What should i take - Bsc or BA? I want to become a clinical psychologist.

I'm really confused and I have no idea which to choose. I've heard from my counsellor that I need a Bsc degree if i want to become a clinical psychologist, but from what i can tell from other sources, it doesnt matter which?
I dont have a lot of time to make the decision as my application will be due soon and I would like to apply to Cambridge (Social and political sciences), but its a BA degree.. So yeah, I don't know what to do.
I would love advice from anyone planning on becoming a clinical psychologist, or anyone who is taking a Bsc or Ba degree in psychology. Or anyone who knows the answer to my question =). Thanks in advance!

Reply 1

GBM

5

I wanted to do that... but it's a BSc you need to be able register with the BPS (British Psychological Society) which enables you to become a qualified psychologist.
Most uni websites tell you if thier course is BPS accredited.

Reply 2

SylverStrike

10

I've been told it doesn't really matter either way, as long as the degree itself is in Psychology. I was looking at the SPS course at Cambridge too, but you do realise that it doesn't actually involve much Psychology? I'm not sure, but it might not be the best path to take to get into Clinical.

Anyway, with unis like Cambridge and Oxford, I believe they always do BAs, even if your course is very scientific, so it won't make any difference in that case.

Reply 3

Interrobang

20

AFAIK, at Oxford and Cambridge, even Biology, Physics, etc are all BA degrees. If you want to do social and political sciences, you would have to do a conversion course (and relevant experience) before applying for a clinical doctorate

Reply 4

clank

SylverStrike

I've been told it doesn't really matter either way, as long as the degree itself is in Psychology. I was looking at the SPS course at Cambridge too, but you do realise that it doesn't actually involve much Psychology? I'm not sure, but it might not be the best path to take to get into Clinical.

Anyway, with unis like Cambridge and Oxford, I believe they always do BAs, even if your course is very scientific, so it won't make any difference in that case.

untrue

it has to be a BSc to get accreditation

Reply 5

xJessx

18

I wanted to do Psychology at one point but don't have the grades. Can I just ask, if a BA doesn't qualify you to be a psychologist then why do people take it?

Reply 6

SylverStrike

10

clank

untrue

it has to be a BSc to get accreditation

But I think the Experimental Psychology course at Oxford gets accreditation, and it's a BA.

Yeah, it says from the website, "To allow students to satisfy the requirements of the British Psychology Society’s Graduate Basis for Registration and thus qualify for courses of professional postgraduate training in psychology," as an aim of the course. But I'm not sure whether this means it's actually credited by the BPS.

Reply 7

Interrobang

20

I've found other BA courses which are accreditted on the BPS website

Reply 8

username152292

Few BA's are accredited, but if they are, thats fine.

Reply 9

GodspeedGehenna

3

Just make sure the degree you are choosing is acredited by the BPS as other posters have mentioned. The biggest area of competition is work experience; that's what you've got to worry about.

Reply 10

Lord Asriel

11

As long as the psychology degree confers "Graduate Basis for Registration" (GBR) by the British Psychological Society you can go on to train. This is what people are calling an acreditted degree. GBR makes sure that you have covered the necessary material like research methods, development psych, cognitive etc. It doesnt matter if it is psychology BA or BSc (although fewer are BAs nowadays).

FYI I dont think a Social and political sciences degree will count. In fact you wont even be eligible to be shortlisted for assistant psychologist jobs (one of the best ways to get relevant experience) without a psychology degree.

Reply 11

icedsarcasm

6

clank

untrue

it has to be a BSc to get accreditation

No, it doesn't.

Any course that is on this list: http://www.bps.org.uk/careers/accredited-courses/accredited-courses.cfm?action=results&title=&in_id=all&level_of_study=all&pg_cat=&status_flag=current
gives you Graduate Basis for Registration with the BPS. BAs from Bangor, Bedfordshire, Bradford, Cambridge, Oxford, Cardiff, Durham, Glasgow... and lots more are all accredited courses. Frankly, it doesn't matter whether it's a BA or BSc, so long as it's accredited. There's no big difference other than what the uni chooses to call it.

And by the way, Cambridge's Social & Political Sciences tripos does have a psychology route which does give you Graduate Basis for Registration.

Reply 12

ZakBrannigan

13

silje2309

I'm really confused and I have no idea which to choose. I've heard from my counsellor that I need a Bsc degree if i want to become a clinical psychologist, but from what i can tell from other sources, it doesnt matter which?
I dont have a lot of time to make the decision as my application will be due soon and I would like to apply to Cambridge (Social and political sciences), but its a BA degree.. So yeah, I don't know what to do.
I would love advice from anyone planning on becoming a clinical psychologist, or anyone who is taking a Bsc or Ba degree in psychology. Or anyone who knows the answer to my question =). Thanks in advance!

hi
as being a previous undergraduate in Psychology silje2309 i can tell u if u really want to be a clinical psychologist u will need to do a recongised BSC qualification in Psychology that gives you GBR(Graduate Basis on Registration)with the BPS and will allow you to do a PHD Or the clinical Doctorate in Psychology

Reply 13

silje2309

OP

Ok, I've made my decisions =). Thank you so much everyone!

Reply 14

yamcha

6

xJessx

I wanted to do Psychology at one point but don't have the grades. Can I just ask, if a BA doesn't qualify you to be a psychologist then why do people take it?

How is this "A level results: Law (A) Spanish (B) Psychology (C) " not having the grades?????

Reply 15

xJessx

18

yamcha

How is this "A level results: Law (A) Spanish (B) Psychology (C) " not having the grades?????

I got a C in Psychology, it's my weakest subject despite the fact I love it lol. Plus, when I was applying I thought you had to have As to do Psychology. It's such a popular subject that when I asked about applying my career advisor basically told me to forget about it. I didn't do well at AS :o:

Reply 16

yamcha

6

xJessx

I got a C in Psychology, it's my weakest subject despite the fact I love it lol. Plus, when I was applying I thought you had to have As to do Psychology. It's such a popular subject that when I asked about applying my career advisor basically told me to forget about it. I didn't do well at AS :o:

The only subject i can think where they're not lenient on grades is a medical degree. Even veterinary science has been lowered by the the government because of the shortage.

Psychology is like Law, quite easy to get into.

What should i take - Bsc or BA? I want to become a clinical psychologist.

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