Choosing between an appealing career and an appealing degree

Any other helpful advice?

If you are interested in delivering therapy as a future career then it might be worthwhile thinking about whether a psychology degree is really best suited for this purpose and if so, what is it that appeals to you about working therapeutically as an applied psychologist compared to the alternatives. Another thing to consider is that often there is not as much one-to-one therapy work with clients involved in applied psychology (e.g. clinical) as you might think there is.

A psychology degree isn't needed to apply for most postgrad counselling/CBT/psychotherapy courses, many of which qualify you to work as a therapist in that area & you could do this after studying maths at undergrad level. You could also apply for work as a graduate mental health worker or psychological wellbeing practitioner (http://www.iapt.nhs.uk/workforce/low-intensity/ ) after studying maths.

I think psychology is a great degree (I'm biased though ) but unless you want to apply for courses/jobs which state you must have GBR from the BPS or you have a burning desire to study psych at degree-level, it's probably not necessary.

Well it seems everyone has already covered the specifics of going into psychology from a maths degree. I'll just say that a maths degree from a good uni makes you one of the most employable people out there. And if you genuinely find maths easy, you would be insane to waste the opportunity.

Yeah I guess so. But I mean, you can get careers in the theoretical side of maths/physics, can't you - like research scientists and that kind of thing. So I feel like it would be a shame to not study the thing I enjoy the most, just because I don't know what career I could do yet. And as people have mentioned, you can do conversion courses onto psychology after an unrelated degree...


In case you can't tell, I'm erring towards maths or maths&physics at the moment

It's worth doing stats modules @ A level if you're considering psychology

If the degree isn't appealing I can't understand why you would think the career would, it's not going to be that different.

Also the jobs you could get from doing Maths at University are numerous and they're not all boring.

You should do what you love, cross the career bridge when you get there, and just seize the opportunity to do something you really love, you may even like doing maths in a career just as much.

However, I'm sure you've considered this but you really have to be cut out to do maths at university. 'Tis not easy.

Just remember, time = money.

What does that even mean.. o_O

Being paid a lot of money doing something you hate is equivalent to being paid much less money for something you truly enjoy doing. I think I know which option I prefer though.

Me too.

Ah sorry, I think I misread your initial dilemma, I would say probably the latter, do what the you of thirty years would want you to do.

Hmm, fair enough But then I don't know if that'll still be what I want to do in ten/twenty/thirty year's time, whereas I'm pretty certain I won't change my mind about maths within a year or two..

Well, just think what you don't want to be in the future and make life changing decisions according to that, often seems to clear things up in people's heads :P.

But I don't know exactly! That's the problem! I know I don't want to be unemployed, homeless or unhappy. Beyond that I couldn't tell you!

Having read your OP more closely, definitely take maths. It's more respected, you prefer it, and you're probably better at it. Psychology AS is not necessarily necessary for a Psych degree anyway. If I were you there wouldn't be too much of a decision. What other AS courses are you doing?

Don't do joint, Psychology isn't worth much unless it's a full course (because of BPS accreditation). I would say go with maths as you enjoy it and are good at it.

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I am definitely erring to maths so far. I'm not sure what you mean - I am doing psychology at AS?

Psychology, philosophy, maths and physics. I think I'm gonna drop philosophy next year, and pick up further maths if I can, or if not I'll do it in my third year.