Psychology!

Hi, I was just wondering how hard it is to get into Leeds or Sussex, or any Uni in fact, to study psychology? Is there any work experience you can recommend me doing?
If you did psychology, what subjects at A level did you take?
Thanks! :smile:

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Reply 1

yaymeg

from what it seems... especially for AAB or below universities, so long as you have the predicted grades in the required subjects (this is normally 1 or 2 sciences, for most this includes maths, biology, chemistry, physics and psychology) and the relevant GCSE requirements you are pretty much guaranteed an offer. Once you get to the ones asking for AAA+, it starts getting selective at a personal statement level, and work experience and extra reading will certainly be useful for these universities. Although Warwick (who offer AAA) admitted on the open day that they don't even read the personal statement!

EDIT: (to whoever neg-repped me) My response was in relation to answers i got from speaking to admissions departments for psychology at open days. All of the universities requiring AAB or less, that I personally visited, told me that their selection was almost entirely on a grade basis. Manchester full out told me they 100% guaranteed you an offer if you met the minimum grade requirements.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 2

darwinwant

Original post by yaymeg

Reading that has made me so happy! starting to worry about whether i'll even be able to get into University.

Reply 3

lozzyhickers

Write a cracking PS, and work your hardest on the exams, it's a competitive subject, but it's definetly possible. Also make sure your predicted grades match up, or it could mean trouble.

I got ABBb at A-levels (including a science), and decent GCSEs (needed a B in Maths) and I got there, without any work experience, as it's not really needed for Psychology. However, you can do some if you wish, for your own enjoyment, it's just hard to get! Lincoln liked people who read up on the subject in their own time. I would reccommend this is you have time, as it shows real passion for the subject, and it could only work in your favour!

Good luck :smile:

Reply 4

Mohitraje

Hey!! Can anyone tell me if I have slightest of the chance of doing Psychiatry after doing Bsc. Hons. in Psychology????

Reply 5

moomin_love

Original post by Mohitraje

Hey!! Can anyone tell me if I have slightest of the chance of doing Psychiatry after doing Bsc. Hons. in Psychology????

You'd have to apply for medicine to become a psychiatrist. Graduate entry is apparently more competitive than undergraduate, but I'm pretty sure you can apply for both.

Reply 6

lozzyhickers

Original post by moomin_love

You'd have to apply for medicine to become a psychiatrist. Graduate entry is apparently more competitive than undergraduate, but I'm pretty sure you can apply for both.

That's true.

Reply 7

Mohitraje

Original post by moomin_love

You'd have to apply for medicine to become a psychiatrist. Graduate entry is apparently more competitive than undergraduate, but I'm pretty sure you can apply for both.

So u mean to say that without doing medicine I got no chances of doing Psychiatry??

Reply 8

moomin_love

Original post by Mohitraje

So u mean to say that without doing medicine I got no chances of doing Psychiatry??

Yep. Psychiatrists are doctors and hence have a medical degree and then they choose to specialise in psychiatry. You could do an undergraduate degree in Psychology and then apply for graduate entry or undergraduate medicine, but that is going to cost you a lot, especially as I don't think you're allowed a loan if you do another undergraduate degree (although this may be different for medicine, but you'll have to ask someone who knows more). You could look into being a clinical psychologist, but that is extremely competitive.

Reply 9

lozzyhickers

Original post by moomin_love

GEP programmes are NHS funded, just like the undergrad degree.

Reply 10

iammichealjackson

Basically got to stand out out from the crowd in some way! Psychology is such a massively popular degree, that you really want to get a decent mark from a decent uni for it to be useful, ESPECIALLY if you want to do anything related to psychology!!!! I nearly got all my offers with Psychology, Maths, Physics and English Lit, but id choose subjects that you are really interested in/also look good on your application. I.e. don't take too many media studies/art/p.e. type subjects (although you can still get into any uni with them, just mix it up with "traditional" subjects to keep admissions people happy!).

Reply 11

darwinwant

Original post by iammichealjackson

Woo! What unis did you get offers from

Reply 12

darwinwant

Original post by iammichealjackson

woo! what unis did you get offers from

Reply 13

iammichealjackson

Original post by darwinwant

woo! what unis did you get offers from

cambridge (pps), york, sheffield and birmigham. (didn't wait for UCL reply, taking ages!).

Reply 14

Mohitraje

Original post by moomin_love

Thankxx!! for the info nd suggestion...... :smile:

Reply 15

darwinwant

Original post by iammichealjackson

cambridge (pps), york, sheffield and birmigham. (didn't wait for UCL reply, taking ages!).

Wow well done that's so amazing! Did you do any work exp?

Reply 16

iammichealjackson

Original post by darwinwant

Wow well done that's so amazing! Did you do any work exp?

I did some essay competitions, visited an educaitonal psychologist (but didn't really do much there) and went to some lectures organised by my school. I would just read psychology books/maybe apply for some psychology competitions. It doesn't matter if you win, it would be impressive on a personal statement to have some experience reading actual research papers from a journal (they're not hard to read if you ignore the statistics).

Reply 17

skotch

Original post by yaymeg

There may be some truth to this, but there's no way it's as concrete as you make it out to be.

Reply 18

skotch

Original post by Mohitraje

So u mean to say that without doing medicine I got no chances of doing Psychiatry??

Yes, because psychiatry is a specialisation of medicine. However, a clinical psychologist's job is very similar to that of a psychiatrist's, except that they can't prescribe medication (or so I believe).

Reply 19

catoswyn

Original post by darwinwant

Took:
Biology, Psychology, Sociology, Photography, Film Studies
plus Extended Project

Sociology is considered a good subject to put with Psychology at A level if you have the option, as is Biology. As it is also a literate degree they do often mention that they like an essay writing subject too such as History or English. Psychology, Mathematics and Geography A levels count as sciences for many psych. departments. Medicine would require hard sciences such as Chemistry and Biology.

Some departments ask for specific things ie Birmingham and Edinburgh both want AS Mathematics. This is the exception rather than the norm though. Nearly every department asks for a science A level (remember psychology, maths, geography count as science) Most specify a grade B or preferably higher in maths, science and sometimes English at GCSE.

Some demonstration of an interest in psychology outside the college curriculum helps ie volunteering, arranging to shadow someone in the NHS, writing your extended project on a psychology issue etc

Grades asked for range from BBC to A*AA depending on the university and the course. Aim for the best you can and look for courses that have sandwich years or placement opportunties built in. The Guardian Guide to University has subject tables listing the top 50 UK courses in Psychology so you can look at these and research from there.

Good Luck
:smile:

(edited 12 years ago)