Child Psychology? Sociology? Psychology?

Hi,

I am currently going into my third year of my Sociology degree. I wish to do a masters after I graduate but I am just so lost. From what I've researched, in order to become a Child Psychologist, I need to do a masters focusing more on that and then training???? Anyone who's familiar with this career, what are the steps you take about it? As I am a sociology student, I am doubtful if it would be possible to do a psychology subject as my masters, having no experience in psychology though both subjects have similarities. Also, is it better to do a dissertation rather than a placement for this?Will be grateful for any advice.

Reply 1

marinade

16

Original post by change08

Hi,

I am currently going into my third year of my Sociology degree. I wish to do a masters after I graduate but I am just so lost. From what I've researched, in order to become a Child Psychologist, I need to do a masters focusing more on that and then training???? Anyone who's familiar with this career, what are the steps you take about it? As I am a sociology student, I am doubtful if it would be possible to do a psychology subject as my masters, having no experience in psychology though both subjects have similarities. Also, is it better to do a dissertation rather than a placement for this?Will be grateful for any advice.

Sociology grads do do conversion courses in Psychology (masters' degrees in the vast majority of cases). That's normal. There are 87 accredited conversion courses, the vast majority of these are entitled MSc Psychology. A few are not masters' and some have different titles with the odd one with education in the title somewhere.

If you wanted to do a non-conversion course, Psychology MSc in a specific thing, this has two problems. 1) You may not be allowed onto the course 2) It is likely not BPS accredited. There are 17 accredited postgraduate courses in Educational Psychology, 16 out of 17 are doctorates. There is only one course in the UK that has an MSc in Educational Psychology that's accredited.

https://www.bps.org.uk/public/become-psychologist/accredited-courses

It isn't clear what you mean by "child psychologist". Theoretically this could be a clinical psychologist or an educational psychologist. Or even other roles that call themselves that.
BPS degree + shedloads of experience --maybe--> clinical doctorate --> clinical psychologist specialising in children
BPS degree + shedloads of different experience --maybe--> educational doctorate --> educational psychologist

Reply 2

ChaddVinyl

8

@change08

I might be able to help! I have a 1st BA (Hons) Sociology degree and I am currently doing an MSc Psychology conversion course at Arden University. I felt the same about being unprepared for psychology study but there is a lot of crossover specifically in terms of research methods and social psychology. If you get the chance to use SPSS on your Sociology degree like I did, it would be a massive help for the first unit. Psychology seems to focus heavily on positivism and I've always seen it as like the slightly more serious older brother of Sociology - you need to think more like a scientist (not just in the Durkheimian positivist sense).

I think it is advisable career wise to do further study after a Sociology degree, I did a PGCE first, when gave my CV a vocation and also meant I was used to a post graduate standard of writing. You are correct about the progression route to be a Child Psychologist

Marc
Arden University Student Ambassador

Reply 3

Arden University

17

Original post by change08

Hi,

I am currently going into my third year of my Sociology degree. I wish to do a masters after I graduate but I am just so lost. From what I've researched, in order to become a Child Psychologist, I need to do a masters focusing more on that and then training???? Anyone who's familiar with this career, what are the steps you take about it? As I am a sociology student, I am doubtful if it would be possible to do a psychology subject as my masters, having no experience in psychology though both subjects have similarities. Also, is it better to do a dissertation rather than a placement for this?Will be grateful for any advice.

Hi @change08,

To follow up on @ChaddVinyl's message - here's a link to the webpage on our MSc Psychology course, which is BPS accredited, if you'd like to take a look: https://arden.ac.uk/our-courses/distance-learning/postgraduate/msc-psychology-bps

Also, we ran a careers webinar last month on Child Psychology that may also be worth a watch: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/8188813367737607430

Hope that helps!

Amy

Child Psychology? Sociology? Psychology?

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