If you have a degree in psychology?

[MonstranceClock]

What do you do?
I read a thread the other day where a lot of people were saying its basically worthless. I'm doing one now, and feeling very disheartened as I believed I could make a good career with it.

AIBU to ask what you do and what further training you had to do? I'd love to work for the police as a forensic psychologist, or maybe some sort of sex/relationship therapy

I manage a charity where a large proportion of client group has mental health issues

Nursing

I'm studying psychology atm and planning to do my MA & PHD in either forensic psychology or neuropsychology. There are actually plenty of jobs, it's just most people don't educate themselves high enough to actually get them. Most require PHD's.

It's not a subject to study half heartedly imo, you need to be in it for the long haul to get the kind of jobs you actually want. Just a bachelors in it is pretty useless.

I'm a teacher

How full on is a Phd? Can you work while you do it? I have children, so would have to be able to fund myself while I do it.

They're full on but as far as I know a lot of parents do them!
You could do one part time and work/parent alongside it, it would just take longer to complete.

I'm planning on trying for a baby with my DP once I've got all my schooling done and secured a job.
I'm only 20 though so plenty of time!

See, if I do it full time I will be 32 when I qualify! It's so difficult, but I have to do it for my kids.

If your degree is BPS accredited then upon graduation you can work as an Assistant Psychologist in a school, CAMHS, or a local authority.

To be an Ed Psych or clinical psychologist you will need to do a professional doctorate (not a PhD!). Competition is tough but if you have the skills you will make it. The number of EP training places is increasing hugely from next year.

@MonstranceClock 32 is still so young! Do it for yourself, not just your kids.

Yes, will go onto do the Dclinpsy, which is 3 years. It says there are a lot of work placements for it, I'm guessing they are not paid though.

I know a few people with psychology degrees. A couple did PhDs and are clinical psychologists. It’s competitive to get onto the course, though. Both worked as assistant psychologists in various settings first - which you can do with a degree. The PhDs are paid positions. Another is a university professor.

Have a degree in Psychology. Went on to do a MSc Psych and then an MA is Psychotherapy.

They did doctorates, I mean.

The clinical doctorate is paid. I think about £25k but don’t quote me on that!

The EP one you get a bursary (currently about £16k - tax free).

Oh that's a relief!

Thankyou so much everyone, I feel much better now!

I'm already 25.

You have 45 years left in work. Plenty of time to do all of the above and retrain several times over. And in the kindest way, time to grow up a bit too.

I'm an occupational psychologist. I earn 75k and work flexible hours. Recommend!

I'm not a psychologist but from a previous job I know that competition to get onto the DClinPsy is fierce. Where I worked I believe there were 1000 applications for 20 places each year. Other universities would have been less oversubscribed, but there would still have been hundreds of applications.

You need some relevant work experience to be considered, and although you're not required to have a Master's most people do (and you need an accredited first degree with at least a 2.1 as well). Some have a Ph.D. However, once on it, it's paid at a generous rate for all three years of training and the work prospects afterwards are excellent.

For Forensic Psychology, assuming things haven't changed in the last few years, you need a BPS accredited first degree, then you can do a Masters in Forensic Psychology to complete stage 1 of the training and then you need to find a job where you can complete the professional requirements, while being supervised by a chartered forensic psychologist and completing some further academic work. That takes a minimum of two (three? can't remember) years. I recall that some trainees were taking a lot longer than that but maybe the BPS has managed to sort that out now.

All on the BPS website. Worth a good look.

I'm an Educational Psychologist. I had someone once tell me Psychology was a Mickey Mouse degree- I loved the look on their face when I told them what my job was!

I did a psychology degree because it was interesting. I have to say I have never used it directly for any of the (not highly paid) jobs i have done, but i think having the degree (any degree) helped me to land those jobs. To use my psychology degree directly I would have had to carry on studying and I didn't want to do that, i wanted to go out in to the big wide world. Like @nappyvally says i think the psychology degree has helped me in lots of indirect ways. I wouldn't say I've really used my psychology degree but I have never really thought I should have done anything else instead.

Clues in my name

Do not come near forensic psychology unless you’re happy to spend a further 5-7 years post masters (on average) training.

Competition for any in work training (ed, clinical, forensic) is ridiculous. I’m so sorry.

Lots else you can do tho!! It’s bit a waste in the slightest!!

I work in neuroscience research. We have psychologists who recruit and check suitability of our research participants. There's a range of qualifications from degrees up to PhDs, with some having the option of completing a PhD part time while working.

@Sweetiepie71 and @waterallday - feel free to pm me with questions/advice...the one thing all forensic psych trainees say is they wish they’d had someone to talk to to give them a real idea of what it’s like

Thanks everyone. Not sure what the grow up a bit comment was about...

I suspect it had to do with the impression you may have left of thinking that 25 was an advanced age. For those of us more than double that, it seems very young, whole life ahead of you kind of age!