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Good uni for conversion to Psychology?

According to the Guardian, Glasgow is the 4th best in the UK and it seems like it is the "best" that offers a conversion degree to Psycholgy.

However their M.Sc Psychological studies is offered by the Departement of Education, which makes a bit skeptical.

Any ideas? Could you propose any "good" uni in order to acquire Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the Society?

Thanks!

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Reply 1
*bump*?
:s-smilie:
Reply 2
Many universities that don't sound like former polytechnics make the list:

http://www.bps.org.uk/bpslegacy/ac

Try here. You need the chartered membership in order to apply for the professional doctorates and all of these give you that. Masters are generally looked upon more highly by other employers but for further training in psychology it doesn't much matter as long as it's accredited.

It is worth taking a look at the course itself and checking what the components of the course are. A lot of people on my conversion psychology course applied for the prestige of the university and there's already been a massive dropout rate. A number of people have been complaining that the course wasn't what they expected as well and in fairness to the course tutors, that's the students' fault, not theirs.

I'd say it probably isn't worth doing a massive relocation for the conversion course if your local university does it and you're doing it for the accreditation, not just the subject. Your CV will count more than anything else when it comes to the further professional development you're looking for, and hopefully your education will make up the smallest section by that stage. I went to a university that was fairly local to me and yes I did pick the most prestigious course to apply to. However, it also happened to be a specialist course and closely related to the career I hope to pursue.

If you're interested in pursuing professional doctorates in psychology, it's worth checking if the university you apply to also offers those programmes or has any links to universities that do. It's a good way to get under the radar so to speak. Northumbria for instance has a lot of links with Newcastle's Clinical and Educational Psychology Professional Doctorates, so their conversion has an advantage over say Teeside for those departments. However, Teeside runs a counselling psychology doctorate, so that has a good link to that if it's something you're interested in.

Be careful with some of the courses though. Some require you have a certain number of credits in psychology before starting and it's actually not something they always check. Conversion and Masters students are annual herds of cash cows as far as many of the universities are concerned so you need to be careful.

As someone who's doing a Masters however, as opposed to a graduate conversion diploma, a few words of warning for you. At Masters level conversion you are expected to work at a graduate level. They're tough. I don't know what the standard is at the graduate diploma level, but the fact you're getting a Masters is not just a grander title. It's a higher standard of work than you'll have previously done and you will work for it. It's damn difficult to get a merit or a distinction at this level and you're going to want to come out with one of those. So many people on my course expected to find it easy and now they're thinking they'll be happy just to pass. There are a number of psychology graduates on my course (don't entirely know why) and they struggle with the standard expected of them. One of the dropouts this year was a psychology graduate from overseas. She failed her first assignment and realised it could do her more damage than good to keep going.

It's worth doing, but you need to know you can do it well. From what I can tell, the Masters level is tougher than diploma, although you get the same accredited status with either one. The standard expected of you at Masters level, though, is higher. Don't be swayed by the prestige of a Masters. You need to be ready for it. The better your first degree, the more academic the subject was, the easier you'll find it.

Consider why you're doing it as well. You won't qualify your way into any job armed just with a conversion course, particularly a psychology trainee position. You need a good CV. Consider going part time with a course if you can. You'll lose a year of your working life doing a conversion course and that's telling when you come to building up your experience. Factor that into your decision making too.

Sorry to be hard-faced. I just never imagined how tough the subject would be. You have to have a certain amount of blind confidence in yourself in order to choose to do it in the first place and then some more to keep going once you're there. These conversion programmes have a high drop out rate though and you need to know that it's not inconceivable that you may become a member of that statistical group. It's a lot of money and a lot of time you won't get back if it all goes wrong. That's what I think of when I think of the dropouts. Some of them clearly weren't right for the course to begin with. These are some of the things they should have been thinking about when they signed up.
Reply 3
Original post by giella
Many universities that don't sound like former polytechnics make the list:

http://www.bps.org.uk/bpslegacy/ac

Try here. You need the chartered membership in order to apply for the professional doctorates and all of these give you that. Masters are generally looked upon more highly by other employers but for further training in psychology it doesn't much matter as long as it's accredited.

It is worth taking a look at the course itself and checking what the components of the course are. A lot of people on my conversion psychology course applied for the prestige of the university and there's already been a massive dropout rate. A number of people have been complaining that the course wasn't what they expected as well and in fairness to the course tutors, that's the students' fault, not theirs.

I'd say it probably isn't worth doing a massive relocation for the conversion course if your local university does it and you're doing it for the accreditation, not just the subject. Your CV will count more than anything else when it comes to the further professional development you're looking for, and hopefully your education will make up the smallest section by that stage. I went to a university that was fairly local to me and yes I did pick the most prestigious course to apply to. However, it also happened to be a specialist course and closely related to the career I hope to pursue.

If you're interested in pursuing professional doctorates in psychology, it's worth checking if the university you apply to also offers those programmes or has any links to universities that do. It's a good way to get under the radar so to speak. Northumbria for instance has a lot of links with Newcastle's Clinical and Educational Psychology Professional Doctorates, so their conversion has an advantage over say Teeside for those departments. However, Teeside runs a counselling psychology doctorate, so that has a good link to that if it's something you're interested in.

Be careful with some of the courses though. Some require you have a certain number of credits in psychology before starting and it's actually not something they always check. Conversion and Masters students are annual herds of cash cows as far as many of the universities are concerned so you need to be careful.

As someone who's doing a Masters however, as opposed to a graduate conversion diploma, a few words of warning for you. At Masters level conversion you are expected to work at a graduate level. They're tough. I don't know what the standard is at the graduate diploma level, but the fact you're getting a Masters is not just a grander title. It's a higher standard of work than you'll have previously done and you will work for it. It's damn difficult to get a merit or a distinction at this level and you're going to want to come out with one of those. So many people on my course expected to find it easy and now they're thinking they'll be happy just to pass. There are a number of psychology graduates on my course (don't entirely know why) and they struggle with the standard expected of them. One of the dropouts this year was a psychology graduate from overseas. She failed her first assignment and realised it could do her more damage than good to keep going.

It's worth doing, but you need to know you can do it well. From what I can tell, the Masters level is tougher than diploma, although you get the same accredited status with either one. The standard expected of you at Masters level, though, is higher. Don't be swayed by the prestige of a Masters. You need to be ready for it. The better your first degree, the more academic the subject was, the easier you'll find it.

Consider why you're doing it as well. You won't qualify your way into any job armed just with a conversion course, particularly a psychology trainee position. You need a good CV. Consider going part time with a course if you can. You'll lose a year of your working life doing a conversion course and that's telling when you come to building up your experience. Factor that into your decision making too.

Sorry to be hard-faced. I just never imagined how tough the subject would be. You have to have a certain amount of blind confidence in yourself in order to choose to do it in the first place and then some more to keep going once you're there. These conversion programmes have a high drop out rate though and you need to know that it's not inconceivable that you may become a member of that statistical group. It's a lot of money and a lot of time you won't get back if it all goes wrong. That's what I think of when I think of the dropouts. Some of them clearly weren't right for the course to begin with. These are some of the things they should have been thinking about when they signed up.


Thanks, this is quite helpful.

However, as a non-UK resident, I can't really choose my "closest" university, and thus I am wondering what "criteria" I could use when deciding where to apply.

Checking each programme's course might not be helpful, since there are at least 25 universities listed.

Any help on that?

Cheers!
Reply 4
Many of the Master's programmes you see are offered by the department of education at the universities that offer them. It gives you a conversion degree the same as any other but it's delivered through the context of education and child development. The one I'm doing operates on that basis.

If you're international and are hoping to export your degree then prestige is probably what you're looking for to some extent and Masters level as well.

Essex, Manchester, Birkbeck, Glasgow and Bristol are your targets in that respect. Those universities have the best international reputation, though Bristol, Manchester and Glasgow are probably the best in the list. The advantage of an MEd is that you effectively get two degrees in one, being able to play up the psychology or education side of things when you need to.

The application cycle is close to finishing though for all of those universities so it's probably best to start now if you're looking for 2012 entry.
(edited 8 years ago)
With a conversion course, the important thing is that you get GBC, not where you do it. I am applying for the distance learning one at Derby, which means I can work at the same time.
Reply 6
Original post by giella
Many of the Masters program's you see are offered by the department of education at the universities that offer them. It gives you a conversion degree the same as any other but it's delivered through the context of education and child development. The one I'm doing operates on that basis.

If you're international and are hoping to export your degree then prestige is probably what you're looking for to some extent and Masters level as well.

Essex, Manchester, Birkbeck, Glasgow and Bristol are your targets in that respect. Those universities have the best international reputation, though Bristol, Manchester and Glasgow are probably the best in the list. The advantage of an MEd is that you effectively get two degrees in one, being able to play up the psychology or education side of things when you need to.

The application cycle is close to finishing though for all of those universities so it's probably best to start now if you're looking for 2012 entry.


Thanks, in fact do you know which (if any) programmes are mostly based in clinical psychology? I am not sure that an MEd would help me since my background is mostly in science :s-smilie:


Original post by ~ Purple Rose ~
With a conversion course, the important thing is that you get GBC, not where you do it. I am applying for the distance learning one at Derby, which means I can work at the same time.


Oh I see, sounds quite cool! I guess theoretically a distance learning course is as valid as a conventional one, but any idea of what is going on practically?

Thanks!
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 7
Experience and GBC are the two things most important for going into clinical psychology. Showing the ability to work at masters level is a plus but the subject really doesn't matter too much. A few people on my MEd are looking to go down the clinical route as well as the educational and counselling routes. The masters is really only the first step though. Some of them are fresh out of undergraduate study and need to build up their experience next.
Original post by giella
Many of the Masters program's you see are offered by the department of education at the universities that offer them. It gives you a conversion degree the same as any other but it's delivered through the context of education and child development. The one I'm doing operates on that basis.


I know exactly what you mean! I'm starting the MEd in Psychology of Education at Manchester this September. Can I ask what course you're on?
Reply 9
Original post by giella
Experience and GBC are the two things most important for going into clinical psychology. Showing the ability to work at masters level is a plus but the subject really doesn't matter too much. A few people on my MEd are looking to go down the clinical route as well as the educational and counselling routes. The masters is really only the first step though. Some of them are fresh out of undergraduate study and need to build up their experience next.


Just wondering how focused to education these course are. I mean, I am really not interested in this branch of psychology :P

Hm, I found an accredited Msc in Exp. Psychology at Sussex, any ideas on this? It is offered by the school of psychology and seems like it is focused in cognitive science, which is the topic I have had some research experience.

Thanks!
Reply 10
The course I'm on basically tries to contextualise psychology in terms of education where they can. The basic elements are in there: Cogneuro, developmental, individual differences, statistics, social and research methods + dissertation (15000 words). The individual differences are looking at Special Educational Needs and the developmental side of things definitely plays up the role of education but everything else is delivered fairly neat.

Looking at that course there doesn't seem anything really wrong with it and I would say go for it if you're interested. It's worth applying to a few places I'd say and seeing which universities appeal to you the most if you get any offers.
I graduated from the MSc Psychology conversion course at Glasgow Uni in 2010 - send me a message if you want any specific info or an overview of the course.
Hello,
Thanks for posting this thread. I am starting the MSC conversion in Glasgow this September. I would be interested in hearing about your experience on the course. I sense that it will be very intense! I am travelling from outside the UK to undertake the course, as well as leaving my current job, so I am really hopeful that I will do well.
Kind regards,
joshua jimmie.
Reply 13
Original post by fraggle_rocker
I graduated from the MSc Psychology conversion course at Glasgow Uni in 2010 - send me a message if you want any specific info or an overview of the course.

hi...i am interested in applying to the Glasgow Uni conversion course for psychology...can you tell me how many hours a week you put in to lectures, studying etc.?
Reply 14
Original post by ~ Purple Rose ~
With a conversion course, the important thing is that you get GBC, not where you do it. I am applying for the distance learning one at Derby, which means I can work at the same time.


Hi there.

I'm consider doing the same conversion course at Derby. I also need to work and can only study distance and part time.

Would you recommend it and is there anything I should consider before enrolling?

I hope yours is going well.

Best wishes.
Original post by iffound
Hi there.

I'm consider doing the same conversion course at Derby. I also need to work and can only study distance and part time.

Would you recommend it and is there anything I should consider before enrolling?

I hope yours is going well.

Best wishes.


Hi, I actually decided against the course at Derby. It was taking ages to get my references together and I decided to carry on with the OU. I'm not sure if I'm regretting that now though. The good thing about Derby's course is that there are no exams.
Reply 16
Original post by ~ Purple Rose ~
Hi, I actually decided against the course at Derby. It was taking ages to get my references together and I decided to carry on with the OU. I'm not sure if I'm regretting that now though. The good thing about Derby's course is that there are no exams.


Thanks for your reply.

Yes I did appreciate the lack of exams!

I hope your OU course goes well.

Best wishes.
Reply 17
Original post by ~ Purple Rose ~
Hi, I actually decided against the course at Derby. It was taking ages to get my references together and I decided to carry on with the OU. I'm not sure if I'm regretting that now though. The good thing about Derby's course is that there are no exams.


Hi,

I just came across your post and I am considering doing a psychology conversion course. Why did you decide against Derby?
Original post by Kar09
Hi,

I just came across your post and I am considering doing a psychology conversion course. Why did you decide against Derby?


I wasn't that I decided against Derby as such, I had already started with the OU and my tutor was taking so long over doing my reference that I eventually decided not to do it. I'm still not sure I made the right choice to be honest, as Derby doesn't have any exams and I am really bad at them.
Hi,I am graduating from BA Education Studies next year and am seriously considering applying for a conversion course to Psychology at Glasgow Uni. Could you please tell me more about the course, workload and everything you consider essential to know before applying?Many many thanks,Kristina

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