Chemistry in Bachelor Of Arts - Psychology? (1 Viewer)

[Skitzzor]

Next year I'll be doing the Bachelor of Arts - Psychology course and then hopefully doing the Bachelor of Psychology Honors as my fourth year. I want to follow the sequence that is accredited by APAC as I hope to one day practice.

In high school though I really struggled with chemistry, it was just one of those things I just could not wrap my head around, and at the end of year 11 I dropped it. My question is, is it possible for me to do the accredited sequence without having to do chemistry? Biology is fine, but when it comes time to go in depth chemistry I really struggle.

 

[dolbinau]

I don't think there is much Chemistry in Psychology - In the first year at least; everything we've done in terms of Chemistry is very easy relating to "action potential" (it's not even worth mentioning, probably like 2 marks in the final exam).

Looking at future subjects it doesn't appear there will be much in future either.

 

[Occlumentia]

Hey, not sure if you still need this info. I've done a few 200 level psych subjects at MQ, next year I'll be doing a few more 200 plus some 300 level ones.

In 2nd year there is some chem - PSY236 Biopsych and Learning, for example, has sections on the action of various substances on the nervous system, plus their metabolism - how they're made, how they're broken down, etc. You have to memorise some things, like the essential amino-acids.

While that's not too hardcore (e.g. you don't need to memorise molecular structures, etc.) it's good to get friendly with chemistry for later on - I think part of being a great clinical psychologist is understanding precisely what effect meds and illisit substances both have on your clients' nervous system, body, behaviour, etc. And I know that at least at MQ, postgrad training does include some psychopharmacology. But that's a few years away, if you're only just starting