After Your Degree

After Your Psychology Degree

There are two pathways for students to take to become a professional psychologist; researcher or practitioner. Those taking the researcher path will often complete a PhD in psychology and often work within universities as lecturers or post-doctoral researchers. The practitioner path involves jobs that deal directly with the public within seven specific areas.

The British Psychological Society (BPS) have a very comprehensive section of their website devoted to careers and qualifications. For those thinking of changing career to become a psychologist, the BPS have a detailed section on their website outlining your options.

All professional qualifications within psychology must be taken at the postgraduate level and there are a wide range of postgraduate programmes run in universities around the country. The University of Buckingham has undergraduate degree courses covering all seven of the areas of professional psychology so that our students have experience of these areas before they choose to specialise at postgraduate level.

Since 1 July 2009, the Health Professions Council (external link) has been the registering body for practising psychologists (those who work with the public) in the UK. Students who wish to become practicing psychologists must ensure that their postgraduate degree programme is accredited by the HPC by checking their register of approved programmes.

University of Buckingham students who would like to gain a Master’s by Research (MSc) have the option of following our 2+1 programme (2-year bachelor’s and 1-year master’s), applying for a place within our four thriving research hubs: CREATE, the Centre for Health and Relationships, Emotion and Life-span relationships, and Psychology of Educational Development. Details can be found on our Research in Psychology page.

Alternatively, there are websites that allow prospective students to find an appropriate postgraduate programme, such as Find a Masters and Find a PhD.

The University of Buckingham Psychology Society and Careers Service also invite speakers to talk about various psychology career paths.