Psychology Work Experience

_Shannon.k.s_

Hi!

I'm a Psych BSc student currently going into my 4th and final year and just want some advice on experience etc.

Future wise, I plan on going into Forensic Psych (maybe forensic data science) but also just wanna keep my options open a bit just in case.

So I don't really have any direct experience within psych in general as it's just hard to find anything really. I did a year abroad at a really prestigious university and i've done a microplacement on the intersection between AI and well-being/mental health. I've had a couple jobs that could help with certain skills slightly such as tutoring and transcription admin work.

I'm basically just not sure where to go from here as I really want to focus on my last year and get a first but I also know I will need experience for my masters.

I'm also not sure whether I should stay at the same uni or go to a different one for my masters just based on what looks better to prospective hiring teams. I'd be more comfortable ofc staying where I am but I also know it's good to branch out and have "wider experience" at a new university.

So basically, how much experience is really needed and what experience would actually be good for psychology, but more specifically forensic psych. Loads of people have told me prison/rehabilitation settings or NHS (which I will still try to apply for) but this is 1) hard to find and 2) extremely competitive so is there anything else I can apply for that could just make my application stand out a bit more?

(edited 2 months ago)

Reply 1

Scotland Yard

Universities Forum Helper

Original post

by _Shannon.k.s_

Hi!
I'm a Psych BSc student currently going into my 4th and final year and just want some advice on experience etc.
Future wise, I plan on going into Forensic Psych (maybe forensic data science) but also just wanna keep my options open a bit just in case.
So I don't really have any direct experience within psych in general as it's just hard to find anything really. I did a year abroad at a really prestigious university and i've done a microplacement on the intersection between AI and well-being/mental health. I've had a couple jobs that could help with certain skills slightly such as tutoring and transcription admin work.
I'm basically just not sure where to go from here as I really want to focus on my last year and get a first but I also know I will need experience for my masters.
I'm also not sure whether I should stay at the same uni or go to a different one for my masters just based on what looks better to prospective hiring teams. I'd be more comfortable ofc staying where I am but I also know it's good to branch out and have "wider experience" at a new university.
So basically, how much experience is really needed and what experience would actually be good for psychology, but more specifically forensic psych. Loads of people have told me prison/rehabilitation settings or NHS (which I will still try to apply for) but this is 1) hard to find and 2) extremely competitive so is there anything else I can apply for that could just make my application stand out a bit more?

Few people have direct experience with psychology, but it's important to have work experience anyway, like volunteering for a mental health charity or in a medical setting, or anything that you can relate to psychology. Psychology is big on transferable skills.

I recently had a chat with a psychologist at my university, and she told me that beyond getting work experience and reaching out to people to see what you can do, there really aren't straight or set paths to get onto a career in any branch of psychology, and many people get onto the psychological career ladder in a roundabout way. So keep that in mind, and try to get as much work experience interacting with people as you can because that will really set you apart.

About your university and masters: that's up to you. If you like your university, maybe it'd be good to stay - you'll probably have some sort of alumni discount on your masters' fees, which is an important economic consideration. But going elsewhere is a change of scenery, a chance to meet new people and network more and perhaps stumble upon more opportunities.