In our previous article, we discussed alternative career options outside of the field of Psychology that you may not have considered. But what about choosing the right Psychology degree in the first place? Let’s take a look at the widely available Bachelor’s programmes and what they can offer you.
BA and BSc courses – how are they different?
First, you need to consider whether you want to go for a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science. You will find that a lot of the courses offered in the US are BA courses in Psychology. This is due to the fact that the teaching approach covers breadth of Psychology rather than depth; it explores the history of Psychology and earlier theories, social work, therapy and the liberal arts. On the other hand, most courses offered in the UK are BSc courses, with more in-depth focus on scientific studies, such as Neuroscience, Clinical Psychology and Statistical Analysis in Research.
Once you have narrowed down to a BSc or a BA degree, think about your possible careers in the future. Would you like to keep yourself open to more professions after graduation or would you like to stay within the Psychology field? You may have even decided to specialise in Psychology in Business or in Education, which means you can search for the relevant course based on your preferences.
And the most popular careers are…
Now let’s look at the most competitive and demanding degrees and careers. Clinical Psychology is the most pursued path of becoming a registered and practising Psychologist. It is highly competitive and requires further education (approximately seven years of study and research in total). Other competitive fields that also require further education are Sports, Health, Education, Forensic, Consumer and Occupational Psychology. They would still provide a wide area of focus, however it would be in one specific field. For instance, you can find a lot of areas within Education where you can do research or specialise your career in.
Perhaps, you are still not sure about your future direction in life, but find Psychology interesting and would like to consider it for the diversity of future career paths. In that case, it’s worth going for general Psychology and you can figure out which areas you enjoy the most during your studies.
And finally, your choice for a specific degree should align with your professional goals and personal interests. When making an application to a university, make sure that you look at the course modules in advance as this will help you determine which degree suits you best.
If you would like any assistance with your Psychology Personal statement, university or career guidance please feel free to contact our consultants who are on hand to help and guide every step of the way!
