Why did you pursue a postgraduate course?
I chose to do the MSc in Research Methods in Psychology, as I wanted to improve my research skills and study a degree that would be quite broad and allow me to apply the skills gained to a number of jobs. I graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London in 2014 and took two years to train as a teacher of Social Sciences. After completing the qualification, I realised how much I missed studying Psychology and being in a university environment. This encouraged me to pursue a postgraduate course and expand on the knowledge I gained at undergraduate level. Finally, I wanted to improve my chances of studying at Doctoral level if I decided to do so.
Why did you choose this postgraduate course and institution?
I chose the University of Kent for a number of reasons. First of all, the School of Psychology is rated very highly in the league tables for both its courses and research. This was very important to me, as I have always enjoyed challenging myself, and I knew that studying at Kent would allow me to push myself and develop my understanding of Psychology further. As the University is located close to my home, I can live and spend more time with my family. Finally, the University offers a great number of options of Master’s programmes and many interesting modules to choose from. I chose the Research Methods MSc course, as it allowed me to pick most of my option modules, which has been very helpful, as my interests are quite broad, ranging from areas in developmental psychology, social psychology, personality psychology to clinical and psychopathology.
What is the course teaching you that your first degree did not?
The course has taught me quite a lot in comparison to my first degree. Studying for the MSc in Research Methods in Psychology has made me realise how important it is to conduct high-quality, theory-based research. I also learned how much input and work goes into conducting good quality studies. In addition, the Master’s course has expanded my evaluation and analysis skills. Studying at an undergraduate level encouraged me to learn and understand different areas of Psychology, which is a very broad field with a vast amount of research findings. However, pursuing Psychology at Master’s level is more about drawing on the already-gained knowledge to think independently, build arguments, think critically and challenge findings. So I feel that the biggest difference between an undergraduate degree and a postgraduate degree is a greater emphasis on the higher-level skills, which is very helpful when writing 6,000 word essays that require a deeper level of thinking and analysis. The Master’s course has also really developed my knowledge of statistics.
Tell us about the course…
The course has been both challenging and rewarding, in different ways. At the start, it has been a challenge to understand statistics at the Master’s level. However, after revising and making links between concepts, it has been immensely rewarding to find that I actually understand and can carry out complex statistical analyses. The course has been very stimulating, as I have gained knowledge across different fields of psychology; from personality and individual differences to cognitive neuroscience. Having the flexibility to choose from a range of modules has been really useful, as it showed me clearly what I am interested in the most. I also found that there have been a number of additional sessions aimed at supporting us as students including employability workshops and talks from external speakers. We have received additional help with areas such as writing research proposals, conducting literature reviews and putting together PhD applications; all of which have benefited people in different ways. I think that with its emphasis on research, the course prepares individuals well for further study and going into research-based roles. As a result of my dissertation being a cross-disciplinary project that draws on personality psychology and qualitative analyses, I have gained more understanding of how to combine qualitative and quantitative aspects, which is something I have not done before.
What areas of work could you go into as a result of your further study?
As a result of this course, I can pursue a number of careers, both in Psychology and outside. I could pursue a PhD and become a researcher/academic or complete a Doctoral course and become a practising Psychologist in the field of Educational, Clinical, Occupational or Health Psychology. I could also go into slightly different roles, such as those of mental health support staff or emotional support. If I wanted to complete other courses, I could work in a number of roles, including Careers and Education Advise, Counselling or CBT therapy. I could also work for organisations that conduct research, such as NFER or different charities. I think that Psychology has given me a range of transferable skills that are useful to many different roles.