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changing course at UCL

i have an offer for psychology at UCL but i’ve been thinking of changing it to something like biomed/biochem or something to do with biology or chemistry as I do biology and chemistry A levels. originally, i wanted to do psychology to become a clinical psychologist but all i hear about it is how hard and competitive it is. i think i may also be losing interest in psychology and i find research in labs to be interesting. do i have to contact UCL to tell them i want to change my course? or do i have to take a gap year and reapply? and also are there any other degrees that i could do to do with bio or chem as i’ve also heard a lot of people regretting taking these degrees

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Reply 1

You'd probably have to reapply

Reply 2

Original post by saesqqi
i have an offer for psychology at UCL but i’ve been thinking of changing it to something like biomed/biochem or something to do with biology or chemistry as I do biology and chemistry A levels. originally, i wanted to do psychology to become a clinical psychologist but all i hear about it is how hard and competitive it is. i think i may also be losing interest in psychology and i find research in labs to be interesting. do i have to contact UCL to tell them i want to change my course? or do i have to take a gap year and reapply? and also are there any other degrees that i could do to do with bio or chem as i’ve also heard a lot of people regretting taking these degrees

Contact UCL and ask. Be very sure of your decision before committing to anything.

Reply 3

Original post by InnateImpunity
You'd probably have to reapply

okay 😢😢😢

Reply 4

Original post by ageshallnot
Contact UCL and ask. Be very sure of your decision before committing to anything.

i’ve contacted them but they’re closed for easter but also i asked someone else and they said they asked before and they could only change it if it’s within the same department 😞

Reply 5

Original post by saesqqi
i’ve contacted them but they’re closed for easter but also i asked someone else and they said they asked before and they could only change it if it’s within the same department 😞

Perhaps. But nothing lost by asking.
Original post by saesqqi
i have an offer for psychology at UCL but i’ve been thinking of changing it to something like biomed/biochem or something to do with biology or chemistry as I do biology and chemistry A levels. originally, i wanted to do psychology to become a clinical psychologist but all i hear about it is how hard and competitive it is. i think i may also be losing interest in psychology and i find research in labs to be interesting. do i have to contact UCL to tell them i want to change my course? or do i have to take a gap year and reapply? and also are there any other degrees that i could do to do with bio or chem as i’ve also heard a lot of people regretting taking these degrees

I believe there's an option in portico to request to be considered for another course, although there's no guarantee they would change your offer.

Note that psychology at UCL is very heavily experimental and neuroscience oriented.

Reply 7

you can very easily switch courses once you’re at ucl (i’m at ucl and have friends that easily changed courses between various sciences). so i would firm the offer and then change when you’re there, see if you like it or not.

Reply 8

Original post by artful_lounger
I believe there's an option in portico to request to be considered for another course, although there's no guarantee they would change your offer.
Note that psychology at UCL is very heavily experimental and neuroscience oriented.

okay, thank you !!

Reply 9

Original post by Anonymous #1
you can very easily switch courses once you’re at ucl (i’m at ucl and have friends that easily changed courses between various sciences). so i would firm the offer and then change when you’re there, see if you like it or not.

okay, thank u so much !! what did they switch from and to?

Reply 10

Original post by saesqqi
okay, thank u so much !! what did they switch from and to?


natsci to physic and natsci to chem. the only conditions for switching is that you switch by november (2 months after the academic year starts) and fulfil the original subject and grade prerequisites of the subject you’d like to switch to. (like bio and chem a level for a bio or chem degree). it’s pretty to easy to switch in the sciences as long as you have the right grades and subjects. i wouldn’t throw away psychology just yet, as at ucl it’s verrryyy science based, you can always switch out by november if you don’t like it!

Reply 11

Original post by Anonymous #1
natsci to physic and natsci to chem. the only conditions for switching is that you switch by november (2 months after the academic year starts) and fulfil the original subject and grade prerequisites of the subject you’d like to switch to. (like bio and chem a level for a bio or chem degree). it’s pretty to easy to switch in the sciences as long as you have the right grades and subjects. i wouldn’t throw away psychology just yet, as at ucl it’s verrryyy science based, you can always switch out by november if you don’t like it!

ahh okay thank u !! but all of those are in the same department right? so i think it might be different with psychology 🥲

Reply 12

Original post by saesqqi
ahh okay thank u !! but all of those are in the same department right? so i think it might be different with psychology 🥲


it doesn’t matter about departments, you can switch regardless.

Reply 13

Original post by Anonymous #1
it doesn’t matter about departments, you can switch regardless.
okay thank u so much for telling me !! u give me hope 😊😊

Reply 14

Original post by Anonymous
you can very easily switch courses once you’re at ucl (i’m at ucl and have friends that easily changed courses between various sciences). so i would firm the offer and then change when you’re there, see if you like it or not.
Hi! Do you know if you have to have an interview if the course change is to a course which is entirely different (science to humanities)?

Reply 15

Original post by Anonymous
you can very easily switch courses once you’re at ucl (i’m at ucl and have friends that easily changed courses between various sciences). so i would firm the offer and then change when you’re there, see if you like it or not.

Hi did they change within the same department? I am in the same dilemma as I have firmed for Biochem but want to change to Pharmacy. Thanks

Reply 16

Original post by saesqqi
i have an offer for psychology at UCL but i’ve been thinking of changing it to something like biomed/biochem or something to do with biology or chemistry as I do biology and chemistry A levels. originally, i wanted to do psychology to become a clinical psychologist but all i hear about it is how hard and competitive it is. i think i may also be losing interest in psychology and i find research in labs to be interesting. do i have to contact UCL to tell them i want to change my course? or do i have to take a gap year and reapply? and also are there any other degrees that i could do to do with bio or chem as i’ve also heard a lot of people regretting taking these degrees
Hey did you hear back from them

Reply 17

Original post by Anonymous
Hey did you hear back from them

hii yes i did, they said the programmes for biomed and biochem are closed 😅😅 so i was thinking of seeing if i could change when i get there instead

Reply 18

Original post by saesqqi
hii yes i did, they said the programmes for biomed and biochem are closed 😅😅 so i was thinking of seeing if i could change when i get there instead

i have the same prob, i want to do psych but currently on psych with ed, hopefully we can change when we get there !!

Reply 19

Original post by annabelle2005
i have the same prob, i want to do psych but currently on psych with ed, hopefully we can change when we get there !!

ahh i think ur change would be easier too !! and yes hopefully 😖😖

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