COURSES LINKED TO PSYCHOLOGY

If you are interested in Psychology, but not sure about doing a straightforward Psychology degree, there are several other options you could consider:

Sports Psychology
This course is similar to a straightforward Psychology degree. Often in the first year you will do the same core module; however, during the second year you will begin to specialise in the Psychology of sport and exercise. For example you will look at the effects anxiety or self-confidence have upon performance in sport; what motivates people to engage in physical activity as well as some of the mental health benefits of sport and exercise. In the third year you can often choose more sport-related modules and choose to do your dissertation in this area.

Counselling Psychology
If you want to be a counselling psychologist or follow a related career, this degree focuses on more relevant modules. On this course you do many of the modules on a straightforward psychology course, but do specific counselling modules such as the basic principles of counselling and practical modules where you will get to develop your counselling skills. Graduates on this degree will be equipped to pursue careers as professional psychologists, counsellors or psychotherapists after appropriate postgraduate training.

Criminology
Criminology is the study of crime and criminal behaviour and looks at the reasons why people commit crime, how to prevent crime etc. This degree draws on Law modules, Sociology modules and Psychology modules. Possible career options include the Police Service (officers and analysts), the Prison, Probation and Youth Offending Services, community and voluntary organisations (such as drugs projects and youth work), government agencies (whether at the Home Office or at local government level), academic research and journalism.

Applied Psychology
Applied Psychology is becoming more popular. This involves doing a four year course rather than three years. In one of the years, usually between second and third year, you spend a year on a professional placement approved by the University. This sort of course is good for people who want to be a qualified psychologist as it will give extra work experience that other students may not have.

Social Sciences
In the first year, and often the second year, you will have to do compulsory modules in the major social sciences: Psychology, Sociology, Economics and Politics. You will then be able to choose modules in these subjects, sometimes in second and third year. You will then do a dissertation that will tend to focus on one of the social sciences. It is often possible to specialise in one particular area after the first year.