Psychology
Placements and careers
Placements
Our programme is one of a small number of courses in the UK that includes an optional placement year. It is assessed, and contributes towards the final degree classification.
During your placement you will:
- work with a professional psychologist in an apprentice role
- be placed in the UK or overseas
- be supported by placements staff that will help you organise the placement year
- work for a wide range of organisations in the public and private sectors in a clinical, educational, forensic, organisational, development or research setting
- use it as a basis for your final year dissertations (many are based on research done during the placement year)
- find it invaluable as a preparation for your career choice.
Recent placements include:
- forensic psychology in Melbourne (Australia) and Liverpool (UK)
- alcohol and drug addiction work in Britain, Australia and the United States
- family therapy
- market research
- helping construct a new reading test with educational psychologists
- working on the WHO Quality of Life Project
- research with the Home Office and the Metropolitan Police
- studying autism in children
You will need to apply specifically for the placement year option when enrolling for this programme if you wish to undertake this route (as spaces are limited).
Applications for placement can be very competitive and it is your responsibility to secure the position, but at all times you will be supported by our placements team.
Find out more about placement opportunities.
Careers
We are consistently ranked highly in the UK university league tables for graduate prospects.
Due to the wide-range of generic skills and the rigour with which they are taught, training in psychology is widely accepted as providing an excellent preparation for a number of careers.
In addition, to its traditional place in clinical, educational, and organisational contexts, a psychology degree is highly marketable in:
- communications
- counselling
- health
- human resources
- management
- market research
- police work
- the prison service
- social research
Professional work in psychology often requires further specialist training, and many of our graduates go on to graduate training.
Our department is also a training centre where select, experienced graduates study for a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, and we have a well-established Masters in Health Psychology.
If you study the MSci programme then you will find the master’s level qualification should give you an advantage over BSc graduates in the competitive jobs market.
View Career Destinations.
