deleted

username6120834

11

…..

(edited 8 months ago)

Reply 1

ajj2000

20

Which subjects are you taking at a level?

Oh, and are you particularly bothered about being at a London university?

(edited 10 months ago)

Reply 2

greg tony

16

Original post by spliced

I have no clear distinct direction as to what career I want to pursue, which is making it difficult for me to pick a degree course.

I will most likely end up in a job that does not require a specific degree, or get into graduate schemes/internships. With this in mind, I settled on doing a psych degree as it is the subject I enjoy the most (I would’ve liked to do neuroscience but don’t do bio or chem and don’t want to do a foundation course). However I’m put off by how poorly regarded psych is, to the point where when someone asks what i’m thinking of applying for, I am reluctant to tell them. I know it shouldn’t matter what others think, but I hate the idea that people will look down on me for taking psych eventhough I have a very strong academic profile (this is purely based on others’ views on psych, not representative of those actually taking psych, as I respect anyone who takes it).

I think working in the tech industry with psych is something i’m the most interested in, and so I was thinking I could just pursue psych and then do an entry level data science role or something.

Another issue is how competitive psych is. I would love to do psych at a uni like UCL or KCL, but the amount of applicants scares me. I don’t intend to go into a directly linked career (like a clinical psychologist), so would it be pointless for me to go through the effort of applying to psych knowing how competitive it is, and knowing that I don’t want to go into a directly related field?

I feel like I would enjoy doing an editing/design type job aswell, which I believe I can get into as long as I have relevant experience. But again I don’t know if I would be better off going for a different degree!!!!

Sorry, I have posted about this before but it’s because despite thinking i’d settled on psych, the doubts have returned :frown:

So my overall question is, would I be better off picking at different degree course (than psych) knowing I will likely end up in a job that requires no specific degree?

I would always advise working backwards if possible. You dont know what you want to do as a job so you shouldnt do a degree just yet. Why the rush? Better taking your time making the right decision then quickly with a wrong one. Spend time really exploring what role/job you want, as 3 years of study can really drag if there is no clear goal at the end alongside 30k worth of debt. Also, if you choose a degree now and later on you see a job you want which requires a specific degree you might be screwed financially.

In my eyes degrees are pointless unless you use them in some way after. I put a lot of blame towards generic grad schemes which ask for a 2.1 for no clear reason, other than a way to filter applicant numbers.

I did the full lot of psychology all the way to the clinical doctorate, but got the same rubbish from people all the way, effectively dismissing my choice. This can make you doubt yourself of course, but if you find yourself doubting the whole degree then it might be a sign you harbour the same doubts deep down. Again dont rush things, life is pretty long and after the faff of degrees you will spend most of your life doing little other than working at the same job. Dont get caught up in the rush to third level.

Take care,

Greg

Reply 3

University of Huddersfield

Official Rep

16

@spliced

From your post:

You already know that you are not planning to opt for a career in psychology but you are unsure about what else you would study if not psychology.
You like psychology and you are good it and you are even interested in going to a competitive university for psychology.
You know that some people might not view psychology with your same interest but you know that it's not about what other people think, but about what you like.
You are interested in working in the tech industry with psychology.

I think it's clear that you want to study psychology but that you are just nervous.

It's very easy to talk yourself out of something when already you know the answer. It is easy to let fear get the better of you.

Whatever you study, you could always study something else and imagine a different career.

Who knows what you will think at the end of a psychology degree. Maybe you will definitely want to work in this area or perhaps you will have decided that you want to be a politician! Things change.

For now though, go with what you know: psychology.

Oluwatosin – 2nd year student – University of Huddersfield

Reply 4

Admit-One

Universities Forum Helper

21

After getting your first role out of uni no one is going to care what subject you studied, much less 'look down' on you.

As above, if there's no requirements for the sectors you'll likely go into, study what you enjoy and are capable at.

Reply 5

greg tony

16

Original post by spliced

Thank you for this :smile:

I agree that I should not try and rush this decision, as it will really impact how things pan out in the future. If I were to still apply this year anyways, but come to realise that I still don’t know what to do, would taking a gap year instead be a good option? It’s just annoying as I have never had a clear career path in mind. May I ask if you ended up working as a clinical psychologist? Or did you have any regrets along the way with your decision to pursue psychology?

I wont give you any advice, bar listening to your gut. I think you know what decision you should make anyway, but it will be tough to make it without me throwing my two pence in. Trust yourself, if you make a terrible mistake then great you will learn a brilliant lesson, and also there is nothing worse than making a terrible decision when it was not yours in the first place.

Yes, working as clinical psychologist now. I did regret my choice half way through the process (at stage of applying to doctorate), as it all seemed so futile and impossible. I love my job now, but if i am honest didnt really know what a psychologist did or if i even wanted to be one until many years in. What i did know though was that i wanted to work directly with people and find ways to help them on their journey, rather than working on systems or with resources.

Take care,

Greg

Reply 6

University of Bradford

Official Rep

18

Original post by spliced

I have no clear distinct direction as to what career I want to pursue, which is making it difficult for me to pick a degree course.

I will most likely end up in a job that does not require a specific degree, or get into graduate schemes/internships. With this in mind, I settled on doing a psych degree as it is the subject I enjoy the most (I would’ve liked to do neuroscience but don’t do bio or chem and don’t want to do a foundation course). However I’m put off by how poorly regarded psych is, to the point where when someone asks what i’m thinking of applying for, I am reluctant to tell them. I know it shouldn’t matter what others think, but I hate the idea that people will look down on me for taking psych eventhough I have a very strong academic profile (this is purely based on others’ views on psych, not representative of those actually taking psych, as I respect anyone who takes it).

I think working in the tech industry with psych is something i’m the most interested in, and so I was thinking I could just pursue psych and then do an entry level data science role or something.

Another issue is how competitive psych is. I would love to do psych at a uni like UCL or KCL, but the amount of applicants scares me. I don’t intend to go into a directly linked career (like a clinical psychologist), so would it be pointless for me to go through the effort of applying to psych knowing how competitive it is, and knowing that I don’t want to go into a directly related field?

I feel like I would enjoy doing an editing/design type job aswell, which I believe I can get into as long as I have relevant experience. But again I don’t know if I would be better off going for a different degree!!!!

Sorry, I have posted about this before but it’s because despite thinking i’d settled on psych, the doubts have returned :frown:

So my overall question is, would I be better off picking at different degree course (than psych) knowing I will likely end up in a job that requires no specific degree?

Hey @spliced :smile:

Choosing a course can be such a challenging decision to make! I know when I was a student I didn't really know what I wanted to do, I just knew I enjoyed studying media throughout my time at school and college, and I enjoyed it as a hobby. I never really thought about my career, so decided to go with something I loved and was passionate about.

I do have some pieces of advice to consider though which I hope can help you a bit!

Do what you enjoy and love! If you genuinely enjoy Psychology, then that'll help contribute to your motivation and success whilst studying.

Even if you don't pursue a directly related career, a Psychology degree provides you with so many valuable transferable skills like critical thinking, researching, data analysis, understanding human behaviour. Here at Bradford, our courses are also suitable for those who are interested in Psychology but don't want to commit to a career as a Psychologist, so the courses provide transferable skills relevant to a wide variety of careers including: social work, market research, advertising, teaching, broadcasting, nursing, policing/armed forces.

While studying psychology, you can gain practical experience and skills related to the tech industry through internships, part-time jobs, or personal projects as well to help build a strong foundation in psychology and the tech field.

Are there any career advisors you can speak to? They can help you explore career options and offer support with choosing a degree course.

I hope you make the right decision for you! I wish you all the best of luck with your decision and university journey :smile:

Becky

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