Can I do my psychology with a criminal record?

[Ladieunlucky]

I have a criminal record that will be 3 years spent by the time I finish my masters in psychology. The conviction is fraud under false representation. Please don’t judge (or read my previous post for further info). I want to know if I’ll be able to get a job after this as I’ll need to to declare as it show on dbs. If I can do my masters degree and if a uni will accept that and if ill be able to register as a psychiatrist? I’m currently about to start a open uni course

thank you x

It depends OP. They’ll look at things like the length of time passed since the conviction, whether or not the conviction links to your studies and future role, your honesty and attitude towards it all etc. The best thing to do is reach out to your university coordinator or course lead and be honest, they’ll be best placed to guide you. Hope it all works out and best of luck.

Won't it be as a psychologist, not a psychiatrist?

A psychiatrist is a doctor, so no, after a 3 year psychology degree you wouldn’t be medically qualified.
Clinical psychologists who work in the NHS have at least a masters and experience and usually a doctorate. It depends on each person’s individual case if they would take you on for a doctorate/trainee position with a criminal record.

Do you mean a psychologist?

There is no such job title as a psychologist. Anyone can call themselves one. What field are you hoping to work in?

To be honest, I wouldn't want to see a psychologist that didn't know the difference between a psychologist and a psychiatrist. A criminal record would pale into insignificance next to that.

A masters on psychology won’t make you a psychiatrist. It won’t make you a clinical psychologist, either

What job do you want to do?

If you want to work for an organisation then it depends on what their requirements are and I don’t think anyone here can know for sure.

If you want to work for yourself then it depends if anyone ever asks for your DBS before being with you.

I came on to say the same thing. You won’t be registered as a psychiatrist, that’s a completely different thing. Unless you’ve done the specific course to train to be a clinical or educational psychologist, you just have an MA in Psychology! (I also have an MA in Psychology ☺️)

For all jobs that require an enhanced or otherwise DBS it’ll be down to their own requirements etc.

One of the students in my class for example had a conviction (non violent, can’t quite remember what) and she really struggled after graduation.

If your masters is accredited by the BPS, then it will enable you to work as an Assistant Psychologist, e.g. in the NHS or in an educational psychology service. However, a DBS check will be required for these roles as you will be working with vulnerable service users.

What others said - your masters will not qualify you as a practitioner psychologist, and a psychiatrist will have completed a medical degree before specialising so not relevant.

If you were seeking to become a psychologist, in whatever modality, you would need to compete a specific, hcpc accredited qualification, and register with hcpc once qualified. To be honest I think it's unlikely to be possible with your conviction - see here https://www.hcpc-uk.org/education/resources/education-standards/students-health-and-character-issues/applicants-with-convictions/
but there may still be other things you can do with your masters.

Sorry I want to be a psychiatrist working with people with mental illnesses. I have bi polar myself.

If you want to work as a practicing Clinical Psychologist you'll need a PhD or DClinPsych and registration with HCPC who have some information regarding convictions (spent or otherwise). www.hcpc-uk.org/registration/your-registration/legal-guidelines/declaring-convictions-and-cautions/#:~:text=When%20applying%20for%20HCPC%20registration,Rehabilitation%20of%20Offenders%20Act%201974.

A psychiatrist has a medicine degree and studies psychiatry as a postgraduate.

This isnt going to happen.

Then you need to go to med school and become a doctor, rather than doing a masters. Once you have done that, you can specialise and train as a psychiatrist.

There are lots of roles working within the mental health field other than psychiatrists though - mental health nurses, OTs, social workers, clinical psychologists, support workers, STR workers, peer support, specialist pharmacists...

@Ladieunlucky as mentioned by others to be a psychiatrist you'll have to have a medical training first as psychiatrists diagnose psychiatric conditions and prescribe medication.

Just to say - PhD doesn’t let you work as a clinical psychologist. You need a professional doctorate instead - same level but not the same qualification.

I'm really confused by your comments OP, as others have said, a masters in psychology will not lead to a career as a psychiatrist. Either you are misinformed or naive, sorry.

You will need a degree in medicine…followed by a 2 year foundation

if you already doing a masters in psychology….maybe look at what sort of a career you could have after that?

This 🤣

@Domoda I corrected what i said. I want to be a psychiatrist.

In also dont want to be insulted by a misuse of wording. I have bipolar and todays been a long day!

@Curtainsformeplease thanks for laughing at someone with a mental illness. I really hope you don’t have anyone in your family that you act like this with! Truly disgusting and makes your response more embarrassing than what I said!

Then you need to apply to medical school, not do an MA in Psychology.

Whether you want to be a doctor or hold any other NHS role you will need a DBS check and need to disclose convictions. Professional registration (be it with GMC / HCPC etc) also requires disclosure of convictions.

Fraud by false representations is serious and may mean you can't fulfil the standards required for registration.

E.g Although HCPC will consider on a case by case basis they list offences involving dishonesty amongst those for which they will refuse registration.

How can it be a misuse of wording when you actually thought you could become a psychiatrist with a masters in psychology?