Do I need to do A level psychology in order to get a psychology degree?
Hi, I am currently an A level student doing A level English literature, Religion and sociology. I was not able to do A level Psychology because the entry requirements were too high for me. I am determined to get a psychology degree once I finished sixth form and was wondering if I would still have the qualifications to do a psychology degree without actual studying psychology before?
Reply 1
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Original post
by Natasha_corderHi, I am currently an A level student doing A level English literature, Religion and sociology. I was not able to do A level Psychology because the entry requirements were too high for me. I am determined to get a psychology degree once I finished sixth form and was wondering if I would still have the qualifications to do a psychology degree without actual studying psychology before?
For most psychology degrees you would need to have studied a science or science related subject at A level to apply to the course. Unfortunately, you would not be able to study psychology at most universities, but it’s always worth checking the entry requirements for specific universities that you are interested in. You could look into foundation years in psychology, if you are eligible. Alternatively, you could consider a conversion degree in psychology and study something else at undergraduate level, or taking a gap year to study a science or science related subject.
Reply 2
Original post
by Natasha_corderHi, I am currently an A level student doing A level English literature, Religion and sociology. I was not able to do A level Psychology because the entry requirements were too high for me. I am determined to get a psychology degree once I finished sixth form and was wondering if I would still have the qualifications to do a psychology degree without actual studying psychology before?
There are some decent universities that don't require a science for psychology, but the best ones want at least one if not two. What are your predictions?
Reply 3
Original post
by ageshallnotThere are some decent universities that don't require a science for psychology, but the best ones want at least one if not two. What are your predictions?
Reply 4
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Original post
by Natasha_corderWhat do you mean by predictions?
Your predicted grades.
Reply 5
Original post
by bibachuYour predicted grades.
As and A*
Reply 6
Original post
by Natasha_corderAs and A*
They won't be an obstacle. You need to research psychology degrees that don't require 1+ science.
Reply 7
does psychology a level count as a science, or would you need psychology and a science?
Reply 8
Original post
by arctic-agencydoes psychology a level count as a science, or would you need psychology and a science?
Different universities have different policies on this
Reply 9
Original post
by Natasha_corderHi, I am currently an A level student doing A level English literature, Religion and sociology. I was not able to do A level Psychology because the entry requirements were too high for me. I am determined to get a psychology degree once I finished sixth form and was wondering if I would still have the qualifications to do a psychology degree without actual studying psychology before?
Hi @Natasha_corder,
While some universities will require you to have done psychology or a science, different places have different entry requirements. For example, Psychology at UEA (where I did my psychology undergrad) doesn't have any stipulations on the type of A-levels you've taken.
Psychology undergrad courses need to be accredited by the BPS to show they are of a specific standard, and a BPS-accredited course is needed if you wish to pursue a career in almost any psychological profession (clinical or forensic, for example). Therefore most psychology courses, especially in their first year, cover core concepts in psychology and do not expect you to have any prior psychological knowledge. So while there will be some universities that require you to have taken psychology or a science at A-level, this shouldn't stop you from achieving your dream 😊
Hope this has helped! If you have any more questions, let me know.
UEA Rep Grace
Reply 10
Original post
by Natasha_corderHi, I am currently an A level student doing A level English literature, Religion and sociology. I was not able to do A level Psychology because the entry requirements were too high for me. I am determined to get a psychology degree once I finished sixth form and was wondering if I would still have the qualifications to do a psychology degree without actual studying psychology before?
@Natasha_corder
It sounds like you are really putting lots of efforts into your A levels, I'm sure you will do great
I did an MSc Psychology (conversion) after jumping ship from the subject of Sociology after getting a 1st class honours degree in it.
If you want to do a degree in Psychology it is worth thinking about what you want to do career wise, a lot of people take psychology and regret it because of issues with the progression routes afterwards. For instance, to be a 'psychologist' in the UK, in fields like clinical or educational, you need to conduct doctorate level study, and there are limited opportunities to do that, for some that would be 7 years of study (if they do the masters in the middle).
Other opportunities would be teaching psychology (with a PGCE, an extra year), progressing into something like social work (with a year of a masters), or there are what are called Graduate Management Programs which major companies run, that cherry pick students from Psychology, Law, and Business etc and give them a starting salary in the 20k's and train someone up to be a manager.
What is it you want to do for a career?
Also, have you considered Arden University? there are both blended learning and 100% online options, and the course is fully accredited by the British Psychological Society
Marc
Arden University Student Ambassador
Reply 11
Original post
by Natasha_corderHi, I am currently an A level student doing A level English literature, Religion and sociology. I was not able to do A level Psychology because the entry requirements were too high for me. I am determined to get a psychology degree once I finished sixth form and was wondering if I would still have the qualifications to do a psychology degree without actual studying psychology before?
Hi Natasha,
Most people who go on to study Psychology at University did not study it at A-Level. People have completely different pathways, there is no need to take the direct route! Sociology is a fantastic option if you are interested in Psychology as I'd argue it's one of the closest subjects you can get.
In terms of the entry requirements for the A-Level, all I would bare in mind is the maths and statistics in Psychology can trip up a lot of people - there is more than you think, and especially at degree level! So I'd suggest getting comfortable with the idea of moving away from the grand essays you must be writing with your A-Level subjects and moving more into the statistics side of life!
Our Psychology degree has no requirements for subjects studied at A-Level, with 120 UCAS points required. If you're unsure how many UCAS points you might have, you can calculate it here. If you don't reach the points required, we have a fantastic Psychology Foundation Year to help boost your ability before starting degree level!
If you have any questions about my experience studying Psychology at YSJ please feel free to ask. There is always a way to study what you want and a University that would be lucky to have you!
Good luck,
-Alex, Student Ambassador
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