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uni course advice!!

username7209734

hi, i really enjoy studying psychology and criminology at a level. i’m thinking of perusing this at university. however, i also like the idea of philosophy which leaves me unsure of what degree to choose. please could somebody help me with any advice, it’d be appreciated.

Reply 1

beefreya

It depends on what u think you want to do in the future. I picked psych because i had absolutely no idea what i wanted to do as a job, and i liked it at a level. but since criminology and philosophy are more specific than psych as a whole, so career options are more limited.

Reply 2

UCLan Student

Official Rep

Original post by charlietvdddd

Hi @charlietvdddd,

I recommend checking out what is generally taught at degree level for all of them subjects, however this may differ depending on the university website you look at. So I suggest looking at the modules on the course pages for a few universities you are considering attending. Hopefully doing this can help you get closer to deciding which course is suited more towards yourself.

Another important factor is your future career goals. I recommend researching into your desired career and seeing which degree will lead you on a path towards it. If you aren't sure which career you wish to go for, that's completely fine! I would instead recommend checking the career prospects for each course and seeing which you find most interesting.

Most importantly, choose the course you are most passionate about, as you will be studying it for years and this is a chance to delve deeper into a topic you truly enjoy!

I hope this helps, please feel free to ask me any questions,
-Sophia (Business and Management)

(edited 7 months ago)

Reply 3

username7209734

Original post by UCLan Student

Hi @charlietvdddd,
I recommend checking out what is generally taught at degree level for all of them subjects, however this may differ depending on the university website you look at. So I suggest looking at the modules on the course pages for a few universities you are considering attending. Hopefully doing this can help you get closer to deciding which course is suited more towards yourself.
Another important factor is your future career goals. I recommend researching into your desired career and seeing which degree will lead you on a path towards it. If you aren't sure which career you wish to go for, that's completely fine! I would instead recommend checking the career prospects for each course and seeing which you find most interesting.
Most importantly, choose the course you are most passionate about, as you will be studying it for years and this is a chance to delve deeper into a topic you truly enjoy!
I hope this helps, please feel free to ask me any questions,
-Sophia

this helped so much, thank you!

Reply 4

YSJstudents

Official Rep

Original post by charlietvdddd

Hi there!

I'm about to go into my third year of psychology at York St. John, so may be able to give some insight😊. I did Edexcel psychology A-Level, and found that the first year of my degree followed a really similar format. You'll study core areas in your first year, like at A-Level, such as social psychology, neuroanatomy, cognitive psychology, research methods, etc., just in a lot more detail. Most psychology courses naturally come with elements of philosophy in a way - I've had an assignment where we've had to consider our own philosophical approaches towards research for example. I really enjoy the course, and really enjoyed A-Level too!😊

One of the key differences between A-Level psychology and degree-level is the freedom and independence you have. You get to choose (to an extent) what an assignment is about, and can focus on areas you're passionate about. For example, for our child and adolescent development module, we were asked to create a research proposal. We had quite a lot of freedom on what that could be about - so I focused mine around neurodivergence, as that's something I'm interested in.

If you do decide to study psychology, make sure the degree you choose is BPS (British Psychological Society) accredited. Without this, it can be quite difficult to become a chartered psychologist later down the line (link).
Also, have a look at different university's teaching styles, their course content, their delivery methods, and assessment types - these can vary quite a lot between universities! One university may not have many exams, whereas another may be quite heavily exam-focused. To find this, you can search up, for example, "YSJ Psychology" - click on the page and there'll be information about the modules, assessment types, etc. For example: YSJ Psychology. UCAS is also a great tool for getting an idea of what courses are around - you can filter searches to a certain area, certain entry requirements, and more. UCAS Course Search

I hope this has helped and wish you all the best! If you have any other questions let me know😊
-Kiera (Student Ambassador)

Reply 5

username7209734

Original post by YSJstudents

Hi there!
I'm about to go into my third year of psychology at York St. John, so may be able to give some insight😊. I did Edexcel psychology A-Level, and found that the first year of my degree followed a really similar format. You'll study core areas in your first year, like at A-Level, such as social psychology, neuroanatomy, cognitive psychology, research methods, etc., just in a lot more detail. Most psychology courses naturally come with elements of philosophy in a way - I've had an assignment where we've had to consider our own philosophical approaches towards research for example. I really enjoy the course, and really enjoyed A-Level too!😊
One of the key differences between A-Level psychology and degree-level is the freedom and independence you have. You get to choose (to an extent) what an assignment is about, and can focus on areas you're passionate about. For example, for our child and adolescent development module, we were asked to create a research proposal. We had quite a lot of freedom on what that could be about - so I focused mine around neurodivergence, as that's something I'm interested in.
If you do decide to study psychology, make sure the degree you choose is BPS (British Psychological Society) accredited. Without this, it can be quite difficult to become a chartered psychologist later down the line (link).
Also, have a look at different university's teaching styles, their course content, their delivery methods, and assessment types - these can vary quite a lot between universities! One university may not have many exams, whereas another may be quite heavily exam-focused. To find this, you can search up, for example, "YSJ Psychology" - click on the page and there'll be information about the modules, assessment types, etc. For example: YSJ Psychology. UCAS is also a great tool for getting an idea of what courses are around - you can filter searches to a certain area, certain entry requirements, and more. UCAS Course Search
I hope this has helped and wish you all the best! If you have any other questions let me know😊
-Kiera (Student Ambassador)

thanks so much!!

Reply 6

UniofLaw Student

Official Rep

Original post by charlietvdddd

Hi @charlietvdddd

As has been said, a good starting point is looking at what is taught in the courses and how it is taught. For example, some of the courses you have suggested have the potential to involve practical teaching as well as strictly academic whereas philosophy is more likely to be focused on dissecting texts and applying theories. I would also look at which unis offer these courses and whether there are any unis in particular that you wish to study at. Look at the location of the uni, the societies and other factors that you think are important to your own experience to help you decide. Finally, I would consider the career aspects afterwards. I personally would not put too much weight on this element as there are often many ways to achieve a career goal and, therefore, not studying the degree now probably won't hinder your chances of a career in that area later on.

Good luck!