Which uni is best for psychology?
I'm applying for a psychology undergrad at uni but they all kind of look the same to me and I'm finding it hard to choose between them
My predicted grades will either be A*AA or A*AB, I'm not sure yet
If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!
Thanks
I'm applying for a psychology undergrad at uni but they all kind of look the same to me and I'm finding it hard to choose between them
My predicted grades will either be A*AA or A*AB, I'm not sure yet
If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!
Thanks
Hi there! I'm Kiera, a third-year psychology student at York St. John. Here's a list of things I'd recommend considering/ looking for.
1.
Make sure any psychology degree you consider is BPS accredited. Without this accreditation, it can become really difficult to go into further study & careers in psychology. I'll insert a link that can explain this a little more: Accreditation - BPS.
2.
Have a look at the modules! Generally speaking, psychology degrees will almost always have elements of neuroanatomy, research methods, social psychology, and cognitive psychology. However, not every degree is the same. Some universities may have a heavier focus on neuropsychology, others may have more child development related modules. On this topic, also check if there's any optional modules. This lets you pick from a selection of topics to focus on, usually either during 2nd or 3rd year.
3.
Assessments. Every university will have a different variety of assessments - these could be open-book exams, typical closed-book exams, online exams, and those exams may be multiple choice, essay based, short/long answer questions, or a combination of all of the above. Coursework at one university may be solely essays and lab reports, whereas another university might use more presentations, creative artefacts, etc.
4.
The city the university is in. This may help you differentiate between universities a little. Don't neglect the importance of where the university this is - 3 years is a long time, and it'll feel even longer if you're stuck in a city you don't like!
5.
The university's support services, especially if you are someone with a disability. The support a university has to offer can very easily make or break your experience as a student.
This list isn't exhaustive - but hopefully it gives you some ideas of what to consider. Once you have a few universities you're considering, I'd strongly recommend you go to an open day! It's the best way to check out the university and the city is it in to make sure you are comfortable with your choice. If you have any other questions about any of the above, or studying psychology in general, let me know!
Best wishes, and best of luck🤗
-Kiera
I'm applying for a psychology undergrad at uni but they all kind of look the same to me and I'm finding it hard to choose between them
My predicted grades will either be A*AA or A*AB, I'm not sure yet
If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!
Thanks
Hiya!
I totally get your struggle! As others have said, most courses are accredited by the BPS, which means there are modules that *must* be covered. That's why for first and second year, modules might look very similar! I would recommend looking at optional modules that universities offer, and if they would align with your interests. I've found that they are typically more niche and more interesting than the core modules!
It might often be helpful to look at the opportunities that the course offers. A degree is more than the stuff you learn in lectures, and networking, making connections is a massive part of it! That's why I chose Cardiff in particular. For example, if you were interested in studying abroad, you'd be looking for what university has the best links to other unis, or if you were interested in placement year, then its worth looking into how many industries/organisations that the course have links to. If you were interested in research, some universities (such as Cardiff) also offers paid summer internships. There's a lot to consider! When I applied to uni, they weren't often advertising these on pages so I found it helpful to chat to students and staff on open days or platforms such as Unibuddy
~ Fatiha, Cardiff University Student Rep
1.
Make sure any psychology degree you consider is BPS accredited. Without this accreditation, it can become really difficult to go into further study & careers in psychology. I'll insert a link that can explain this a little more: Accreditation - BPS.
2.
Have a look at the modules! Generally speaking, psychology degrees will almost always have elements of neuroanatomy, research methods, social psychology, and cognitive psychology. However, not every degree is the same. Some universities may have a heavier focus on neuropsychology, others may have more child development related modules. On this topic, also check if there's any optional modules. This lets you pick from a selection of topics to focus on, usually either during 2nd or 3rd year.
3.
Assessments. Every university will have a different variety of assessments - these could be open-book exams, typical closed-book exams, online exams, and those exams may be multiple choice, essay based, short/long answer questions, or a combination of all of the above. Coursework at one university may be solely essays and lab reports, whereas another university might use more presentations, creative artefacts, etc.
4.
The city the university is in. This may help you differentiate between universities a little. Don't neglect the importance of where the university this is - 3 years is a long time, and it'll feel even longer if you're stuck in a city you don't like!
5.
The university's support services, especially if you are someone with a disability. The support a university has to offer can very easily make or break your experience as a student.
This list isn't exhaustive - but hopefully it gives you some ideas of what to consider. Once you have a few universities you're considering, I'd strongly recommend you go to an open day! It's the best way to check out the university and the city is it in to make sure you are comfortable with your choice. If you have any other questions about any of the above, or studying psychology in general, let me know!
Best wishes, and best of luck🤗
-Kiera
thank you so much!
I totally get your struggle! As others have said, most courses are accredited by the BPS, which means there are modules that *must* be covered. That's why for first and second year, modules might look very similar! I would recommend looking at optional modules that universities offer, and if they would align with your interests. I've found that they are typically more niche and more interesting than the core modules!
It might often be helpful to look at the opportunities that the course offers. A degree is more than the stuff you learn in lectures, and networking, making connections is a massive part of it! That's why I chose Cardiff in particular. For example, if you were interested in studying abroad, you'd be looking for what university has the best links to other unis, or if you were interested in placement year, then its worth looking into how many industries/organisations that the course have links to. If you were interested in research, some universities (such as Cardiff) also offers paid summer internships. There's a lot to consider! When I applied to uni, they weren't often advertising these on pages so I found it helpful to chat to students and staff on open days or platforms such as Unibuddy
~ Fatiha, Cardiff University Student Rep
I came and looked at Cardiff yesterday and I was very impressed by the placement years as well as the city itself so it's definitely in the running
That's great to hear! Same here, when I went to the open day (although for me, it was online because of COVID lockdown!) the stuff they said about placement years is one of the reasons I put the uni down as one of my options
I actually just came back from placement year, now doing my final year, so if you had any questions about that in particular I'm happy to chat about my personal experience!
~ Fatiha, Cardiff University Student Rep
I'm applying for a psychology undergrad at uni but they all kind of look the same to me and I'm finding it hard to choose between them
My predicted grades will either be A*AA or A*AB, I'm not sure yet
If anyone has any suggestions please let me know!
Thanks
Hiya there Tazzy,
What an amazing set of predicted grades! you must have truly worked hard to get those, so kudos for that 🙂 Great to hear you're interested in psych and that you've already found a contender in Cardiff!
Just wanted to jump in here to throw Bath into the mix in case you're interested. I studied Psychology here and absolutely loved the variety of modules and the scientific focus. I found the lecturers very relatable, some of the country's leading experts in their area and very open to allowing you to help with their research. What also stood out to me was the opportunity to do a placement. We have one of the best placement schemes in the country, and there is a whole team of staff here who guide you through the whole process and support you throughout your placement. Its a great thing to add to your CV which can really make you shine in the job market as well as being a lot of fun. I was a research assistant in my placement year and got to lead my own projects!
I also love Bath as a city (except the big hill leading to the uni and the lack of parking in town!) - its filled with Georgian architecture, is the second safest in the country and there really is quite a lot packed into its small size.
The most important thing is to choose a course with modules that spark your interest. I'd recommend going through a few courses and finding a few you are interested in on paper, then visiting those unis' open days to see the campus, city and meet some of your potential teachers and current students.
I hope this helped, very best of luck in your decisions and feel free to reach out if you have any questions at all!
Holly
University of Bath
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