Should I study psychology at university?
I am a very indecisive person when it comes to stuff like this. I am at my final year in college and about to send my application form for psychology but I am still not 100% certain... Before coming to this decision, i wanted to do nursing because i have an interest in health care. I was always so sure that nursing was the right career for me until i looked into it in more detail and... well, I don't think i can handle it. I feel like it is a very tough job and i do not want to be doing night shifts. I also need a part time job for travel money and other stuff as i do not want to take out another loan for maintenance. And with placements, i don't think that it is possible, especially if you get random shifts on the weekend.
Then i found psychology one day while going through university prospectuses and i thought that this degree really interested me as it has some aspect of health in it, science and the complex mind.
I've done a lot of research about this degree, i talked to people, i read books and went to open days and psychology lectures. Even though i find it interesting and i want to learn more, I have not studied a level psychology, or any a levels. I am currently studying a BTEC course which does have some psychology it it. My problem is that i am worried that i will go to a lecture, receive an assignment and have absolutely no idea what it means. I do not know what to expect. Another problem is that i don't know what to do after this degree.
My question is, do you need to have studied psychology a levels for this degree or do they cover the same topics they did in a level and explain it thoroughly? Also, what type of maths do you need to be good at for this degree? Lastly, other than becoming a psychologist, are there health care jobs i can do after completing the undergraduate degree?
Please answer i am so confused and thanks
Then i found psychology one day while going through university prospectuses and i thought that this degree really interested me as it has some aspect of health in it, science and the complex mind.
I've done a lot of research about this degree, i talked to people, i read books and went to open days and psychology lectures. Even though i find it interesting and i want to learn more, I have not studied a level psychology, or any a levels. I am currently studying a BTEC course which does have some psychology it it. My problem is that i am worried that i will go to a lecture, receive an assignment and have absolutely no idea what it means. I do not know what to expect. Another problem is that i don't know what to do after this degree.
My question is, do you need to have studied psychology a levels for this degree or do they cover the same topics they did in a level and explain it thoroughly? Also, what type of maths do you need to be good at for this degree? Lastly, other than becoming a psychologist, are there health care jobs i can do after completing the undergraduate degree?
Please answer i am so confused and thanks
Maybe studying psychology will help with that indecisiveness!
Seriously, you sound like you've done more research on your degree choice than your average TSRian. If you're still unsure, why not contact the Admissions' Tutors of a few universities you're interested in and ask them for an introductory reading list - maybe you could get a feel for the first year that way.
You don't need to have studied psychology A level, but I imagine it would help. Maths - very basic. GCSE at a grade C or higher would be fine.
Seriously, you sound like you've done more research on your degree choice than your average TSRian. If you're still unsure, why not contact the Admissions' Tutors of a few universities you're interested in and ask them for an introductory reading list - maybe you could get a feel for the first year that way.
You don't need to have studied psychology A level, but I imagine it would help. Maths - very basic. GCSE at a grade C or higher would be fine.
Original post by amatea99
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My question is, do you need to have studied psychology a levels for this degree or do they cover the same topics they did in a level and explain it thoroughly? Also, what type of maths do you need to be good at for this degree? Lastly, other than becoming a psychologist, are there health care jobs i can do after completing the undergraduate degree?
My question is, do you need to have studied psychology a levels for this degree or do they cover the same topics they did in a level and explain it thoroughly? Also, what type of maths do you need to be good at for this degree? Lastly, other than becoming a psychologist, are there health care jobs i can do after completing the undergraduate degree?
The FAQ thread covers alot of the common questions (http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1200984).
You don't need Psychology at A-Level; in most universities, the first year is based on the assumption that students are starting from scratch. For example, each module will likely start with a brief introduction to the history and methodology, and key terms will be outlined, etc.
Pretty much no complicated maths is needed as most of the statistics will be done via computers, in which you just need to understand how they work and how to operate them. The only exception to this is in the case of the first year where you may be taught how to do certain statistical test by hand (e.g. Mann-Whitney, T-Tests, etc) but those pretty much only need GCSE maths knowledge at most.
"Becoming a psychologist" is vague. There are branches of psychology which you can pursue after the BSc. Each branch has different work scenarios.
http://www.bps.org.uk/careers-portal
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/psychology
You could also consider graduate schemes, etc.
Original post by amatea99
My problem is that i am worried that i will go to a lecture, receive an assignment and have absolutely no idea what it means.
You won't just get given an assignment without getting briefed on it first. Even then you will probably be able to go to drop-in sessions and contact lecturers, etc.
Hello!
Personally, I loved my psychology degree and wouldn't have wanted to study anything else. So majorly biased but it is an awesome degree and I really enjoyed it.
As far as what you need before starting, you do need a science A Level usually but not Psychology (not all schools offer Psychology as an A Level). For the most part I found we covered the same stuff in Year 1 of the degree as we did at A Level but in more detail. The A Level was a nice introduction but you definitely don't need it to study at degree level. Also, psychology at degree level does come with a lot of stats. I hated Maths and my highest qualification is a B at GCSE but I did get into a Russel Group uni and I got first in all my stats modules - after first year it's mostly done on computer so as long as you practice a lot you should be fine with it.
No one has a clue when they're first handed an assignment in Uni
But they'll give you a paper to read to start with and you will work it out from there, I promise. They gear the course to people who haven't done the Psychology A Level as much as those who have.
There are some healthcare jobs a psychology degree will help with but they're less common than psychologist jobs (which are few and far between as it is). Some examples are graduate support worker jobs (rare) or Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner jobs (you'll need to be a Trainee PWP first after you graduate).
In all honesty, a lot of psychology graduates get disenchanted with the lack of jobs and go back to retrain as mental health nurses. I'm currently working as a bank healthcare support worker (sometimes called 'unqualified' nurses or nursing assistants). It might be worth taking a gap year and doing this job if possible to get a feel for it? Additionally, it is possible to be a bank mental health nurse (meaning you choose your own shifts on different wards). Night shifts aren't so bad though - more money and less work really.
I'd recommend getting some work experience and/or emailing psychologists or other health professionals near you to ask if you can shadow them or chat to them about their work. They're a lot of help!
Personally, I loved my psychology degree and wouldn't have wanted to study anything else. So majorly biased but it is an awesome degree and I really enjoyed it.
As far as what you need before starting, you do need a science A Level usually but not Psychology (not all schools offer Psychology as an A Level). For the most part I found we covered the same stuff in Year 1 of the degree as we did at A Level but in more detail. The A Level was a nice introduction but you definitely don't need it to study at degree level. Also, psychology at degree level does come with a lot of stats. I hated Maths and my highest qualification is a B at GCSE but I did get into a Russel Group uni and I got first in all my stats modules - after first year it's mostly done on computer so as long as you practice a lot you should be fine with it.
No one has a clue when they're first handed an assignment in Uni
But they'll give you a paper to read to start with and you will work it out from there, I promise. They gear the course to people who haven't done the Psychology A Level as much as those who have.There are some healthcare jobs a psychology degree will help with but they're less common than psychologist jobs (which are few and far between as it is). Some examples are graduate support worker jobs (rare) or Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner jobs (you'll need to be a Trainee PWP first after you graduate).
In all honesty, a lot of psychology graduates get disenchanted with the lack of jobs and go back to retrain as mental health nurses. I'm currently working as a bank healthcare support worker (sometimes called 'unqualified' nurses or nursing assistants). It might be worth taking a gap year and doing this job if possible to get a feel for it? Additionally, it is possible to be a bank mental health nurse (meaning you choose your own shifts on different wards). Night shifts aren't so bad though - more money and less work really.
I'd recommend getting some work experience and/or emailing psychologists or other health professionals near you to ask if you can shadow them or chat to them about their work. They're a lot of help!
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