Picking a university for Psychology
Hello! I am currently in Y13 and have 3/5 offers at the moment, but have no idea what to firm or insurance for psychology, especially as I've been hearing conflicting information.
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
Reply 1
Original post
by heyheythere104Hello! I am currently in Y13 and have 3/5 offers at the moment, but have no idea what to firm or insurance for psychology, especially as I've been hearing conflicting information.
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
Hi @heyheythere104
Whilst I do not have any specific experience with those universities, some things you might want to consider are:
•
Is the course accredited by the British Psychological Society?
•
What research facilities does the university have? Are they doing any research that particularly interests you?
•
What optional modules are available? Do they have the modules relevant to your future plans?
•
What type of assignments would you have to do? Is it exams, assignments or a mixture of both?
•
Do they have placement opportunities?
It is also important to consider the university as a whole and whether you think you would be happy there. If you are able to, then it is always helpful to go to open days as that is a great way to learn more about the university, accommodation and course.
Ultimately, you need to decide which university you think you would be happiest at and which one you think would support you to achieve your future career plans.
Hope that helps!
Sophie.
BCU Student Rep.
Original post
by heyheythere104Hello! I am currently in Y13 and have 3/5 offers at the moment, but have no idea what to firm or insurance for psychology, especially as I've been hearing conflicting information.
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
It's essential that the course is BPS accredited. I believe all of your options are but do double-check.
Check what modules they've got, while they'll largely cover the same ground, the optional modules might be different and so you might find some universities cater more towards what you're looking for. I'd also prioritise courses that offer years in industry, as getting work experience is one of the biggest things you can do to give yourself a head start in a psychological career. Not that you need a year in industry to get experience, you can get it alongside your degree too, but at any rate it helps and makes it easier. If you can, do make sure to go to offer holder days, you'll learn a lot from them.
Reply 3
20
Firstly, you cannot make a choice until you have ALL you Uni decisions. Even if you did now have all those decisions, you have until MAY to make this decision and there is no advantage in making a decision any earlier - also by May you will have a much more realistic idea of your likely A level grades.
You will probably be invited to offer holder visit days in the spring term - go, and have a more critical look around, listen to the detailed course presentation and talk to current students. Think about the reality of being there, and doing that specific course every day.
You will probably be invited to offer holder visit days in the spring term - go, and have a more critical look around, listen to the detailed course presentation and talk to current students. Think about the reality of being there, and doing that specific course every day.
Reply 4
Original post
by Scotland YardIt's essential that the course is BPS accredited. I believe all of your options are but do double-check.
Check what modules they've got, while they'll largely cover the same ground, the optional modules might be different and so you might find some universities cater more towards what you're looking for. I'd also prioritise courses that offer years in industry, as getting work experience is one of the biggest things you can do to give yourself a head start in a psychological career. Not that you need a year in industry to get experience, you can get it alongside your degree too, but at any rate it helps and makes it easier. If you can, do make sure to go to offer holder days, you'll learn a lot from them.
Check what modules they've got, while they'll largely cover the same ground, the optional modules might be different and so you might find some universities cater more towards what you're looking for. I'd also prioritise courses that offer years in industry, as getting work experience is one of the biggest things you can do to give yourself a head start in a psychological career. Not that you need a year in industry to get experience, you can get it alongside your degree too, but at any rate it helps and makes it easier. If you can, do make sure to go to offer holder days, you'll learn a lot from them.
Thank you for replying! With the year in industry and work experience, I've actually heard a lot of positive things about Sussex.
Considering how important but difficult it'll be to get work experience in psychology to be considered for the DClinPsy, is that something I should prioritise over the modules, ranking, etc?
Reply 5
Original post
by McGingerFirstly, you cannot make a choice until you have ALL you Uni decisions. Even if you did now have all those decisions, you have until MAY to make this decision and there is no advantage in making a decision any earlier - also by May you will have a much more realistic idea of your likely A level grades.
You will probably be invited to offer holder visit days in the spring term - go, and have a more critical look around, listen to the detailed course presentation and talk to current students. Think about the reality of being there, and doing that specific course every day.
You will probably be invited to offer holder visit days in the spring term - go, and have a more critical look around, listen to the detailed course presentation and talk to current students. Think about the reality of being there, and doing that specific course every day.
Thank you! I hadn't actually known that we had to choose in May - with all of the pressure from my school I thought it was something we needed to confirm soon. I'll definitely go to those offer holder days, do you think there's any specific questions I should be asking the university regarding clinical psychology?
Reply 6
Original post
by heyheythere104Hello! I am currently in Y13 and have 3/5 offers at the moment, but have no idea what to firm or insurance for psychology, especially as I've been hearing conflicting information.
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
Having three offers on the table is a fantastic position to be in. Since your heart is set on Clinical Psychology, your priority should be a British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited degree that offers strong research and placement opportunities.
Southampton is a powerhouse in this field. It is a Russell Group university with a world-class reputation for mental health research and even hosts its own Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy). Their BBB offer is an absolute bargain for the quality of the program and the networking opportunities with NHS clinicians you would get there.
With your A*AB predictions, Southampton is a very strong candidate for your firm choice.
Anusha
BSc Marketing Student
University of Southampton
Original post
by heyheythere104Thank you for replying! With the year in industry and work experience, I've actually heard a lot of positive things about Sussex.
Considering how important but difficult it'll be to get work experience in psychology to be considered for the DClinPsy, is that something I should prioritise over the modules, ranking, etc?
Considering how important but difficult it'll be to get work experience in psychology to be considered for the DClinPsy, is that something I should prioritise over the modules, ranking, etc?
I wouldn't prioritise rankings over anything. To what level you prioritise modules to year in industry is a judgement call. Hopefully you can strike a good balance though. As McGinger said, you're in no rush to decide right now where to go so do take your time to consider your options very well, and do try to go on offer holder days if you can.
Reply 8
Original post
by heyheythere104Hello! I am currently in Y13 and have 3/5 offers at the moment, but have no idea what to firm or insurance for psychology, especially as I've been hearing conflicting information.
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
Hi @heyheythere104👋
Hope you are well. Thank you for considering us! I am a psychology student myself and I can assure you that we have a great psychology department with amazing facilities and supportive staff. Grade wise, do not worry too much as we tend to look at more than just grades when making offers even after you get your results so if you do not get your desired grades, we can still try and offer you that course with a foundation year or alternative courses if we can. Aim to achieve your highest grades but know that at Essex, we can still try and consider you even if you do not meet your offer!
We also offer a clinical psychology doctorate which may interest you and both our undergraduate psychology degree and clinical psychology doctorate are BPS accredited as well. In your undergraduate degree, you will also look at clinical psychology and it is very interesting!
Have a look at our department and ask me any questions if you still need help - https://www.essex.ac.uk/departments/psychology
Essex Student Rep- Lavanya 💜
Reply 9
Original post
by heyheythere104Hello! I am currently in Y13 and have 3/5 offers at the moment, but have no idea what to firm or insurance for psychology, especially as I've been hearing conflicting information.
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
Hi,
I hope you are well!😊
It's great to hear that you have applied to study Psychology with Clinical Perspectives here at Kent! Also- congratulations on your predicted grades! 👏 Have you received anymore offers yet?🎓️
I love Psychology, so much that I have studied it for the last 8 or so years!🤣 My undergraduate degree was in Social Science because I also loved Sociology and Social Policy, but I have studied quite a few Psychology modules during my time at university. Clinical Psychology is also a career I considered! However, my love for research methods has drawn me to a masters here at Kent😊
As others have said, finding a university where you feel at home and comfortable which has a course which ticks all of your boxes is the most important thing when going to university! Universities will be holding offer holder days in the near future, so be sure to check any communications from us about these! Take advantage of them as they allow students to get a feel for what a university is like, take a look a their facilities, ask questions about careers and progression, and see what it will be like to study there! You can also attend open days, our next one is in April, and take advantage of our campus tours to explore the campus! - You might even spot a few rabbits!🐇
In the meantime, I am happy to get in touch with the Psychology team for you to see if I can get a current students perspective on the course, so I can give you a little bit more insight into studying here at Kent😊 Let me know if this is something you would be interested in! In addition, let me know if there are any questions you have about the course and I can pass them onto the team😊 You can also use our Psychology with Clinical Perspectives homepage to explore our modules, British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation, view an example timetable, and see how you'll study.
I will also share a few of my favourite things about studying at Kent here too, which I previously shared in a post about studying Psychology here at Kent:
•
The campus is really green, and there are some nice walks around campus where you can spot lots of wildlife🐇🌿
•
Everything you need is all in one place. The library is at the centre of the campus and has a lovely cafe and lots of different seating for students to use when studying📚️
•
There are so many societies for students to join, and we have a cinema on campus too, as well as a gym and a nightclub. So there are plenty of opportunities for students to meet new friends!
•
We are also a short walk or bus ride away from Canterbury City centre, where there are lots of places to shop and eat, as well as some great places to meet with friends😊 I particularly like the shops!🛍️
•
I have used both the Careers Service and Student Support and Wellbeing, and have found both teams to be extremely helpful, so approachable, and on hand to support students throughout their studies!
•
Lastly, we have the Student Ambassador Scheme and part-time work which Kent Union offers which is great for students to earn some extra cash around their studies, and add some experience and skills to their CV's! I have gained so many skills from the opportunities I have worked, and would encourage anyone coming to Kent in 2026 to apply!
Best wishes,
Josie
Uni of Kent Student Rep🎓️
Reply 10
Original post
by University of KentHi,
I hope you are well!😊
It's great to hear that you have applied to study Psychology with Clinical Perspectives here at Kent! Also- congratulations on your predicted grades! 👏 Have you received anymore offers yet?🎓️
I love Psychology, so much that I have studied it for the last 8 or so years!🤣 My undergraduate degree was in Social Science because I also loved Sociology and Social Policy, but I have studied quite a few Psychology modules during my time at university. Clinical Psychology is also a career I considered! However, my love for research methods has drawn me to a masters here at Kent😊
As others have said, finding a university where you feel at home and comfortable which has a course which ticks all of your boxes is the most important thing when going to university! Universities will be holding offer holder days in the near future, so be sure to check any communications from us about these! Take advantage of them as they allow students to get a feel for what a university is like, take a look a their facilities, ask questions about careers and progression, and see what it will be like to study there! You can also attend open days, our next one is in April, and take advantage of our campus tours to explore the campus! - You might even spot a few rabbits!🐇
In the meantime, I am happy to get in touch with the Psychology team for you to see if I can get a current students perspective on the course, so I can give you a little bit more insight into studying here at Kent😊 Let me know if this is something you would be interested in! In addition, let me know if there are any questions you have about the course and I can pass them onto the team😊 You can also use our Psychology with Clinical Perspectives homepage to explore our modules, British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation, view an example timetable, and see how you'll study.
I will also share a few of my favourite things about studying at Kent here too, which I previously shared in a post about studying Psychology here at Kent:
I hope this helps to give you an insight into what it's like to study at Kent!😊 You have plenty of time to explore your options and universities further over the next few months, so make sure to ask lots of questions and take up offer holder day opportunities, as this will help you to narrow your choices down closer to the time🙂
Best wishes,
Josie
Uni of Kent Student Rep🎓️
I hope you are well!😊
It's great to hear that you have applied to study Psychology with Clinical Perspectives here at Kent! Also- congratulations on your predicted grades! 👏 Have you received anymore offers yet?🎓️
I love Psychology, so much that I have studied it for the last 8 or so years!🤣 My undergraduate degree was in Social Science because I also loved Sociology and Social Policy, but I have studied quite a few Psychology modules during my time at university. Clinical Psychology is also a career I considered! However, my love for research methods has drawn me to a masters here at Kent😊
As others have said, finding a university where you feel at home and comfortable which has a course which ticks all of your boxes is the most important thing when going to university! Universities will be holding offer holder days in the near future, so be sure to check any communications from us about these! Take advantage of them as they allow students to get a feel for what a university is like, take a look a their facilities, ask questions about careers and progression, and see what it will be like to study there! You can also attend open days, our next one is in April, and take advantage of our campus tours to explore the campus! - You might even spot a few rabbits!🐇
In the meantime, I am happy to get in touch with the Psychology team for you to see if I can get a current students perspective on the course, so I can give you a little bit more insight into studying here at Kent😊 Let me know if this is something you would be interested in! In addition, let me know if there are any questions you have about the course and I can pass them onto the team😊 You can also use our Psychology with Clinical Perspectives homepage to explore our modules, British Psychological Society (BPS) accreditation, view an example timetable, and see how you'll study.
I will also share a few of my favourite things about studying at Kent here too, which I previously shared in a post about studying Psychology here at Kent:
•
The campus is really green, and there are some nice walks around campus where you can spot lots of wildlife🐇🌿
•
Everything you need is all in one place. The library is at the centre of the campus and has a lovely cafe and lots of different seating for students to use when studying📚️
•
There are so many societies for students to join, and we have a cinema on campus too, as well as a gym and a nightclub. So there are plenty of opportunities for students to meet new friends!
•
We are also a short walk or bus ride away from Canterbury City centre, where there are lots of places to shop and eat, as well as some great places to meet with friends😊 I particularly like the shops!🛍️
•
I have used both the Careers Service and Student Support and Wellbeing, and have found both teams to be extremely helpful, so approachable, and on hand to support students throughout their studies!
•
Lastly, we have the Student Ambassador Scheme and part-time work which Kent Union offers which is great for students to earn some extra cash around their studies, and add some experience and skills to their CV's! I have gained so many skills from the opportunities I have worked, and would encourage anyone coming to Kent in 2026 to apply!
Best wishes,
Josie
Uni of Kent Student Rep🎓️
Hi, thank you for responding! I agree with the campus and Canterbury being really nice, I was lucky enough to see some rabbits too!
I do actually have some questions for the psychology students:
What's the psychology society like? Are there societies for more specific sections of psychology?
How is finding work placements - are there many opportunities in the area and how do you balance it with your studies?
How many people begin the psychology course wanting to do clinical psychology vs towards the end?
Reply 11
Original post
by heyheythere104Hi, thank you for responding! I agree with the campus and Canterbury being really nice, I was lucky enough to see some rabbits too!
I do actually have some questions for the psychology students:
What's the psychology society like? Are there societies for more specific sections of psychology?
How is finding work placements - are there many opportunities in the area and how do you balance it with your studies?
How many people begin the psychology course wanting to do clinical psychology vs towards the end?
I do actually have some questions for the psychology students:
What's the psychology society like? Are there societies for more specific sections of psychology?
How is finding work placements - are there many opportunities in the area and how do you balance it with your studies?
How many people begin the psychology course wanting to do clinical psychology vs towards the end?
Hi,
No worries!😊
Aww exciting! I love the rabbits🐇
These are amazing questions! I will definitely put them to our students and academic team and will be back in touch soon!😊
Just to make sure I put them to the right students, have you applied to the Psychology course on it's own, or the Psychology with Clinical Perspectives course, or both?
Best wishes,
Josie
Uni of Kent Student Rep🎓️
(edited 1 month ago)
Reply 12
Original post
by University of KentHi,
No worries!😊
Aww exciting! I love the rabbits🐇
These are amazing questions! I will definitely put them to our students and academic team and will be back in touch soon!😊
Just to make sure I put them to the right students, have you applied to the Psychology course on it's own, or the Psychology with Clinical Perspectives course, or both?
Best wishes,
Josie
Uni of Kent Student Rep🎓️
No worries!😊
Aww exciting! I love the rabbits🐇
These are amazing questions! I will definitely put them to our students and academic team and will be back in touch soon!😊
Just to make sure I put them to the right students, have you applied to the Psychology course on it's own, or the Psychology with Clinical Perspectives course, or both?
Best wishes,
Josie
Uni of Kent Student Rep🎓️
Only the psychology with clinical perspectives course! Thank you!
Reply 13
Original post
by heyheythere104Only the psychology with clinical perspectives course! Thank you!
Hi,
I hope you are well! 😊
I have been in touch with one of our current students and the Psychology Society for you, and have some answers to your questions!😊
How is finding work placements - are there many opportunities in the area and how do you balance it with your studies?
•
"Finding a placement can be competitive due to the number of students applying for the placements each year. However, the University of Kent offers a good range of opportunities, including on campus research assistant roles and has links with the NHS and charities placement roles in the Kent area. In second year, students are responsible for finding their own placements, but the university provides strong support with CVs, cover letters, and external placements.
•
Balancing finding placements with studies is manageable if you start early, stay organised and attentive with university information, and set aside regular time each week for placement searching."
How many people begin the psychology course wanting to do clinical psychology vs towards the end?
•
"Clinical psychology is one of the most popular courses within the School of Psychology, and many students begin the degree with the intention of pursuing the clinical route. In the first and second year, a lot of students chose the clinical module as their optional. By the third year, clinical modules are only allowed for students who choose clinical psychology as their degree, narrowing the numbers. However, overall interest in clinical psychology remain consistently high throughout the degree."
What's the psychology society like? Are there societies for more specific sections of psychology?
•
"Hi, this is the Psychology Society here! The Psychology Society is a good society to meet other wonderful psychology students and we do events such as quizzes, murder mystery nights, and socials with other societies too! We welcome all!"😊
•
"At the moment, there are not societies for specific sections of psychology, but we are allowed to form societies of our own. If you wanted to create a society for a specific area of psychology, go for it!"
I hope this helps to answer your questions! As always, please reach out if you have any other questions! And watch out for offer holder day emails as they are a great opportunity to meet other students, and see what Psychology at Kent is all about!😊
Best wishes,
Josie
Uni of Kent Student Rep🎓️
Reply 14
Original post
by heyheythere104Hello! I am currently in Y13 and have 3/5 offers at the moment, but have no idea what to firm or insurance for psychology, especially as I've been hearing conflicting information.
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
I plan to go into clinical psychology in the future and so want a university that will give me the best head start - for example, I've applied to Kent and Sussex's clinical psychology courses.
My predicted grades = A*AB
Where I applied = Southampton, Sussex, Kent, Warwick and Essex
Universities which have given offers so far:
Southampton = Wants BBB
Sussex = Wants BCC
Kent = Wants AAB
Thank you!
Omds Southampton giving BBB is amazing, was that contextual?
Reply 15
Original post
by transparent-doorOmds Southampton giving BBB is amazing, was that contextual?
I'm actually not a contextual student, so I was super surprised by all of my universities (except Kent sadly) giving lower offers! Does Southampton not usually give them out??
Quick Reply
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