How Do I Become a Psychology Tutor?

Psychology tutors help individuals gain a better grasp of psychology concepts. Their assistance often helps clients improve performance in class and pass tests. To become a psychology tutor, you may have to earn a degree in psychology, though you can often qualify for some opportunities as a junior or senior in a psychology degree program. You can also build basic teaching skills in preparation for your job and learn how to adapt your techniques to match client learning styles. When you are ready to seek a job, you can apply with schools and tutoring companies or seek clients independently.

Tutoring someone in a subject such as psychology will likely require you to have extensive education. For example, you may need at least a bachelor's degree in psychology to land a job or secure clients. You can, however, find some opportunities while you are still working toward a degree. For instance, you could tutor students in high school psychology during your junior or senior year in college. Some clients prefer tutors with more education, but others may prove willing to give you a chance if you can demonstrate that you are doing well in school.

Sometimes you'll need a higher-level degree to become a psychology tutor. For example, if you want to tutor students who are seeking a bachelor's degree and are in their final years of a degree program, you may need a master's degree. This is because some clients and employers will expect you to have significantly advanced knowledge of psychology before they will hire you.

You might also find some peer-to-peer tutoring situations in which you are not expected to have a higher education level than your student. For example, if you are performing extremely well in your psychology classes and have high grades, a student on the same level may hire you to help him. This may work best when a student needs minor-to-moderate help to succeed in a class rather than when he is truly floundering.

Certain skills are also important when you want to become a psychology tutor. You will need basic teaching skills, which you can build by taking a tutor training course, reading books about tutoring, or even observing teachers at work and taking note of techniques you think are helpful. Often, the ability to adapt your tutoring technique to fit the needs of the student is also important for this job. For instance, if you have a tutoring client who learns best visually, incorporating visual aids into your tutoring may make it more effective.

Once you believe you are prepared to become a psychology tutor, you can apply for a job with a school, college, or other educational institution. You can also check with local tutoring companies to learn whether they have any opportunities. Alternatively, however, you can take on your own clients as an independent tutoring professional.