Psychology degree and Teaching

I graduate with a psychology degree next year, and am considering all my career options as I'm not sure what I want to do. I've always been interested in teaching, and used to think I'd like to teach little kids, when I applied for Uni I was planning on doing a degree in something I like then do a primary teaching PGCE. Now though, I think if I went into teaching I'd prefer to teach older kids, like aged 11-16. The thing is what post grad course can I get on to with a psychology degree? I don't think many schools teach Psychology GCSE and to be honest I don't know if I'd like to teach that. I'm a bit stuck so any advice would be good! I'm not saying I'd definately like to teach, I am undecided, but I'd like to look at all options! :biggrin:

Reply 1

Steeeeevo

15

you could allways teach AS/A-Level psychology

Reply 2

kellywood_5

17

I think really your main option is teaching A-level psychology in a sixth form college, which would obviously involve teaching those aged 16-19.

Reply 3

frost105

14

I'm not sure there is a PGCE in psychology however I read on the bbc that most graduate teachers are now finding it more difficult to get jobs now and if thats the case it maybe worth looking into.

Reply 4

AngelofnoColour

14

Yeah you can do a PGCE after your psychology degree, but it has to be separate and takes many years and then after that you do training as a psychology teacher. Im thinking of doing that after my degree,or if you want to teach why not go into lecturing uni students and do a phd.

Reply 5

Gem

OP

14

Thanks for everyone's replies :smile:

I think if I do go down the route of teaching it looks like I'll have to teach at college, AS/A Levels and I'm not sure I want to teach that age group, I don't think I could be a lecturer either, think I'd be too scared to stand up in from of a load of people that age! I'd be too scared! :blush:

Really I'm going to have to think about it a lot more, I might go and see a careers advisor when I go back to Uni, to help decide my options.

Thanks again for all your help though :hugs:

Reply 6

Endymion

9

BlueAngel

Yeah you can do a PGCE after your psychology degree, but it has to be separate and takes many years and then after that you do training as a psychology teacher. Im thinking of doing that after my degree,or if you want to teach why not go into lecturing uni students and do a phd.

A PGCE takes 1 year, not many, and you don't do separate teacher training after PGCE. That's what a PGCE is. Don't know where you got that information from.

To the original poster: - Unfortunately, there is no psychology PGCE. What you can do is a 2 year extended PGCE, which works to boost your subject knowledge (say you decided to do a biology PGCE) as well as completing the normal requirements of a PGCE. However, you need to convince the ITT providers that you have gained enough knowledge from your degree, to aid the subject you want to teach, and to even be eligible to take the booster course.

The other option is to teach psychology in higher education institutes. You can take various courses (other than the PGCE) to get into teaching psychology. Unfortunately, I don't know much about these, so I'd go and talk to your careers advisor.

Reply 7

Gem

OP

14

Endymion

A PGCE takes 1 year, not many, and you don't do separate teacher training after PGCE. That's what a PGCE is. Don't know where you got that information from.

To the original poster: - Unfortunately, there is no psychology PGCE. What you can do is a 2 year extended PGCE, which works to boost your subject knowledge (say you decided to do a biology PGCE) as well as completing the normal requirements of a PGCE. However, you need to convince the ITT providers that you have gained enough knowledge from your degree, to aid the subject you want to teach, and to even be eligible to take the booster course.

The other option is to teach psychology in higher education institutes. You can take various courses (other than the PGCE) to get into teaching psychology. Unfortunately, I don't know much about these, so I'd go and talk to your careers advisor.

I never knew I could do an extended PGCE, I think I'll look into that, thank you :biggrin:

Reply 8

Fluffy

15

* gemchicken

I graduate with a psychology degree next year, and am considering all my career options as I'm not sure what I want to do. I've always been interested in teaching, and used to think I'd like to teach little kids, when I applied for Uni I was planning on doing a degree in something I like then do a primary teaching PGCE. Now though, I think if I went into teaching I'd prefer to teach older kids, like aged 11-16. The thing is what post grad course can I get on to with a psychology degree? I don't think many schools teach Psychology GCSE and to be honest I don't know if I'd like to teach that. I'm a bit stuck so any advice would be good! I'm not saying I'd definately like to teach, I am undecided, but I'd like to look at all options! :biggrin:

What about Educational psychology? Or do you actually want to teach?

Reply 9

Fluffy

15

Dur - also being thick! My friend did a PGCE in 'social science' after her psych degree - basically psychology and sociology...

Reply 10

Peacey

7

I'm an A-Level Psychology/Sociology teacher, so I may be able to help

It is possible to qualify to teach A-Level Psychology, you'd need to apply for a PGCE in Further, Higher and Adult Education (I think there are about 12 institutions that do it, scattered around the country). This is what I did (in Sociology), however I wouldn't recommend doing it; I've had a nightmare, and have basically had to requalify because whilst the PGCE FE qualifies you to teach A-Level it doesn't (for some odd reason) qualify for you to do so in a school with a sixth form.

What I'd recommend instead is a PGCE 11-18 in Social Science (have a look at the GTTP website for uni's that do it, I know Manchester Met do, but am sure it's not a rare course). This will basically enable you to teach A-Level Psych (in fact, you'll get preference over people with a PGCE FE when you come to apply for jobs), but also to teach in secondary schools as it confers QTS. GCSE Psych is rare in schools, but you get around it by qualifying in another subject; usually Citizenship, PSHE and RE.

If your set against teaching schoolies, then I'd recommend applying for an A-Level teaching job and qualify "on the job" - although this is probably not the best route straight out of uni.

Feel free to PM me if that doesn't make sense.

Reply 11

Peacey

7

Fluffy

What about Educational psychology? Or do you actually want to teach?

Up until very recently, you needed to have taught before you could go into Ed Psych. I think this stipulation has now gone - but I think you still should get some teaching-years under your belt first, both in terms of useful experience and in terms of legitimacy.

Reply 12

Gem

OP

14

Thaks for your replies Peacey and Fluffy :smile:

I was thinking about actual teaching, as opposed to being an educational psychologist but I'm really not sure about teaching A Level. I'd really rather teach kids aged 11-16, but don't know a whole lot of schools that do Psychology GCSE.

Ahhh well looks like a trip to the Careers Advisor for me hehe, but thank you all very much for your help! :smile:

Oh Peacey, do you enjoy teaching A Level Psychology/Sociology? Do you find your students listen? The things thats putting my off that age group is when I was at college, the class had absolutely no respect for the teacher, I think at one time she broke down in tears (really!) It had nothing to do with me :angel:

but she really hated it, and said that it was the only form of teaching she could get into, see I'd hate to spend extra time teaching only to find I hate it!

Reply 13

Peacey

7

* gemchicken

I'd really rather teach kids aged 11-16, but don't know a whole lot of schools that do Psychology GCSE.

Most PGCEs will qualify you 11 to 18 anyway, and I'd definately get some A-Level under your belt so you've got that option.

You'd be really lucky to find a school that does GCSE psychology and it would be a miracle to find a job which is just GCSE psych. You get around this by diversifying; what other subjects can you do with your degree (blag!) - many people teach RE/PSE/Citizenship, but you could also think about teaching Health and Social Care (more common than psych in schools), Childcare or even specialising in SEN. Eitherway, you'd need to have a National Curriculum subject specialism, which is why most people opt for the PSRE/Citizenship focus.

* gemchicken

Oh Peacey, do you enjoy teaching A Level Psychology/Sociology? Do you find your students listen? The things thats putting my off that age group is when I was at college, the class had absolutely no respect for the teacher, I think at one time she broke down in tears (really!) It had nothing to do with me :angel:

but she really hated it, and said that it was the only form of teaching she could get into, see I'd hate to spend extra time teaching only to find I hate it!

I love teaching A-Level; couldn't think of anything I'd rather do. I adore my students, and they love me back so we're all happy. The workload is heavy (really heavy); lesson planning is far more intensive than mainschool and the marking is equally intensive (essays, and suchlike). The trade-off is that classroom management is much nicer, you can pretty much throw off all the "strategies" your taught in teacher training and relate to you're students as fellow human beings rather than attempting to "control" them.

However, if it goes pear-shaped and you struggle to build rapport and respect with your kids - as seems to be the case in your example - it's horrible, and I've watching a number of colleagues leave for this reason. A-Level is much more of an emotional rollercoaster than main school; and I think the reason is that it's harder to rationalise bad lessons (because you're dealing with young adults, it's harder to think of them as "a bad class", and instead you start thinking that you are a "bad teacher").

It's quite perilous teaching A-Level when you're young, as you don't have the automatic respect - but it's not impossible, I did it and haven't looked back. You need to think about whether you can lead people who will be only 4 or 5 years younger than you, and a lot of this will depend on personality.

My advice: do a PGCE 11 to 18, get some A-Level experience during your training and then decide which sector you're going to focus on.

End of essay.

Reply 14

TomX

14

I don't know about teaching but my auntie graduated with a Psychology degree and is know producing programmes for the BBC in London, good stuff.

Reply 15

Olivia22

6

I have a psychology degree too but have decided not to pursue a career in the field. I want to teach older children aswell. I went to the careers office at my uni and was basically told to either do a 2 year PGCE (nearest place to do it for me would be Cardiff) or if I really wanted to teach Biology (which I do) to do a second degree then a PGCE. Although this will take 2 yrs longer this is what I am going to do as I know I will really enjoy the degree

Reply 16

Fluffy

15

Why not simply do a biology based masters????

Reply 17

LongGone

18

I was looking at social science PGCEs the other day, there are only 2 or 3 where you can specialise in politics grrr, but it's a bit better for psychology.

The impression I get from looking around the net is that you'd usually get asked to do stuff like citizenship, health and social care and even RE if just teaching A Level doesn't take up enough hours. But that way you'd get to teach some younger kids as well.

But at least there is a psychology GCSE, Politics is A Level only, and not greatly popular even then and so since I don't want to teach primary, my options seem really limited, grrr.

Reply 18

kellywood_5

17

Frances

I was looking at social science PGCEs the other day, there are only 2 or 3 where you can specialise in politics grrr, but it's a bit better for psychology.

The impression I get from looking around the net is that you'd usually get asked to do stuff like citizenship, health and social care and even RE if just teaching A Level doesn't take up enough hours. But that way you'd get to teach some younger kids as well.

But at least there is a psychology GCSE, Politics is A Level only, and not greatly popular even then and so since I don't want to teach primary, my options seem really limited, grrr.