Masters or a job? Psych graduates!!!
Hi so I am psych graduate and I have recently applied for a 9-5 job ( not related to psychology) as I wanted a break after university. But many people told me it’s better to do masters straight away after undergrad so I applied and I’ve gotten in. But I am not sure on what to do I am meant to start work in September and also masters but I’m just so torn.
I want a career in psychology and that only seems to work if you’ve gotten a masters or some experience. And it’s so hard to get experience without any other prior experience!
I want a career in psychology and that only seems to work if you’ve gotten a masters or some experience. And it’s so hard to get experience without any other prior experience!
Hi there,
I fully sympathise with you, making a career out of psychology is a hard job and things aren't helped by the never-ending debate of what you actually need to do after finishing your degree. Out of curiosity, what exactly are you aiming for within psychology? Depending on what you want, you might not (strictly speaking) need a masters but this is such a grey and contentious area that I'll just assume that you need a masters.
If you want a break from university, it's absolutely important that you get one because if you don't you'll be risking burnout. I don't think it's that hugely important to carry on with a masters straight after your undergraduate but I do think it's important to always do something that works towards helping you in your next step, or at least have the next thing lined up. So if I were you, I'd contact the university that you hold the masters offer for and ask them very nicely if it's possible to defer your masters for a year. Many places don't have problem with this, I hope your university is one of them! Good luck
I fully sympathise with you, making a career out of psychology is a hard job and things aren't helped by the never-ending debate of what you actually need to do after finishing your degree. Out of curiosity, what exactly are you aiming for within psychology? Depending on what you want, you might not (strictly speaking) need a masters but this is such a grey and contentious area that I'll just assume that you need a masters.
If you want a break from university, it's absolutely important that you get one because if you don't you'll be risking burnout. I don't think it's that hugely important to carry on with a masters straight after your undergraduate but I do think it's important to always do something that works towards helping you in your next step, or at least have the next thing lined up. So if I were you, I'd contact the university that you hold the masters offer for and ask them very nicely if it's possible to defer your masters for a year. Many places don't have problem with this, I hope your university is one of them! Good luck
Original post by Maryammiah1301
Hi so I am psych graduate and I have recently applied for a 9-5 job ( not related to psychology) as I wanted a break after university. But many people told me it’s better to do masters straight away after undergrad so I applied and I’ve gotten in. But I am not sure on what to do I am meant to start work in September and also masters but I’m just so torn.
I want a career in psychology and that only seems to work if you’ve gotten a masters or some experience. And it’s so hard to get experience without any other prior experience!
I want a career in psychology and that only seems to work if you’ve gotten a masters or some experience. And it’s so hard to get experience without any other prior experience!
You could do a master's part-time if going back full-time seems too much (if the course you've applied for offers this). I had about 2 years between my undergraduate and postgraduate studies and worked full-time in between to gain experience (MH support work). I don't think one way is better than the other, tbh! If you wanna spend a year earning more money then go back to studying, it shouldn't be a problem other than adding 1 year onto your time working your way into a psychology career. But 1 year is nothing in the long-run!
Original post by Maryammiah1301
Hi so I am psych graduate and I have recently applied for a 9-5 job ( not related to psychology) as I wanted a break after university. But many people told me it’s better to do masters straight away after undergrad so I applied and I’ve gotten in. But I am not sure on what to do I am meant to start work in September and also masters but I’m just so torn.
I want a career in psychology and that only seems to work if you’ve gotten a masters or some experience. And it’s so hard to get experience without any other prior experience!
I want a career in psychology and that only seems to work if you’ve gotten a masters or some experience. And it’s so hard to get experience without any other prior experience!
Hi!
I have just finished my Bsc Psychology degree at De Montfort University and I am about to start my Msc Psychological Wellbeing at DMU also. For me, I wanted to join back to university right away. I enjoyed my time at DMU and I wasn't ready to leave yet. I always wanted to do a masters and I wasn't ready to leave DMU, so to me doing my masters right away made sense.
Alongside my undergrad degree I also worked part time as a support worker for autistic adults. I loved this role! Alongside my masters I will be working as a research assistant and volunteering at a support hotline. To me this makes sense as I love research and I wanted to stay in the academic bubble for as long as possible. If you are looking to do a masters and get some experience maybe try doing your masters part time and doing support work too! Support work is a great stepping stone to graduate psychology jobs!
Deciding to take time between your undergrad and postgrad is a personal choice and it is completely up to you. There is no right or wrong way of doing it. It is a completely personal decision. For me, it made sense to go straight into postgrad, but this would not be the case for anyone. Just think: are you ready to continue your studies yet? Are you ready to write another dissertation? Are you academically burnt out? Just take your time to decide and weigh up the pros and cons. Taking a break might give you a fresh perspective and you might do better in your masters then if you are currently academically burnt out!
Best of luck!
Hannah
Psychology Student
De Montfort University
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