Applied Psychology in Bangladesh: Progress and Prospect

Abstract

Psychology classes were first taught at Rajshahi University in 1956. In 1965, the University of Dhaka established the Department of Psychology. The Department of Psychology at Jagannath University offered an MSc programme in Psychology within the Faculty of Science in 1986. Chittagong University’s Department of Psychology was founded in 2005 as part of the Biological Sciences Faculty. During the 1993–94 academic years, the University of Dhaka began a postgraduate professional training program in conjunction with the University of London as part of the link initiative. In 1995, the MS in Clinical Psychology program began. Since 1997, Dhaka University has had a separate Department of Clinical Psychology within the Faculty of Biological Sciences, which offers clinical psychology masters and training program as well as produces professional clinical psychologists. In 2012, the Department of Psychology at Jagannath University introduced one-year master’s degrees in psychology in three areas: clinical and counseling psychology; industrial and organizational psychology; and educational and developmental psychology. In 2015, Rajshahi University created a new Clinical Psychology Department inside the Faculty of Life and Earth Science. The Department of Clinical Psychology provides a fouryear BSc Honors degree in Clinical Psychology and a one-year Master’s program in Clinical Psychology. The availability of applied psychologist placement chances in Bangladesh is still limited, indicating that there is a great need for and numerous opportunities to work as a professional psychologist in various fields in Bangladesh.