Psychology questions! (1 Viewer)

[Coookies]

Lately I've been interested in psychology but I'm still wondering a few things...

Is it better at UNSW or USyd? Usyd requires a higher ATAR.

What does the 'arts' stream involve?

Is 'full time' 6 hours, 5 days?

Is there much competition to get into it? (are lots of people interested in it?)

Do I need honours to do neuropsychology?

Does anyone do or know someone that does neuropsychology and tell me if it's hard/worth it etc?

Thanks!

 

[Coookies]

bump...

 

[izzy88]

Sorry I don't do psychology, although I had a friend that did it. I don't know the reputation of usyd vs unsw, however ATAR's should not be a determining factor. They represent demand, not necessarily which course is better.

There is information on the degree (Bachelor of Psychology) here in case you hadn't seen it: http://sydney.edu.au/science/fstudent/undergrad/course/bpsych.shtml#course_structure

it gives the course structure etc for a bachelor of psychology. You can choose to do it in either science stream or arts stream. I don't believe this has any impact on your psychology subjects, it just means that along your psychology subjects you can pick electives in either science faculty or arts faculty eg history etc.

Full time at uni is never really 6 hours, 5 days a week. Contact hours can depend on the subject and the faculty. eg. arts subjects are generally 3 hours of contact (lecturers/tutorials) per week. Science more than this (because of labs). Not sure about psychology. Whilst contact hours may be small, the idea is that you have lots of readings/assignments to do outside of class.

Psychology is very popular. First year psychology subjects at usyd have (when I last talked to someone about it), about 2,000 students. This does drop off in later years, about competition to get into honours is competitive. If you want to be a psychologist later, you need to do honours and a masters program as well. These can also be competitive to get into.

Note however, you don't have to do the Bachelor of Psychology to then get into a psychology honours and masters programs. You could alternatively do a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Psychology, and still be able to do honours in psychology and later masters (assuming you get the marks to get in).

Hopefully someone who has actually done psychology can answer your questions, but i hope this helps a little bit in the mean time.

 

[Coookies]

The hours make me happy

Do you know much about neuropsychology? Would I need a masters or honours to do it? Or is it like a specialised thing?

Thanks for answering my questions!

 

[izzy88]

Well to be any kind of psychologist, you need to do honours and masters degree. I believe neuropsychology would be the same. I'm not sure if you have to do a specialised program, or just the normal psychology honours/masters.

I would recommend going along to university open days and talking to the psych department, or to send them an email/give them a call for specific questions (unless someone on here can answer questions more specifically about psychology/neuropsychology.

 

[Coookies]

Thanks for answering my questions

 

[ag12]

Actually last year ATAR for BPsych at UNSW was higher than USyd. Neuropsych (as a profession) is a specialist Masters that requires Hons Psych first. MAQU does it.

 

[Natg]

I'm a current USyd first year student planning to major in Psyc there are about 5 courses in which you can do psyc at the uni, so you should choose which one to do which will allow you to also explore your other interests. The courses are listed here:
http://www.psych.su.oz.au/future_students/psychology_other_degrees.shtml

The basic thing you need to know is to be a practicing psychologist you have to do a 4th year of uni. At USyd that's in the form of an Honours degree, but at other uni's it can be just a 4th year of study. So basically, when undertaking a major in Psychology with the intent of becoming a psychologist, you need to be aiming to qualify for 4th year study.

The basic psychology degree is BPsychology, where you undertake a major ONLY in psychology, while also studying a few arts or science subjects (that's the 'arts stream' or 'science stream'). The great thing about that degree is it guarantees you a place in Honours, which is very competitive. However, you must maintain a distinction average or you basically get kicked out.... Let me tell you, a distinction average is HARD! So if you are fully committed to your work and think you can maintain top marks, then go for it!

I'm studying psychology through the BArts. It's pretty much the same as the BPsych, except I also have to major in an Arts subject. I'm majoring in History, but there are a billion other subjects you can do - I really like how flexible the degree is. In the BArts you do exactly the same psyc subjects as those doing BPsych. The only difference is your entry to Honours isn't guaranteed, so you have to fight for it. I'd say you'd probably need a Distinction average as well, but at least if you don't get that you don't get kicked out of the degree!

The other courses I don't know too much about, but they all do exactly the same psyc subjects whatever the degree, with different subjects you also have to study. Psyc is very popular at USyd, like someone above said, there are over 2,000 students in the first year courses. How hard it is to get into depends on what course you choose to study it in - I think the BPsyc ATAR was like 97.5, but the BArts ATAR was only 84. There are 3 lectures per week and 1 tutorial, so your full time hours will depend on what other subjects you do. This year in the BArts I only went to uni for 3 days per week hehe . The only experience I've had with neuropsychology was a lecture series this year, and I found it interesting but challenging. You also need to be interested in anatomy because you have to learn all the parts of the brain, some parts of the body etc. You don't have to decide what psyc subjects to take until 2nd year anyway, so you'll get to experience it first.

Hope that helped

 

[Fish2394]

thanks for this information guys, i'm also looking to study psychology, with the intention of one day doing honours/masters and becoming a psychologist. the course i'm looking at doing at USYD is B arts/B science (majoring in Government and Psychology respectively). In the context of going on to further study what you do you guys think of this combination? would I have enough time to maintain good marks in Psychology??

also I want to be in the work force for a while, either if honours doesn't work out (i don't get in) or just to get experiance before i go on to further study/clinical practice, is this a good idea? are my marks/credits from a USYD psych. major easily transferable? could i continue the honours component at a different uni if need be???? any help would be appriciated