What you’ll learn
Are you fascinated by the human mind? Do you want to understand how and why people act the way they do? On a psychology course you could find yourself investigating anything from why your mates overshare on social media, to how seemingly calm people turn violent. You’ll look at the way the brain perceives and uses information, and how these processes change as you become older.
Your first year should provide a grounding in general psychology, introducing you to the wonderful world of psychological statistics. From there you may look at child development, cognitive psychology, personality, memory, emotion and motivation, or modules that examine the social psychology of individuals and groups.
Some applied psychology programmes enable you to spend a year working with a chartered psychologist in healthcare or education – vital insight into the profession if you’re considering a career as a practitioner.
The subject can be studied as a joint degree, often with a biological or medical subject, or with a language or politics, journalism or social work.
How you’ll learn
You’ll be taught through lectures and seminars and will be expected to develop research skills and undertake a lot of self-study. You will learn to interpret reams of data and communicate the results. You’ll have plenty of coursework, but most of your assessment will likely be through written exams.
Some institutions require you to complete a work placement, which offers insight into the profession plus handy contacts.
Entry requirements
These vary, but some courses expect either biology, chemistry, maths or physics at A-level (or equivalent). Other useful subjects are psychology, sociology, computing or computer science. You may need maths at GCSE grade 6/B (or equivalent).
What job can I get?
Some graduates become practising psychologists, which involves further training. You could train to become a clinical, educational, forensic, health or occupational psychologist. Practising psychologists must register with the Health & Care Professionals Council.
There are many options as you’ll have a good range of skills including team work, reasoning skills and sensitivity. Psychology graduates can also be found in human resources departments, teaching, social work, law, the media, IT and healthcare.