How to Get Into Psychology (Part 1)
Getting into a Psychology undergraduate degree
Psychology is an increasingly popular field with a variety of interesting career paths, including research, consultancy, therapy, public policy, clinical neuropsychology, and many more. But — getting started can be difficult.
In the past five years, I have successfully obtained offers for undergraduate, masters and PhD degrees in Psychology across the UK, Netherlands, Ireland, and Canada. During this time, I benefitted from advice that I received from peers and mentors. And I have supported others in their applications. This inspired me to share some of the lessons I learnt throughout my application processes.
I will be focussing on writing personal statements, obtaining references, creating an academic CV, drafting research proposals, reaching out to prospective supervisors, and applying for funding — as relevant to each degree level. These will of course be influenced and limited by my experience. Please feel free to leave a comment if you would like to add your experience or ask a question.
To keep it short and sweet, I will be writing three articles.
- How to Get Into Psychology (Part 1): Getting into a Psychology undergraduate degree
- How to Get Into Psychology (Part 2): Getting into a Psychology masters degree
- How to Get Into Psychology (Part 3): Getting into a Psychology PhD
This is the first one, so keep your eyes out for Parts 2 and 3.
Importantly, you do not have to study Psychology to get involved in psychological research. If you would like to find out how to contribute to the field without obtaining a degree, please check out my article on the topic.
Getting into a Psychology undergraduate degree
I completed my undergraduate degree at the University of Edinburgh. During this 4-year Honours course I became increasingly interested in the intersection of Psychology and Neuroscience. In particular, I was fascinated by the processes underlying learning, memory, and cognitive ageing.
I took various courses in Cognitive Neuroscience and conducted my undergraduate dissertation on the topic of cognitive reserve (an individual’s ability to compensate for brain atrophy). If you would like to learn more about cognitive reserve and how everyday activities allow our brains to be flexible and adaptive throughout the lifespan, please read on here. I have also written about how I challenged and changed some of my habits in response to studying Psychology at an undergraduate level.
My application process
My application to the University of Edinburgh was submitted via UCAS, the UK’s centralised application system. UCAS sends out the same application to all chosen universities. Many countries employ a centralised application system for undergraduate applications. However, if you are applying to universities directly, you should tailor your application to each respective university — more on that in Part 2.
My undergraduate application entailed a comprehensive online form (personal details, education and employment history), a personal statement (1000–4000 characters), and a reference.
In Part 1, I will be focussing on writing a personal statement and getting a reference for an undergraduate Psychology application.
Personal statement
At this stage, admissions officers do not expect students to know precisely what area of Psychology they want to specialise in. Instead, they will be looking for genuine curiosity. And they want to get to know you as a person.
What sparked your interest in Psychology? What are you hoping and expecting to learn during your degree? Why Psychology? And why you?
These are the kinds of questions you should be asking yourself.
When I was writing my personal statement, I was studying for my final exams. This was a very demanding period, which got me interested in stress, its adaptive properties (e.g., alertness, motivation to share experiences with friends), its potential negative outcomes, and its physiological and psychological characteristics. I was also volunteering with a social service providing afternoon activities for refugee children, and I started wondering about childhood trauma, resilience, and the science of well-being. In my personal statement, I wrote about these experiences and how they fuelled my motivation to study Psychology.
There is no obligation for you to continue to be interested in the topics you mention in your statement. In fact, my interests shifted drastically throughout my undergraduate degree. Admissions officers simply want to know why you are currently curious about Psychology, and what you can bring to the field. There is no expectation to share deeply personal experiences either. However, it is important to write a personal statement, that is indeed personal. It should be specific to you and illustrate that you have reflected on your choice to study Psychology — this is a key critical thinking skill.
Admissions officers have to read hundreds of personal statements. It will be crucial to write clearly and concisely, and to avoid expressing yourself in general terms. Most people are interested “in the mind” or “how people think and behave”. But only a minority of us will pursue Psychology as an academic discipline.
What are specific behaviours or cognitive functions you are interested in? Why are you interested in how we think and behave? And what skills or experiences make you a suitable candidate?
Make your personal statement stand out by making it specific. Instead of mentioning all the reasons you are interested in Psychology, and all your skills and experiences, select the most relevant ones. This will allow you to elaborate on key points, and to create a cohesive narrative.
Getting a reference
If you are applying straight out of school or a few years after graduating, asking a (former) teacher, tutor, or principal will be the best option. Otherwise, asking an employer or supervisor will be just fine.
When I applied for my undergraduate degree, I asked my Biology teacher because (1) we had a good rapport, (2) Biology was the most relevant of my subjects with regard to Psychology, and (3) my teacher could comment on various important skills that I had developed over the years. For example, I had to design and execute an original experiment during my final year. This project required skills, which are crucial for working independently and competently at a university level. Finding someone who knows you well and who can comment on your transferable skills (e.g., work ethic, academic abilities, interpersonal skills) will be key.
If you have relevant experiences outside of academia, such as sports, creative, volunteering or work experiences, that you would like to be noted in your reference, be sure to mention them to your referee. It will be helpful for them to have access to as much relevant information as possible.
If you are asking an employer or supervisor to provide a reference for your application, find out how familiar they are with the academic application process. It might be useful to provide them with a clear outline of the kinds of experiences and skills they should be commenting on.
