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Psychology work experience

I am going to do Psychology at university, and i am currently taking Psychology, Sociology and ICT as A levels.
I was wondering if it is important for me to do relevant work experience, because it is so difficult to find for Psychology. Will it be necessary to get into a good university to stand out from the crowd?
I will be doing an EPQ which will be relevant to a Psychology topic, I have previously volunteered at the British Heart Foundation and I will do some further reading. I really do not feel as though this is enough, can someone please give me their opinion?
Reply 1
Original post by Priyaaax
I am going to do Psychology at university, and i am currently taking Psychology, Sociology and ICT as A levels.
I was wondering if it is important for me to do relevant work experience, because it is so difficult to find for Psychology. Will it be necessary to get into a good university to stand out from the crowd?
I will be doing an EPQ which will be relevant to a Psychology topic, I have previously volunteered at the British Heart Foundation and I will do some further reading. I really do not feel as though this is enough, can someone please give me their opinion?


There isn't much directly relevant work experience prior to starting university. However, if you go to any volunteering website you would probably find volunteering opportunities for befriending and stuff that will look good on any application.

The further reading is good and you have at least one example of volunteering, so as long as you meet/hopefully exceed the entry requirements, you should have a good chance.

If you're adamant on looking for more experience, do what I mentioned above with the volunteering websites. If you haven't applied yet, there are examples of good and bad personal statements for Psychology on The Student Room somewhere if you haven't found them already.
Go to a psychiatric cente and engage with the patience and examine their psychological state?
You could shadow a pyschologist for a week?
I managed to get 4 offers for psychology without work experience, I just mentioned my wider reading and psychology related activities :smile:
I think it's quite difficult to find experience closely related to psychology (something like shadowing a psychologist) so charity work and volunteering is good experience to show your compassion etc.. :smile:
Reply 4
Original post by EmilyPlatypus
I managed to get 4 offers for psychology without work experience, I just mentioned my wider reading and psychology related activities :smile:
I think it's quite difficult to find experience closely related to psychology (something like shadowing a psychologist) so charity work and volunteering is good experience to show your compassion etc.. :smile:


Thank you! Knowing you got 4 offers has made me feel much better, thats great!
Reply 5
Original post by Davalla
There isn't much directly relevant work experience prior to starting university. However, if you go to any volunteering website you would probably find volunteering opportunities for befriending and stuff that will look good on any application.

The further reading is good and you have at least one example of volunteering, so as long as you meet/hopefully exceed the entry requirements, you should have a good chance.

If you're adamant on looking for more experience, do what I mentioned above with the volunteering websites. If you haven't applied yet, there are examples of good and bad personal statements for Psychology on The Student Room somewhere if you haven't found them already.


Thanks! I will email a mental health charity that is in my area and see if they are willing to offer me experience for a week or so, hopefully that'll help. If not, I might just leave doing experience and hope for the best ah.
Reply 6
Original post by Priyaaax
I am going to do Psychology at university, and i am currently taking Psychology, Sociology and ICT as A levels.
I was wondering if it is important for me to do relevant work experience, because it is so difficult to find for Psychology. Will it be necessary to get into a good university to stand out from the crowd?
I will be doing an EPQ which will be relevant to a Psychology topic, I have previously volunteered at the British Heart Foundation and I will do some further reading. I really do not feel as though this is enough, can someone please give me their opinion?


I'm quite late to reply but I only had work experience in a nursery and elderly care home. In my personal statement I applied it to psychology (child mental development, dementia and neurological disorders etc).

In the end I received 5 offers including russel groups, so I think you're on the right track 😊

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