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MSc in Psychology and Neuroscience- what next?

I have an offer to study for an integrated Master's in psych and neuroscience hopefully next year, but I'm overthinking what my steps after that will be! I appreciate I still have plenty of time, I'm just not really understanding how degrees work in the UK...Would I choose an area from the course to specialise in and do a doctorate? And then how would I get a job from there? Or would the degree allow me to then pursue something like Clinical Psychology or Clinical Neuropsychology, through a doctorate, without having to do a specific Master's for that area, given I already will have one?

Any help with degrees or careers I can access with this degree would be amazing! <3
Original post by ff005
I have an offer to study for an integrated Master's in psych and neuroscience hopefully next year, but I'm overthinking what my steps after that will be! I appreciate I still have plenty of time, I'm just not really understanding how degrees work in the UK...Would I choose an area from the course to specialise in and do a doctorate? And then how would I get a job from there? Or would the degree allow me to then pursue something like Clinical Psychology or Clinical Neuropsychology, through a doctorate, without having to do a specific Master's for that area, given I already will have one?

Any help with degrees or careers I can access with this degree would be amazing! <3


The main question is if this degree is BPS accredited or not. If it is, you're good and all the psychological profession doors (and more!) are open to you. Different psychological professions have wildly different paths so I reccomend you have a browse here for all the psychological roles offered in the NHS and their training paths just to get an idea. But generally speaking, after finishing your degree:

-You enrol yourself in courses to become a therapist or counsillor or things like that

-You gain training and experience and some work in things like the assistant psychology role as a springboard for what you're actually aiming for: any job role that actually has "psychologist" slapped at the end, like clinical psychologist! This will involve doing a doctorate, but it's almost impossible to do these doctorates straight out of uni, you need to wait a bit and get experience. You don't need a Masters for this.

Exceptions and variations to these two routes exist. But no need to come up with an answer to this now. You've still got loads of time to think about what you wish to do with your degree when you're done (you might even decide to not do anything relating to psychology and neurology!), so I'd strongly reccomend to just look at this but don't think too hard about it just yet, and just always go to every single careers talk and event that your university arranges - they are genuinely helpful.
Reply 2
Original post by Scotland Yard
The main question is if this degree is BPS accredited or not. If it is, you're good and all the psychological profession doors (and more!) are open to you. Different psychological professions have wildly different paths so I reccomend you have a browse here for all the psychological roles offered in the NHS and their training paths just to get an idea. But generally speaking, after finishing your degree:
-You enrol yourself in courses to become a therapist or counsillor or things like that
-You gain training and experience and some work in things like the assistant psychology role as a springboard for what you're actually aiming for: any job role that actually has "psychologist" slapped at the end, like clinical psychologist! This will involve doing a doctorate, but it's almost impossible to do these doctorates straight out of uni, you need to wait a bit and get experience. You don't need a Masters for this.
Exceptions and variations to these two routes exist. But no need to come up with an answer to this now. You've still got loads of time to think about what you wish to do with your degree when you're done (you might even decide to not do anything relating to psychology and neurology!), so I'd strongly reccomend to just look at this but don't think too hard about it just yet, and just always go to every single careers talk and event that your university arranges - they are genuinely helpful.

Thank you so much! The degree is BPS accredited, I should've mentioned...But thank you for explaining, I was getting a bit confused! 🥰

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