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Psychology degree - Statistics

17 replies

verytidylineofcars · 30/06/2018 15:26

Thinking of doing a psychology bsc - have a 2.1 in history but a levels were all humanities (all A grade but essay subjects)

No statistics or maths involved. Anyone got any comments on how difficult it might be - is it likely to be too difficult for me to grasp?

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Godspeedjenna · 30/06/2018 16:08

My dd did psychology. The first year has module with elements of statistics and laboratory/experiment. There is also biological module in year 2 ( compulsory). There is a fair bit of data analysis also. They use software in year 2 and 3 for stats part but still need to understand it.
I guess you have to be comfortable with the sciency parts. Depending on which uni It's very much taught as a science. There's still a lot of essays too.
Dd course required at least 1 science
A level preferably 2. Hope this helps.

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Scabetty · 30/06/2018 22:54

A good level of maths is required : gcse 5 min.

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mostdays · 30/06/2018 22:59

I got a B in GCSE Maths in the 90s (of the dare os relevant) and coped fine with the stats elements of a Psychology degree. Nor sure what that's equivalent to in the new system but the point is I am no Maths genius and didn't find it out of my capabilities.

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UAEMum · 30/06/2018 23:02

I have taught psychology at uni for many years. I got C at GCSE maths and have a PhD in Psychology! The stats component of a degree is substantial but it doesn't even feel like maths and you will be taught how to use the computer software. It is all done with this. So, don't worry.

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Scabetty · 30/06/2018 23:02

B is a 6 in new system.

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Scabetty · 30/06/2018 23:03

So basically a c equivilent in maths is preferred.

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FlapJackered · 30/06/2018 23:10

I did Psychology, you can choose to be BPS (British psychological society) accredited or not. Without will limit what you can do but you can get away with doing very little statistics, with it you will be doing a lot of statistics in the second and third year.
You will be taught how to do it, though some natural skill with numbers is helpful. I did GCSE maths and that's it, I got a 2.1.

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verytidylineofcars · 01/07/2018 06:44

This is reassuring! I got a B st GCSE Maths so looks like I shouldn't be discounting it on the basis of having to do the stats

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strawberrypenguin · 01/07/2018 06:48

In my experience the statistics were hard. I'm not naturally mathematical but have a maths GCSE and I struggled with the stats.

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DamnCommandments · 01/07/2018 06:54

Andy Field will be your best friend. He's a psychology professor who wrote the most accessible book (plus website and YouTube channel) ever on stats, using the SPSS program. I used it for a social stats MSc - it saved my bacon. I have no numerate or science A-levels, but stats isn't really maths. It's an analytical mind-set and process. There's maths behind it - probability theory etc - but you don't have to be able to reproduce it to use it. And people who can reproduce it may not have the first clue how to use it on actual data.

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Fifthtimelucky · 01/07/2018 08:54

My daughter is hoping to do a psychology degree in the autumn. She has a B in GCSE maths and I think for a number of universities that was the minimum requirement, or at least the preference. Of the ones we looked at, only one (Bath) wanted an A.

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Peaseblossom22 · 01/07/2018 15:16

Does anyone have any views on studying psychology or psychology with say philosophy without either biology or psychology at A Level but with a good grade in maths A level.

Most universities say that a science and/or maths is needed but in reality do they prefer science A Levels .

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wizzywig · 01/07/2018 15:19

I just got my friends to help me with the stats part

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crazyhead · 02/07/2018 21:03

I am doing a Psychology MSc. My a-levels and first degree were in arts and literature and as far as I know I did the best in my year in the stats/quant research methods exam - I really stormed it and was delighted! I would say that I was fond of Maths at school, but I have no training in it. I just followed the syllabus properly. It's as much about understanding the research design principles as the mathematical principles.

Psychology is a genuinely cross-disciplinary subject. Subjects such as critical psychology, qual research methods are immensely helped by an arts and humanities background, psycho-biology is helped by science, quant research by maths, but to be honest, if you are reasonably academic and willing to work hard I don't think background is worth worrying about.

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shouldwestayorshouldwego · 02/07/2018 21:10

Try listening to More or Less on radio 4 to start thinking like a statistician. With the computer packages as others have said it is more to do with understanding experimental design than actual maths and formula, unless you get into quantitative research.

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EvilEdna1 · 02/07/2018 21:12

I did BA social psychology in days of yore and had a grade c GCSE. I got a first even though I spent much of the stats lessons thinking WTF.

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Punksparkle · 07/07/2018 16:11

I’ve just finished my PhD in applied psychology. I am a podiatrist and Andy Field saved my bacon!

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