The Student Room Group

Psychology degree

So I'm about to apply for uni and I want to do a Psychology degree but my friend keeps stressing how useless it is.
Is it really that useless? I'm planning on doing a Masters too though I'm not sure in what subject yet, what could I do that would boost the usefulness of my degree?
Reply 1
try and get an internship or a year in placement?..... only bcs getting a job from a psych degree is hard.
Original post by Miiiriiiam
So I'm about to apply for uni and I want to do a Psychology degree but my friend keeps stressing how useless it is.
Is it really that useless? I'm planning on doing a Masters too though I'm not sure in what subject yet, what could I do that would boost the usefulness of my degree?

@Miiiriiiam

I'm currently doing an MSc in Psychology at Arden University, after doing a degree in Sociology so I know a bit about the social sciences. It is important to decide which side of psychology you want to explore, a BA is more the humanistic side more in line with counselling and social work, a BSc is the more scientific side - there is some crossover of course. Social science degree's are usually really good fun to do, I love my course, but they aren't always appreciated as much as STEM subjects by employers. If you want to be classed as a 'Psychologist' you would have to progress onto a Masters and then Doctorate study in a more specialised area.

If you want to say go into social work for instance, it might be best doing your degree and then doing a years post graduate study for a particular field, a social work Masters, a PGCE for teaching, a PGC SENDco for a a Sendco etc.

If you want to do the degree, why not consider Arden where there is an option of blended learning and online - https://arden.ac.uk/our-courses/undergraduate/psychology-degrees/bsc-hons-psychology-bps it is officially accredited from the BPS

Marc
Arden University Student Ambassador
Hi I’m a third year psych student who has a grad job lined up with a global financial services company in the marketing department. So I definitely wouldn’t say it’s useless if you don’t want to be a psychologist. I found the statistics and quantitative aspect of my degree really helped in internship applications. I would say a lot of people have psych degrees and you have to put in the effort to apply for internships etc but that’s true for any degree e.g. history, English etc. So please don’t be put off just because your friend has said it’s useless. Do you have any idea what career you want to do after?
It's less employable than some degrees (maths, other sciences, medicine, nursing, vet, engineering, law* and computer science*). But it's no worse than many others and better than others like art.

If you are interested in helping people with mental problems but want an employable degree, I would look at mental health nursing.

*at elite universities
(edited 3 years ago)
Reply 5
Original post by Tasha Black
Hi I’m a third year psych student who has a grad job lined up with a global financial services company in the marketing department. So I definitely wouldn’t say it’s useless if you don’t want to be a psychologist. I found the statistics and quantitative aspect of my degree really helped in internship applications. I would say a lot of people have psych degrees and you have to put in the effort to apply for internships etc but that’s true for any degree e.g. history, English etc. So please don’t be put off just because your friend has said it’s useless. Do you have any idea what career you want to do after?

Originally I wanted to go into Counselling, specifically Clinical Psychology but I understand there is a lot of education needed as well as it being a very competitive career path. I'm currently thinking of changing to a Law degree instead though, since it is much more employable but I'm not sure since I know I wouldn't find it anywhere near as enjoyable as a Psych degree.
Reply 6
Original post by ohemaax
try and get an internship or a year in placement?..... only bcs getting a job from a psych degree is hard.

Thank you sm for your reply, I'll definitely think more about a placement year :smile:
Reply 7
Original post by chazwomaq
It's less employable than some degrees (maths, other sciences, medicine, nursing, vet, engineering, law* and computer science*). But it's no worse than many others and better than others like art.

If you are interested in helping people with mental problems but want an employable degree, I would look at mental health nursing.

Thank you for your response! :smile: Doing a mental health nursing degree will not allow me to progress as much as a Psych degree may, right?
Original post by Miiiriiiam
Originally I wanted to go into Counselling, specifically Clinical Psychology but I understand there is a lot of education needed as well as it being a very competitive career path. I'm currently thinking of changing to a Law degree instead though, since it is much more employable but I'm not sure since I know I wouldn't find it anywhere near as enjoyable as a Psych degree.

Unless you want to do a career in law I don’t think a law degree is particularly more employable than a psych degree for other general jobs. Plus you are going to be spending 3 years working every single day on the degree you choose. So I personally think you need to enjoy the subject you choose! Plus if you are considering clinical psych then you of course need a psych degree and while competitive if that’s the perfect job for you then go for it! Plus you could always do a law conversion after the psych degree if you really wanted.
Original post by Miiiriiiam
Thank you for your response! :smile: Doing a mental health nursing degree will not allow me to progress as much as a Psych degree may, right?

You could not qualify as a professional psychologist unless you did a BPS accredited conversion course. But there is a shortage of mental health nurses so there are lots of jobs available. There is a glut of psychology graduates.
Original post by Tasha Black
Unless you want to do a career in law I don’t think a law degree is particularly more employable than a psych degree for other general jobs.

True enough. The degrees I listed are mainly vocational because these are more employable. For non-vocational degrees, psychology is fine and its quantitative content makes it employable, although not as much as other STEM degrees.
Original post by Miiiriiiam
Originally I wanted to go into Counselling, specifically Clinical Psychology but I understand there is a lot of education needed as well as it being a very competitive career path. I'm currently thinking of changing to a Law degree instead though, since it is much more employable but I'm not sure since I know I wouldn't find it anywhere near as enjoyable as a Psych degree.

Remember you can still go into psychology with an undergraduate degree in a different subject via a conversion course, it's only a year and means you can then go onto further postgraduate study
Reply 12
Original post by Tasha Black
Unless you want to do a career in law I don’t think a law degree is particularly more employable than a psych degree for other general jobs. Plus you are going to be spending 3 years working every single day on the degree you choose. So I personally think you need to enjoy the subject you choose! Plus if you are considering clinical psych then you of course need a psych degree and while competitive if that’s the perfect job for you then go for it! Plus you could always do a law conversion after the psych degree if you really wanted.

I've thought it over and you're right, I think the way to go is Psychology since like you said it is 3 years and I can always do a convergence course if necessary. Thank you so so much, you've been such a big help
Original post by Miiiriiiam
I've thought it over and you're right, I think the way to go is Psychology since like you said it is 3 years and I can always do a convergence course if necessary. Thank you so so much, you've been such a big help

No worries!! Best of luck with uni 😊

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