BSc & MSc Psychology

Is a Psych degree useless? I am an IAL student currently doing Maths,Chem & Physics. I really want to study Psychology. Thoughts?

(edited 2 months ago)

Reply 1

YSJ_Alex

Official Rep

Original post

by altkeepsstudying

Is a Psych degree useless? I am an IAL student currently doing Maths,Chem & Physics. I really want to study Psychology. Thoughts?

Hi altkeepsstudying!

Psychology has a reputation for being "useless" because it's most suited for those who want to become psychologists (obviously!), which requires further training and experience than a BSc degree. However, because of the broad nature of the subject, it can be applied to almost anything. Some people don't like the idea of their degree covering a "broad" range of things and want to specialise - you are specialised in psychology, but psychology has so many different elements that can apply to so many different jobs, it's one of the broadest specialisations you can have (if that makes sense!)

In my psychology degree so far I've covered statistics and data analysis, psychobiology, social psychology, child development, clinical psychology (the study of mental illnesses and mental wellbeing), cognitive psychology, personality, and so on! Each of these topics have a job that corresponds to them besides being a psychologist, such as data analyst, social worker, teacher, counsellor, recruiter, marketing etc. alongside the many psychology-based jobs such as clinical psychologist, educational psychologist etc. We've been made aware of these at YSJ via guest lecturers and career sessions, which have all made me more confident that psychology was the right choice for me (alongside my burning interest in the subject, of course!)

There are so many jobs where a psychology degree would apply and put you above other candidates - and so many grad schemes where psychology students are sought out because of this flexibility.

So psychology can get a reputation for being "useless", but in my opinion that's because people underestimate the flexibility of the subject - so it's not obvious what you're going to do afterwards, like it might be with Nursing or OT. Just keeping my options open!

If you have any questions about a psych degree I'd be happy to answer them - I'm just going into my third year now and starting my dissertation (eek!). But most important thing to remember is to be interested in the subject you choose - it impacts your motivation and your grades more than you'd realise!

Best wishes,
Alex
Student Ambassador

Reply 2

UoNstudents

Official Rep

Original post

by altkeepsstudying

Is a Psych degree useless? I am an IAL student currently doing Maths,Chem & Physics. I really want to study Psychology. Thoughts?

Hi @altkeepsstudying !

I’m studying psychology right now, so I totally get where you’re coming from. Short answer: no, a psychology degree definitely isn’t useless, but what you do with it really matters.
Psychology teaches a lot of transferable skills, like research, critical thinking, data analysis, understanding human behaviour, which are valuable in loads of fields like education, health, business, HR, teaching, marketing, research, and more. It’s not one of those degrees where you walk straight into a single clear job, but it opens lots of doors if you know how to use it.

If you’re doing maths, chem, and physics, that’s a great foundation. Psychology at uni involves stats, experimental design, and scientific writing, so your science background will really help.

Just make sure the course you choose is BPS accredited (important if you want to become a professional psychologist later on — e.g. clinical, forensic, counselling, or educational).

I’d say if you genuinely enjoy understanding people and behaviour, and you’re ready for the science side (there’s more of it than people expect!), go for it. It’s a rewarding subject — and not “useless” at all when you engage with it properly.

I do the BSc course at University of Nottingham and love it, so I am continuing my studies here with a MSc in Occupational Psychology in 2026! During my time here I gained experience through various part-time roles, societies, volunteering and assisting in both qual and quant research. It is so much fun! 😎

Let me know if you have any more questions I'd be happy to help!!

Aimee, UoN Official Rep #UoN