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What even is there to do with a psychology degree?

I don't think I'll get the grades to get a placement year (they only told us after our semester 1 exams :/ I would've tried much harder had I known...)

I honestly find this degree so useless now, I've always wanted to be a forensic psychologist or even a clinical is great for me but tbh it seems that the chances are very slim even with a 2:1 or first...

Not really sure what to do with life or how I will fund myself to even survive in the future without a job like I don't want to be working a retail job for £300 a month with a psychology degree just to make ends meet I legit am really freaking out now

Every degree seems useless, medicine and engineering is the sh*t now

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Original post by PsychPrincess
I don't think I'll get the grades to get a placement year (they only told us after our semester 1 exams :/ I would've tried much harder had I known...)

I honestly find this degree so useless now, I've always wanted to be a forensic psychologist or even a clinical is great for me but tbh it seems that the chances are very slim even with a 2:1 or first...

Not really sure what to do with life or how I will fund myself to even survive in the future without a job like I don't want to be working a retail job for £300 a month with a psychology degree just to make ends meet I legit am really freaking out now

Every degree seems useless, medicine and engineering is the sh*t now


Most people go into jobs where your specific degree doesn't really matter as much (things like HR, consulting, whatevs). Its not necessarily a choice between psychology and working on a till.
Reply 2
Avatar for CCC75
CCC75
16
I had to check the date of your OP as I have responded to this question on TSR so often. Here's a link to a thread where your question is answered (and I provide another link within it!):

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3749541&p=62280103#post62280103

You may be pleasantly surprised at the wide ranging options.
Original post by Nameless Ghoul
Shelf stacking. Cleaning. Bar work.


You're quite the comedian aren't you.:yy:

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Reply 4
Avatar for CCC75
CCC75
16
Also OP, if the lack of arranged placement is the main issue, try to find one for yourself.
Original post by john2054
This thread isn't even a proper sentence. Please learn English before you (claim to) go to university, okay??


I do go to university lolllll it's a RB too, never knew there was a correlation with what I type in a thread and my intelligence
Original post by iammichealjackson
Most people go into jobs where your specific degree doesn't really matter as much (things like HR, consulting, whatevs). Its not necessarily a choice between psychology and working on a till.


Thanks, I'll have a better look at my prospects, might talk to someone at uni about it
Original post by CCC75
Also OP, if the lack of arranged placement is the main issue, try to find one for yourself.


Yeah I for sure am going to try find my own if that's not an option, it'd just be a lot less stressful if it were via my university
Original post by CCC75
I had to check the date of your OP as I have responded to this question on TSR so often. Here's a link to a thread where your question is answered (and I provide another link within it!):

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3749541&p=62280103#post62280103

You may be pleasantly surprised at the wide ranging options.


Thank youuuuu!!! I'll check it out
stack shelves
Original post by PsychPrincess
I don't think I'll get the grades to get a placement year (they only told us after our semester 1 exams :/ I would've tried much harder had I known...)

I honestly find this degree so useless now, I've always wanted to be a forensic psychologist or even a clinical is great for me but tbh it seems that the chances are very slim even with a 2:1 or first...

Not really sure what to do with life or how I will fund myself to even survive in the future without a job like I don't want to be working a retail job for £300 a month with a psychology degree just to make ends meet I legit am really freaking out now

Every degree seems useless, medicine and engineering is the sh*t now


General grad schemes: HR, management trainee schemes, IB, consulting, corporate law training contracts, recruitment, public relations, marketing/advertising, sales

Roles related to psychology: clinical psychology (requires further study), occupational therapist, careers/guidance counselling at a school or university, general mental health counselling, trainee scientist in the nhs, healthcare policy

Basically the world is your oyster (well, 70% of the grad jobs not specifying a degree course requirement to be more precise) if you have: a) a genuine interest in the field or role, b) the requisite background (extracurriculars, work experience, grades, skills etc) to be competitive, c) a 'likability' factor to get through interviews and d) an ounce of luck; you should do well to land a decent job. Apply far and wide in your last year of uni but also dig down on what you REALLY WANT out of your career.

That might mean switching gears towards a standard grad scheme or focusing your energy on getting into a decent master/PhD programme for the clinical route.

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Original post by iammichealjackson
Most people go into jobs where your specific degree doesn't really matter as much (things like HR, consulting, whatevs). Its not necessarily a choice between psychology and working on a till.


Look into generic jobs that require a degree....I did this and ended up being a statistician (mainly because it was in the location I wanted and paid ok), and I actually am shocked by how much I enjoy it! A few years ago I thought I wanted to do clin psych, and now I couldn't imagine wanting that career path. So look into other career paths and try new things...you might surprise yourself! And at the end of that if you still fancy forensic/clinical then it's still worth trying.
Original post by Daniellecorni5h
Look into generic jobs that require a degree....I did this and ended up being a statistician (mainly because it was in the location I wanted and paid ok), and I actually am shocked by how much I enjoy it! A few years ago I thought I wanted to do clin psych, and now I couldn't imagine wanting that career path. So look into other career paths and try new things...you might surprise yourself! And at the end of that if you still fancy forensic/clinical then it's still worth trying.


Did you need extra training to become a statistician?
Psychology graduates seem to have this issue, as it is a jack of all trades, master of none qualification. But this is also a great strength as has been mentioned by Princepieman, as well as a weakness in that it doesn't lead directly to a job.

I'll give you my experiences so far.I completed a psychology degree, but didn't enjoy it all that much at the time. Ended up on the masters in neuroscience (clinical context).
Working as a support worker part time, low wages ultimately for a graduate. Better part time jobs out there though, but hard to get in this climate.
Doing placement in head injuries. Have volunteered for hospitals etc in past. Thinking about clinical psychology doctorate to specialise in neuropsychology ( 3 years + 1), or medical degree (4-5 years).

Psychology professional doctorates are perhaps one of the most competitive courses out there, so you can only try and increase your chances.

Ultimately, with psychology, you end up playing a long game. You don't get payback very soon, but there is room to do pretty well in the long term.


It can be used to get into anything from robotics and AI, marketing and neuromarketing, nursing, medicine, biomedical and pharma research, teaching, therapy, statistics, psychologist and all specialisms of it, coaching, law, politics, police investigation...


Unfortunately I don't know much about the requirements for forensic psych. so can't advise there.
Great suggestions here. If you want to take Psych further then crack the books now and aim for at least a 2:1/1st as this would favour you when applying for masters. A first would put you in good running at gaining access to further study. If you don't get in a masters course right away (good chance this will happen if have 2:1), a lot of people work for a year before doing so. There are jobs out there that don't specify what degree they want, but offer preference to those who have one. Even if you got stuck in a retail job, you can volunteer in your spare and gain relevent experience (in clinical/forensic/experimental/others).

Most of all try not to get bogged down. There's definitely a lot of options, especially if you achieve a 2:1 or above.
Original post by Nameless Ghoul




Mate, you're at Derby. Don't be too cocky.


Sorry but Derby's 'king of the hill'.

And you ain't my "mate"!?/
Original post by PsychPrincess
I do go to university lolllll it's a RB too, never knew there was a correlation with what I type in a thread and my intelligence


What is your average grade so far, and what year are you in? (Ergo; what is the likelihood that you can turn things around)?
Original post by PsychPrincess
I don't think I'll get the grades to get a placement year (they only told us after our semester 1 exams :/ I would've tried much harder had I known...)

I honestly find this degree so useless now, I've always wanted to be a forensic psychologist or even a clinical is great for me but tbh it seems that the chances are very slim even with a 2:1 or first...

Not really sure what to do with life or how I will fund myself to even survive in the future without a job like I don't want to be working a retail job for £300 a month with a psychology degree just to make ends meet I legit am really freaking out now

Every degree seems useless, medicine and engineering is the sh*t now


Aside from Medicine, Teaching and possible Law. No degree leads straight into a job, trust me I've learnt that with depressing levels of repetition. Any job that needs a degree to do, will need MORE than just a degree to do. Placement year helps but there are other avenues to explore, volunteering, shadowing, working as an assistant, internships.
Original post by john2054
Sorry but Derby's 'king of the hill'.

And you ain't my "mate"!?/


I consider myself more of a carer than a friend, I concede. But in the operation of my altruistic duties, I am confident friendship can develop.

But back to my point, you are not exactly in a position to be telling people whether or not they have it in them to go to university. After all, you don't go to one anyway.
Original post by Gwilym101
Aside from Medicine, Teaching and possible Law. No degree leads straight into a job, trust me I've learnt that with depressing levels of repetition. Any job that needs a degree to do, will need MORE than just a degree to do. Placement year helps but there are other avenues to explore, volunteering, shadowing, working as an assistant, internships.


False. Law is open to those who studied law and non-law subjects, the competition is intense. Law doesn't lead to a certain career any more than Maths does.


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