how to make a strong application for a psychology degree
TRANSCRIPT
How to Make a Strong Application for a
Psychology degree
What qualifications will I need ? Psychology is one of the most competitive and popular
university subjects so you will need to achieve AAA or AAB or equivalent in many cases
Good numeracy skills are important because statistics figure heavily on Psychology courses
Many courses require at least one science A Level (or evidence of the applicants' scientific ability at GCSE level if no science A Levels have been taken)
A recent survey by the British Psychological Society shows that 25% of accredited courses now require or prefer a science A Level.
You are not required to have AS or A level Psychology Check whether or not you need a fourth AS level
Check your predicted grades with your teachers. Make sure they are good enough to meet likely offers
Offers are made on the basis of predicted grades NOT on what you think you can get at the end of the course
Check the ‘Course Specific Requirements’ on the Entry Profile for each course on the UCAS website
It is strongly recommended to take a degree which is accredited by the British Psychological Society
Even if you have no plans at the moment to become a professional psychologist you will need to have done an accredited course if you do decide to do this and become a member of the BPS.
BUT!!!!
There are over 12,000 psychology graduates a year but relatively few opportunities to work as a professional psychologist in areas such as Educational, Forensic, Clinical or Occupational Psychology
In order to even compete for these jobs you will also need to get at least a Masters degree after your first degree and in the case of Clinical, a PhD, as a basic requirement
However psychology will equip you for a wide range of other careers including teaching, nursing and personnel management
You will also be able to go on to a range of careers not related to your degree
The British Psychological Society website
BPS Careers and Qualifications page
Accreditatation: check on BPS website
Apart from straight Psychology there are other course options
Check the content of each course carefully
Make sure the course is right for you
Beware!! Courses with same title in different universities can be very in terms of their content.
Look at what you will do in all three years of the course
Check on course options offered in each year
Do the course assessment methods suit you ?
Look at Entry Profiles on UCAS website
Use ‘course search’ on UCAS APPLY
Choose a course at a university
Look at ‘entry profile’ for History for that course
Psychology at Southampton
Link takes you to further information on the Southampton University website
Link tells you about personal qualities you will need
What skills will I need?
Good numerical skills and the ability to use statistics The ability to write clearly The ability to present arguments and research evidence
effectively The ability to grasp scientific ideas and concepts a well
as to have an insight into how humans think and behave The ability to draw conclusions from written material as
well a psycholgogical experiments
What will I cover on a typical course?
Research universities and courses at open days Book early Watch out for
subject specific open days
Don’t go to too many!
Use website to:
Search Access open days
calendar Book for many of
them Get advice Subscribe to
newsletter
opendays.com website
Open days calendar
Useful article at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/may/18/university-open-days
Find out about the history of the subject Look on Wikipedia for a short history of
Psychology
If you want to dig deeper try:Psychology a Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press
Understand that there are different kinds of Psychologists
Read!!
Think about the contemporary relevance of the subject
Develop your own ideas on the following:
Why is psychology worth studying?
What does it offers the individual?
To what extent does it help us understand how humans behave?
What benefits it has to offer society
Read Psychology Review
Listen to All in the Mind on Radio 4 and use the programme archive on
the website
Use the online archive of ‘The Psychologist’ magazine
Finding work experience Work experience is not always easy to organise because of
confidentiality issues but you may be able to:
Talk to and perhaps shadow an educational psychologist who works in your local authority
Talk to a psychologist who works in a prison Talk to and perhaps observe a psychologist working in a
children’s unit in a hospital Contact children’s charities who may employ psychologists eg
Barnardo’s or NSPCC You could also support special needs children in your own
school/college on a regular basis The BPS has a Directory of Chartered Psychologists on its
website which will give you contact details
What should I put in my Personal Statement?
Use the ‘Entry profiles’ for your courses on the UCAS website to give you pointers about skills you will need and what is being looked for by selectors.
Details about your reading, and reason for wanting to study Psychology should dominate rather information about extra-curricular activities, gap year plans, etc.
80% on Psychology 20% on general interests
Concentrate on interests and experiences that are relevant to the course you are applying for
Do not list every book. Explain what you especially admire, or find interesting, about particular history books you have read. Emphasise recent reading
Be able to say what you have read since you wrote your Personal statement!
Remember, not all universities will interview you so the PS is all they may see BUT keep a copy in case you are interviewed
Don’t claim knowledge you don’t have or mention books you have not read, you will get caught out at interview
What to avoid in your Personal Statement? Being pretentious and trying to hard to impress. Write
clearly and concisely.
Being boastful
Poor written English
Following a formula
Plagiarism. You will get caught out
Writing in note form rather than continuous prose.
The interview
Not all universities interview for Psychology so make your application a good one
You need to be able to listen to what is said, but also weigh up different arguments and interpretations of texts you have studied or read for yourself
Above all you need to show that you can think for yourself.
Remind yourself of the things you wrote about in your Personal Statement . They will probably ask you about this
General questions Tell me about yourself? How would you describe yourself? Tell us about your current courses? What are you best at? What are your main interests? Do you have any weaknesses
These are self awareness questions, so prepare by thinking about: 1) Your key personality characteristics 2) Your general and study interests 3) Try and be relevant and talk about those personality qualities and
interests that match the course.
Questions about your motivation for the course and the university
Why do you want to study for a degree?
Why did you choose this course?
What do you think university can offer you?
What else, apart from study, interests you about this university?
Why do you want to study at this university?
Why do you want to study in this town/city?
Subject related questions Why do you want to study this subject?
What do you know about the course?
What attracts you to this course?
Are there particular aspects of the course that attract you ? Why?
What have you read recently that is relevant to your interest in this course?
What experiences /work experience/ visits/ independent study have you done which is relevant to this course?
You may want to study the subject because:
1) You want to study it further and in more depth2) It is a strong interest and/or your best subject3) You will need it for your future career plans4) That a particular university has a type of course that is
suited to you5) Or some other reasons of your own.6) Use supporting evidence and examples where possible.
Topical questions
Interviewers may ask your opinion on something topical, that is something in the news or related to your subject.
Prepare for the interview by looking in the media to see what is current
You can reading the national serious newspapers online or in hard copy and pick out current stories that seem linked to your subject.
Collect them in a folder and think about how you could respond to a question on these topics.
Watch TV documentaries related to the subject
Hypothetical situation or problem solving questions
Be prepared to have to think on your feet and do not over rehearse prepared answers
Give me an example of a time when... you dealt with a problem, or overcame some obstacles, or worked in a team to achieve an outcome etc
If you were asked to....do something creative about ......what would you do?
What skills will a Psychology degree give me?
Prospects.ac.uk website Click ‘Careers advice’ link
Click ‘Options with your subject’ link
Two page ‘Options with Your Subject’ sheets Skills the degree will give
you
Job options related to your degree
Jobs for which your degree would be useful
Links to each of the jobs for further details
Career Areas chosen by those with your degree
Where are the jobs?
What next: other possibilities after your degree
Examples of jobs directly related to a Psychology degree Teacher or lecturer
in Psychology in a school or FE
Higher education lecturer
Clinical psychologist Educational
psychologist Forensic
psychologist
Health psychologist Occupational
psychologist Special educational
needs teacher
Examples of jobs for which a Psychology degree would be useful
Careers advisor/personal adviser
Counsellor Human resources
(personnel) officer Psychotherapist
Retail manger Probation officer
What do graduates do with a Psychology degree?
The HESA Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey