Can I get a Masters in Management or MBA after a Psychology BSc to work in the City?

Wisefire

(edited 6 years ago)

masters in finance

Original post by Wisefire

I'm I think interested in doing Psychology as an undergraduate degree, but I want prosperity in life too... I'd be quite fulfilled if I had a good job in the City, though I don't believe I particularly want to study Finance or Business...

What additional qualifications to a Psychology undergraduate degree can I gain which would give me the opportunity to then work in the City?

There is 0 need to get a masters after uni if you go to a decent university.. It's purpose is a (costly) reset button for if you didn't have any luck landing anything throughout the recruitment pipeline of spring week to summer to grad offer.. To add, you'd still have barely any luck landing a grad offer with just a masters as banks are now mostly recruiting from their summer intern classes or through interns from other banks; which ultimately means a one year masters is merely a reset for summer applications and a shot at grad for other less 'internship conversion' focused processes.

An MBA is only useful after 3-5 years of experience, and rightly so, most top MBA programmes will bar you from applying without experience. It's a good path if you strike out with high finance but still land say a finance grad scheme at a blue chip.

Again, chill the crap out. You don't have A-levels or even a level 3 qualification yet, stop thinking so far ahead. As mentioned many times before, work your butt off to get the pre-Uni qualification you need, aim for the best universities possible (study whatever you want, it doesn't matter), get stuck into ECs/networking/getting work experience, maintain good grades (2:1/1st) and just plug into the standard undergrad recruitment process like everyone else.

It's all oversimplified, and in reality competition is fierce but the path to IB is a well documented, clear one that awards those who have what it takes to get through it.

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Reply 3

Trapz99

Original post by Wisefire

Depends on what you mean by "good job in the city". There are plenty of good jobs in the City of London: accounting, investment banking, trading, law, management/strategy consulting, insurance broking, actuarial, sales. Some of them do require some mathematical ability (namely actuarial and trading) so you might find these jobs more difficult to get with a psychology degree. And accounting requires you to complete professional qualifications with your employer but you don't need to pay for a masters. And for law, you can complete your GDL with a law firm without doing a masters degree. However, pretty much every career in the city can be achieved with a psychology degree and no other qualifications as long as you have the right soft skills (communication, teamwork, leadership etc).

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 4

GoldmanSucks

Back in the day it was easier now your first huddle is: You have to try get past HR first. People think they're not good enough. They are most times but HR are lazy and just naive really. You could have Econometrics, Finance, Mathematics masters and undergrads from London South Bank and HR will pick an English Literature/History graduate from Warwick over you.

Don't waste your money. More importantly do not waste your time. Focus on your alevels and go to a top university. If you can't get into a top school. Get a first class in a quantitative subject and try your best to get an internship in your penultimate year.

Reply 5

username738914

Original post by Wisefire

After a night of thinking I've got my priorities/aspirations set on wanting to work towards a job in the City, such as in financial services. I don't really have that much an interest in Psychology anyhow, so forget that idea.

So, what can I do now? I'm 19 years old, I only have GCSEs and AS-levels. I'm not that good with numbers/mathematics unfortunately; at least, I'm not confident in treading there... I want to work hard to give myself a very good future. I want to be educated, fit and proseprous.

Would starting an Access to HE course in Business in September be the best first step I can take? You mentioned not wasting time or money... What would you say I should do? An Access to HE course in Business, or intensive one-year A-levels at Westminster Kingsway College (which would be tougher probably)?

Would advocate for the one year A level course as that's the route I took (albeit, studying by self) personally. Apply to the targets/semi-target universities of your liking and smash through the course.

As for numeracy, if you can do basic arithmetic and have the temperament to learn new concepts quickly, I don't think it'll be an issue. But do bear in mind that a lot of banks employ numerical tests in the selection process.

The path has been spoken about over and over again, both here on TSR (read the stickied post) and on Canary Wharfian. But again, forget all of that and start preparing for your a levels/ucas application for whichever course you want to pursue (pls don't ask me which course is best because it's the least important factor).

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Reply 6

username738914

Original post by Wisefire

It'd be easier for me to do an Access to Business course in all honesty, so I will probably do that. Of the one year intensive A-levels Kingsway offers, I'd have most interest in Biology, English Literature & Language and Sociology.

I've called universities and departments for courses I'd have interest in in the past week, like Warwick's Management and International Business, Nottingham's Management and Finance, Accounting and Management, UCL's Information Management for Business and Durham's Business and Management degrees, and they've all said they do consider Access to HE courses. An Access to Business course would be more appealling for me to work on than those three intensive A-levels as I think the Access to Business course plays more to my strengths... I imagine it would be easier to achieve top marks in it than in those three A-levels. The Access to Business course is not really any less credible than those three A-levels I mentioned, right?

Seems like you've done your due diligence and have made up your mind. Go for it.

Reply 7

GoldmanSucks

Original post by Wisefire

At 19 years old. The way you're thinking you're already ahead of your peers. I don't see no reason why you can't strive. Let me point out to you that you don't have to be a mathematical genius to work in financial services. There are so many divisions you could go into. You don't have to be an economist either but you need to be able to think logically and basic maths I think these days you have to take numerical tests at some banks, they shouldn't be difficult don't worry too much about that for now.

If HE course would get you into a good university. Go for it.

When you start applying for universities, If you like history. Study history at a good university and get a first class instead of studying economics at a mediocre university and getting a 2:1 because you think banks like economists. Those days are gone.

We're in the days whereby you have to get past HR first like I've said before.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 8

RunningBack34

Who did you speak to at Warwick? I was initially told the same; but after speaking to the head of admissions was told that access would be fine for management. I also know of a few people who have gotten offers for management with access courses. They don't however accept it for international business as it requires a European language at A level or equivalent, A fair number of Nottingham students get jobs in the city every year so there shouldn't be any problems on that front, just try to do as many internships as possible and get involved in as many extracurricular activities as possible (as long as you enjoy them). Nottingham also offer some great year abroad opportunities on their campuses in China and Malaysia.

Reply 9

username738914

Original post by Wisefire

Would Management at Nottingham give me a chance of getting a City job/open doors?

Tis quite obvious that the answer would be yes.

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Reply 10

GoldmanSucks

Original post by Wisefire

So would you say too that I could do Psychology at a good university and still be in the running to work in the City? The idea of studying Psychology is out of me anyhow now, I've realised I'd also to be honest be rather interested and happy to study Business, so long as it is at a good university, not least because only being at a good university would give me the prospects I seek... Studying Business, or Finance or Management, would help me understand better the logistics of starting a Business, not that studying Business means you can do that lol, but it'd go with that aspiration and help, and otherwise Business or Finance if done at a good university would give me a decent future. I could always do PG study in Business, Finance or Organisational Theory or related subjects to that too.

Getting to a good university is what I need to prioritise, so hopefully I can do an Access to Business course and get there, or otherwise do new A-levels in Biology, English Literature & Language and Sociology.

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Nottingham is a good university, you should be fine. If you don't like psychology, don't study it. You'll have hard time doing something you don't like.

If Warwick say no. Try other places firms recruit from. But still try and see if you can get into Warwick though in another way. It's a good school.

Try other schools like York/Bath/Bristol/Kent/Durham/Loughborough/Southampton/Cass etc. check them out and pick up the phone and call.

Don't pay for a levels if you can't afford it. You could start university and decide you're no longer interested in that career path. Don't get into debt. Things change over time.

Don't stress too much, if you start now youll end up in a good school if you do your groundwork and research.

Reply 11

spoli21

Original post by Wisefire

I've called universities, and UCL and Manchester say they would not accept an Access course from me as I am under the age of 21, only 19, not a mature student.

To be honest it would be best if I do A-levels and not an Access to Business course. A-levels open up more university opportunities for me.

So, I have applied for Westminster Kingsway College's intensive one-year A-levels in Biology, English Literature/Language and Sociology.

Just out of curiosity, how come you picked these A-levels if your interested lies in management, finance, accounting and similar finds (based on your degree choices)? Wouldn't maths/econ/science A-levels be closer to your interests?